How We Knew It Was Time to Leave Our Church

Waiting for the When

Now that we had the what, we began praying about the when. My husband and I were both excited—and a little anxious—about what we believed God was showing us through the word “roots.” We sensed that He was redirecting us, but what exactly were we to do, and when were we supposed to move?

Not long after, my husband recalled that a few years earlier, a friend had invited us to visit a Messianic congregation. At the time, it seemed random, but now it felt like God was connecting the dots. My husband believed that was the direction we were being led. I felt peace, too—but we still didn’t know the timing.

We decided to talk to our church leadership. They sat with us, prayed over us, and lovingly asked questions to help us discern whether this truly was from the Lord. Their care came from a place of deep love, and we were so grateful for it. Praying about leaving a church was never about rejecting the people who had faithfully walked beside us; it was about listening carefully for the next step we believed God was giving our family.

Starting Point

As we continued to pray for timing and direction, something unexpected happened. Among the many ministries we were serving in, one was a small group called Starting Point—a study led in rotation by a few couples every few months. We hadn’t led a session in a while, so it wasn’t on our radar.

While praying, my husband said, “I got a word—Starting Point.”

I blinked. “What?”

He said, “I think God wants us to leave after the next Starting Point class we lead.”

In that moment, we believed we had received our “when.”

Right on Time

The next day—literally—the leader over the Starting Point group called and asked if we were ready to lead the next round. My husband said yes, hung up the phone, looked at me, and we both just smiled.

We received that timing as a clear and gentle confirmation of the direction we had been praying about.

We were about to step into something completely unfamiliar, following the direction we believed God had placed before us.

We didn’t know what to expect—only that the next “starting point” wasn’t just for our group. It was for us.

Have you ever felt God calling you to take a step before you could see the full path?

Sometimes, all we receive is one word—an invitation to pray, discern, and take the next faithful step.

iamgesher

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