Leaving My Megachurch Life: A Holy Unexpected Exit

Why would a Christian leave the church that was both her employer and her place of worship? Thousands of people flocked to the popular church on the weekends, and many aspired to work there. Why wouldn't they? The church had a nationally renowned pastor, enjoyed top-notch worship music, and maintained a reputation for serving the greater community. It was also repeatedly deemed one of the fastest growing churches in America. As satellite locations were established, people naturally filled them.

Renee Smith was excited to accept a full-time job at the megachurch, a priceless gift she never expected. After attending and loving the church for several years, her new position felt like a privilege. However, it quickly led to internal struggles. Was she seeing things that other people weren't, or was her perspective simply skewed by an overactive conscience?

Eventually, her misgivings came head-to-head with a sizable issue that faced the whole congregation. Would the church body agree to finance a new and larger broadcast location, the campus most heavily attended? After the church made its decision, Renee inadvertently faced her own: follow the church or follow God?

Her answer paved the way out of a wonderful congregation and into a stronger relationship with God and his greater Church. This personal account chronicles the discovery of several unhealthy ways she related to the church, something she only saw upon leaving it.