Is it worth it to post negative reviews of church online?

[mlssufan01]

i guess i'm struggling with how any of your grievances with individuals are actually reflective of the church.
i mean, if i'm the one reading church reviews ((i wouldn't, but let's just say)), i would be reading them thinking, how much of this is actually about doctrine taught there and how much is just someone with personal issues? i mean, i don't go to a church because i want to make friends and relationships. i go to worship and to be taught, to grow in knowledge of God. so imagine the woman who was not comfortable attending church while you were present was asked to leave, and she wrote a 'review of the church' that's basically about whatever it was between you and her. am i going to get valuable information about the church from that review, or am i going to feel like i'm looking at someone's laundry drying in their back yard?

if that makes sense.

i've had various jobs and been to various schools. there were people who didn't want to be around me and people i didn't want to be around -- none of that reflects on the quality of the employment or education. so even if i felt like i needed to air something, and even if i was justified in whatever it was i wanted to say about those people, does that belong in a job review or a school review?

ever heard of glassdoor? absolutely...it gives people an idea of what to expect.

 

[faith_in_him]

To be quite clear here, this is something I never really thought I'd ask.
I want to stress this first, before anything: The last church I was a regular attender of was quite good; and if I were to review them, would be met with positive praise (for those curious, it was Calvinist; a theology quite new to me).
Prior to this, my church affiliations have been mostly charismatic and pentecostal.
At first; this question was reserved for one specific church, in which I was deeply hurt; after much processing I began discerning that most churches aren't actually being held accountable for their actions; and so when great injustice and sin happens, it just goes scott free and gets swept under the rug; in many ways I have become the victim of such treatment, shattering and devastating me emotionally and spiritually.
The first church that would receive a negative review is my very first church; I was brought there by ex girlfriend whom was still friends at the time; however, one week after attending was told there's nothing in the Bible that said we needed to be friends; and so she dropped me, leaving me friendless. At this point in my life, I was not even a Christian, and these actions may have very well led to my eternity in hell because of her sin.
After returning from college; I tried out a church; and upon my first visit; a former coworker I had noticed tried to make conversation; and directly told me to find a different church.
Upon a different church, after having a disagreement with a female, told the pastor she would not attend unless I left; the pastor said he agreed with my side but because of society today thought it better if I left until she left and then I could return.
Finally, the most painful one; the pastor's children said I was barely tolerable, they and his wife blocked me on social media; when I tried to ask what I had done wrong, he said there's no animosity and he doesn't feel slighted, but that I would not be allowed to bible studies, and gave a range of confusing reasons as to his family's actions; furthermore, he gossiped about the situation to the deacons who were my friends, completely shattering my life, and then told me my feelings aren't his responsibility. I met with him twice and yet he says he feels his family did nothing wrong, but labels this as a boundary. When I asked the assistant pastor if he could explain what's going on, I was ignored.

I have heard of pastor's suing parishioners for defamation, slander, all that, too, so that is something to consider as well.

I've also played around with the idea of simply posting bible verses specific to their situations; rather than calling out a specific person..

Your initial question of asking if its okay to look for reviews pertaining to a certain church is all fine and dandy. As for posting reviews I believe that's okay too as long as the review isn't aimed because of how you feel towards an ex and how things turned out after you ended the relationship because that is not appropriate. I've attended a church where the head pastor divorced his wife to marry (within months) to a member of his youth group....i left that church because he kept throwing his wife under the bus. For a pastor doing this, it is wrong and not even biblical. As far as visiting churches I do a quick Google church and look at what people has said as well as visit their website and look at their doctrine to decide whether or not to visit the church. Might I also add we have to be choosy on the church to attend because it needs to align to the word of God in both their preaching as well as all their ministries and how they treat one another. I refuse to attend a church that does not have a children ministry because in my opinion it is the most important one in all the church.

 

[mlssufan01]

Your initial question of asking if its okay to look for reviews pertaining to a certain church is all fine and dandy. As for posting reviews I believe that's okay too as long as the review isn't aimed because of how you feel towards an ex and how things turned out after you ended the relationship because that is not appropriate. I've attended a church where the head pastor divorced his wife to marry (within months) to a member of his youth group....i left that church because he kept throwing his wife under the bus. For a pastor doing this, it is wrong and not even biblical. As far as visiting churches I do a quick Google church and look at what people has said as well as visit their website and look at their doctrine to decide whether or not to visit the church. Might I also add we have to be choosy on the church to attend because it needs to align to the word of God in both their preaching as well as all their ministries and how they treat one another. I refuse to attend a church that does not have a children ministry because in my opinion it is the most important one in all the church.

This is actually exactly why I mentioned posting bible verses at the end of my post; so to highlight where the church can improve; rather than highlighting a specific situation or person.

 

[Mii]

Eh, so long as you post the pros and the cons I don't see a huge problem with it.


Or you could just write a few letters and send them out to the pastors and elders of each church as feedback. Be humble about how you write of course, It's easy for things to be misconstrued when we are writing in the flesh (despite having biblical reasons) it may not be the Lord's will or it may be, only you an say.


If you feel a burden laid on you by the Lord to do so, and the church leadership doesn't listen or anything...that's on them. You might not get a response and then perhaps a very neutral review might be alright if you still weighed down by this.


I think I recall the thread about the Pastor and an ex, seems like you have moved on a little bit at least.

Certainly you should not forsake the assembly, but you can also do "church" many ways. Of course, you should bear in mind what scripture says about structure, but there are a lot of options out there and each of us is pretty unique so it makes sense to have varied preferences.

Some people want a social club with an icing of Jesus I'd move past stuff like that. I can usually find at least one good thing at each church I've visited/been a part of although sometimes that's "what not to do" and what to avoid, which I consider good info.