Praying for my Former Church

[nicadaemus]

I'm having a real struggle in how to pray for my old church. I'm happily settled in my new church for almost 9 months now. Since we left, approximately 40 other people have left, a good part of them youths who feel alienated by the growing legalism in the church, and apathy for young people from the predominately 50+ age group in that church. My wife and I also taught the senior high class, and were replaced by a rather rigid teacher who has since quit teaching. Their youth group has dwindled, and several families our age left.

Quite a few of those that left have ended up at our new church. As I've mentioned before, I was associate pastor at the old church. I have not set out to encourage any of these people to leave or attend our new church home. However, it is natural that people who were used to working with me, being counseled by me, etc. when looking for a new church home would at least try the place that I attend. The cool thing there is we've had a restored fellowship with some of our best friends from the old church in a new, healthy church enviroment.

The bad thing is we all share spiritual scars in common. Each that leaves has some wound or series of wounds that need to heal. The wounds continue to be inflicted. My dilemna is in how I pray for the old church. I know the character of the leader of that church, and I can see the fruit he is bearing, and the savage way he is still shepherding. My natural instinct is to pray for God to move him, to take him from his position and bring in a caring shepherd for that flock. I pray for the eyes of the church to be open, but it amazes me how I can talk to some members (I run into them because my dad still insists on going there and I am his ride to church) and they tell me how GREAT everything is. It's mind boggling.

How have you handled prayers towards your former abusive churches? And what sort of results have you seen from those prayers? God seems to answer mine by slowly opening the eyes of individuals who move on. I so wish there was a mass exodus instead of one dropping here and there because it just seems to be so unnoticeable. However, I can't imagine how anybody doesn't realize there is a problem. Over the last year they have lost their chairman of the deacons, associate pastor (me), children's pastor and organ player, and young married sunday school class teacher. Not to mention all the other regular members.

Thanks for your input.