Karen

Your response to your friend intrigues me.

I am in a situation where I have a very close family friend who has left the church.
I have a burden from God to talk to them and share with them to perhaps re-think this decision.

I want to affirm them of the love we have for them and also that the situation can be reconciled and it doesn’t have to conclude this way.

I am trying to find biblical reasons for why we shouldn’t leave our church and try to find other churches. (We are to bloom where we are planted).
What makes it hard for me to talk to them about coming back is that their reasons to leave is similar to the right reasons you mentioned;

Like for example if a church has become apostate,
Or the church is majoring on certain issues to the neglect of other important issues.
Their reason to leave the church is because they think that our church is longer is faithful to the Word.

This is mainly because our church leaders have adopted the paradigm of “seeker-sensitive” or “Purpose Driven Church”. It’s not that we deny doctrines or the gospel but the lack thereof preaching it. I believe this is a big issue in our church too and agree with their stand.
I agree with them that our church has compromised many things. But I want to assure them that the solution is not to leave but to stand up for Truth. That we can do something about it. If we have such convictions we need to voice them out. We can take it up peacefully with our pastors and elders and try to sort out such matters. We can seek God together and grow and perhaps change.

This is a very strong burden that God has placed in my heart to share with them and as I’ve prayed and prayed about it … I just simply cannot hold it any longer.

Would I be in the wrong to express this to them? And ask them to please come back…

Regards,
Cel