What to do when you feel unwelcome in church

The church is the last place in the world anyone should feel unwelcome, but sadly, many people feel like outcasts in many certain congregations. As a result, fewer people are attending church, which may mean they are missing out on experiencing the joy of the Lord.

We don’t believe that going to church is a requirement for your faith journey, but it plays an important role in providing fellowship, teaching and joy. If you’re feeling unwelcome in your church, you should consider the following before making a decision on whether to stay or leave.

Ask yourself some hard questions

You need to ask yourself why you feel like you’re unwelcome or an outsider. The reason this can be a hard question is because you not only need to look at the others in your church community, but you also need to examine yourself.

Have you said or done anything that has hurt someone or your community? This is no excuse for being alienated, but if you have hurt anyone, then you know you need to work on reconciliation with them.

Some questions are also hard because your church may be important to you but the answers you find reveal ugliness you may have been avoiding looking at. For example, is your church community filled with members who hate the LGBTQ community? If you’re someone who is affirming, then you may naturally begin to feel unwelcome, even if it’s only from your perspective.

Pray

Ask God if your church is the right church for you. You may not receive any answers as it may be your own personal responsibility to decide what’s right for your individual journey. However, you may receive some guidance, thoughts or nudges from the Holy Spirit on what to do or where to go from here.

Commit

If you find a new church that is welcoming, we encourage you to commit to it. No church is perfect, and none of us should look to flee the moment things are difficult. Churches grow as their members grow and choose community and work to foster it.

Resolve conflict

Do you have conflict with someone at your church that may be leading you to believe you’re unwelcome there? It’s best to try to resolve your conflicts before making any decision on whether to stay or leave. You may cause yourself to miss out on a community that is more welcoming than you may think simply because your vision is clouded by the person you’re in conflict with.

If you’re not comfortable resolving conflict on your own, you should seek someone you trust to act as a mediator.

Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey

At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. We are currently going through a new sermon series titled “To Hell With Normal.” It’s all about redefining what we consider normal in life as we seek to make our lives more like the way Jesus would have them to be. 

Do you want to grow in your faith or are you simply curious about who this Jesus guy is? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.