Over the past few months, I’ve heard from pastors across the United States, from Uganda to Canada to Australia, who report the same trends: members are leaving their churches and their churches are receiving an abnormal amount of visitors from other churches. Given the political and cultural upheaval—all exacerbated by an ongoing pandemic—this has for many become a season to test the waters and move on.

It’s a testament to the polarization of our time that some are leaving the same church for opposite reasons—the church has become too political or is not political enough. In these tribal times—at least in the American context—some say addressing racial injustice is to abandon the gospel, while others say the gospel requires it.

While there are a number of valid reasons that Christians change churches, I nonetheless want to say: think twice before switching churches during COVID-19.