See also
David Cox - Marks of a False Prophet
David Cox - Marks of a Biblical Church
David Cox - Marks of a unbiblical Church?
David Cox - Before you Join a Church

Introduction

Let me start this off by saying I am writing this as a pastor. If you have joined a local church, and you read my other articles (above) and come to the conclusion that your church is not a biblical church, and that it perhaps is a "bad" church, you should first before anything else seek God's advice and direction on what to do, when to do it, and how to do, especially your attitude. When I was an assistant pastor of a church for a short time in the United States, I felt the pastor was abusive (not to me, but to various members in the church). I left that church because of my convictions. Before I left, I went in and talked for a long time with the pastor over my preoccupations, and I had evidence in hand that he could not deny (even though he did try to deny it).

Steps to leave honorably.

1. Prayer, Bible Study, Meditation.

First I think that before anything else is done, a person should be clear on his thoughts. This means that you should study your Bible thoroughly and have a good grasp on the issues over which you want to leave a church. This is where we need to begin. We need to begin not with the church, but with your personal spiritual life. If you have personal spiritual problems, you will probably be blinded to the truth and will not make good decisions.

When you have a "clear head" on the issues, you can begin to take the other steps below.

2. Retire from activity and service.

The next step should be to personally retire from activity and service in the church. Here you need to understand that it is just not right to be out of sync with what the church is doing as ministry and still support them through your service. Ethically, you should agree with their doctrine and generally with their practices if you are going to service God with them.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Here I have to advise you strongly be wary. Many churches and pastors are masterminds at psychology. This is one of the very heavily identifying marks of an abusive church, they know how to trap and retain their members. See my discussion, psychological traps to get, retain, and punish their members, for more on this subject. It is

3. Go talk with your pastor.