Take A Stand - Stand to gain, or stand to lose?

[St. SteVen]

I was asked a question recently about why I am still in the church? Good question.

This led to me thinking about the larger subject of taking a stand. What does that look like? Or what could it look like.

Over the years I have known many individuals that have taken issue with the church and headed for the door.

As I saw these situations unfold I asked the individuals to weigh what they would lose against what they would gain.
In most cases they felt that they were doing the "honest" thing. They could no longer play the game at church.

Parenthetically, this meant that they may have felt that I was being "dishonest" to stay in the church.
Fortunately, none of these dear friends accused me of such. And I wondered if the "honesty" thing was just an excuse. ???
What they would say to anyone who questions why they left. To keep themselves of some sort of "higher ground".

I'm still in the church, and I have my reasons. And I think God wants me to stay put for now.
I don't mean to "play the God card" to end the discussion. I want us to discuss this.

Discussion questions:
1) When is it appropriate to take a stand?
2) What forms might that take?
3) What does one stand to gain?
4) What does one stand to lose?

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[St. SteVen]

While being supportive of my friends that left the church, I was mindful of this scripture concerning myself.
If I left the church, would it be "out of selfish ambition or vain conceit"? I didn't HAVE to leave. So I stayed.

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

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