Christian community is a precious gift from God. But our love for the community must never replace our love for the Lord of the community. How do we not lose our faith when we lose confidence in our church? Or, how do we not lose our faith when we feel neglected or pushed out of a local-church community? This is a really sharp question today from a listener named Sarah in Houston, Texas. “Pastor John, among my friends I fear I see a form of Christianity that finds its impetus in a person’s ability to settle into the social life of a local church. There’s a pressing toward maturity as a community ideal, doing the things other believers make a habit of — Bible reading, weekly worship, small group gatherings, etc. — but it all lacks a God-focused center in the individual’s life of faith. It is a conformity to community expectations, which is not a bad thing in itself. “The problem comes when one of these ‘believers’ feels socially slighted or pushed out. Maybe she feels the pastor is more distant than he was in the past, or her overall friendships have grown colder, and her sense of belonging in a particular church waivers at the relational level. Then she finds that her ‘faith’ crumbles to the dust as she turns away from God altogether. How can we guard ourselves (and one another) from mistaking a sense of belonging within a community to genuine faith in God?” EPISODE 1192: http://desiringgod.org/interviews/how-to-keep-your-faith-when-you-lose-confidence-in-a-local-church Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes, http://desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john