The Anatomy of a Backslider

There are many reasons why one would choose to leave a church; some of them are valid, others, not so much. But frequently, when it does happen, their departure follows a too familiar pattern. Consider the following anatomy of a backslider:

1. A Backslider Usually Suffers from Pride.
   “Peter answered and said to him, ‘Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble” (Matthew 26:33).
   Backsliders often suffer from pride, and pride is the precursor to a fall (Proverbs 16:18). The backslider’s pride will feed discontentment, resentment, frustration, and disillusionment in any ideas or actions taken by church leaders that differ from the backslider’s way of thinking. Because of their pride, the backslider can only see his thoughts and his ideas as worthwhile and dismisses the thoughts, wisdom, and contribution of others.
2. A Backslider Usually Becomes Undependable.
   “Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘What! Could you not watch with me one hour” (Matthew 26:40).
   Backsliders frequently become undependable. Though they may have once been a go-to person everyone could count on, the backslider begins to “drop the ball.” They begin to divest from ministry and church programs. They resign from works in which they were involved. They’re no-shows at “extra” activities outside of worship. They won’t take on responsibility but do their best to hand off the responsibilities they once had to others. Their presence is sketchy. Their monetary contributions become spasmodic and decreased. And their help cannot be counted on.
3. A Backslider Usually Begins to Follow at a Distance.
   “Having arrested him [Jesus], they led him and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance” (Luke 22:54).
   Seldom does a backslider wake up one morning and decide to “quit church.” Rather, backsliding involves a gradual process. I remember many sermons wherein my dad would say, “Cars are a lot like people. They begin missing before they completely stop running.” The same is true with backsliders. They remain present just enough to keep concerned brethren from inquiring about their spiritual well-being, but their misses soon become more of a pattern than an aberration.
4. A Backslider Will Finally Disassociate Himself from the Church.
   “And a certain servant girl, seeing him [Peter] as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, ‘This man was also with him.’ But he denied him, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know Him” (Luke 22:56-57).
   After months of withdrawal and lack of dependability, the backslider will muster the courage to make it official. There will be no more gradual decline and abduction of responsibility. They will finally muster the courage to say, “I’m done,” “I quit,” confirming the suspicions of concerned brethren.

More than likely, many reading this have seen this pattern play out far too many times. Maybe you’re in the throes of this process as you read. Let me tell you, there’s good news! There’s hope! As I have tried to make clear in this brief article, even the apostle Peter traveled this well-worn path. But he returned! Just as there is a path that leads one away from Jesus and his church, Peter provides us with a pattern that will bring one back. I’ll share that with you in the next article.