Pastor Leaves Christianity after 40 years!

I remember standing on the Biloxi pier, the salt air thick and the sound of the waves crashing against the pilings. I was there with a friend named Doug. There was a lady there named Mary. She was hurting, and the Lord highlighted her to us —and told us to pray for her. Now, I didn't necessarily want to do it. There were people all around, and you know how that carnal mind starts to talk to you, telling you that you’re going to look foolish. But Doug and I prayed for her right then and there. God touched her. He healed her radically, and that testimony is still on my Instagram timeline for anyone to see.

The reason I’m telling you this is that I recently came across a story that just broke my heart, though it didn’t necessarily surprise me. A man named Dave Gass, a guy who was in the faith for 40 years and served as an evangelical pastor for 20 of those years, recently dropped a massive bomb on social media. He announced that he is no longer a Christian. He’s walking away from it all because he thinks the whole thing is a sham.

He wrote a thread about how he spent decades being a "devout follower," and yet, after all those years, he came to the conclusion that the system doesn't work, the promises are empty, and the answers are lies. This is the pain point so many are feeling today. You go through the motions, you do the "Christian" things, but where is the power? Where is the life? If you’re feeling disillusioned, if you’re wondering why your religious routine feels like a dry bone in a desert, I want to tell you: there is a solution, but it isn’t found in a building or a monologue. It’s found in a Person.

The Tragedy of 18 Books Memorized and Zero Encounters

Dave's story is a wake-up call for the corporate church system. He mentioned that in 40 years, he probably only missed 12 Sundays. Think about that. He had completely memorized 18 books of the Bible. He was reading through the Word for the 24th time when he finally walked away. On paper, this guy was a giant of the faith. But here is the kicker, and this is what really got to me: he said that in all those 40 years, he had never witnessed a single event that was supernatural. Not one.

How is that possible? How can you lead people for two decades and never see the hand of God move? It reminds me so much of Saul of Tarsus before he became the Apostle Paul. Saul was a top-tier theologian. He knew the Tanakh inside and out. He probably had vast quantities of Scripture memorized—some say rabbis had to memorize the entire Torah. He had the letters of authority to persecute Christians, and he thought he was doing the work of God. He had the information, but he didn't know the Author.

Saul was walking after the flesh, doing what was right in his carnal mind. It wasn't until Acts chapter 9, on that dusty road to Damascus, that he had a supernatural encounter. A light from heaven shined round about him, and he fell to the earth. He heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4 KJV). When Saul asked, "Who art thou, Lord?", the answer changed his life: "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest" (Acts 9:5 KJV).

You see, Jesus lives inside the believer. When Saul was attacking the church, he was attacking Christ Himself. But up until that moment of supernatural intervention, Saul was just a religious man with a lot of head knowledge. He was carnally minded, and the Bible is very clear about where that leads.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. (Romans 8:5-7 KJV).

The Broken System vs. The Ekklesia

Dave Gass described a life of "doing everything he was supposed to." He mentioned marriage workshops, counseling, reading the Bible together, date nights—the whole "Christian living" checklist. But he said his marriage never became what he was promised it would be. He felt like he was faking it until he made it, but he never made it. He eventually felt like he was both a slave and a slave driver in a system that enslaves people.

I have to agree with Dave on one point: the system is broken. So many people are leaving the corporate church because they are disillusioned. They go to a building to listen to a monologue for 30 or 40 minutes once a week, and they're told that's their Christian duty. But that isn't the "ekklesia" we see in the New Testament. The word ekklesia means a called-out assembly. For the first 300 years, they didn't even have buildings! They met in homes daily. They shared their lives.

When the system becomes about keeping the building going and the salaries paid, it loses the Dunamis power of God. It becomes professional Christianity. Can you imagine making a career out of what Jesus did on the cross? When it becomes a profession, you start relying on enticing words of man’s wisdom—what we call apologetics—instead of the demonstration of the Spirit.

I’ve been in discussions on places like the old Blab platform with famous ex-pastors who turned into fire-breathing atheists. I remember asking one of them, "Have you ever heard of the Azusa Street revival? Maria Woodworth-Etter? Smith Wigglesworth? John G. Lake?" These were places and people where miracles were documented, where the dead were raised, where the glory cloud of God was visible. And this guy, a former leader in the church, had never even heard of them!

If you are seeking God, you’re going to look for where He is moving. You’re going to look for the signs. But the system often suppresses these testimonies because they can't be controlled. They don't fit into the 30-minute monologue. In my book, OPEN YOUR EYES: MY SUPERNATURAL JOURNEY, I talk about moving from the things of the New Age into the actual, living reality of Jesus Christ. It’s not about rules; it’s about a relationship.

Signs Following the Believers

Jesus didn't leave us with just a book of facts to memorize. He left us with a promise of His presence and His power.

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18 KJV).

These things are happening today! I’ve seen them with my own eyes. I remember being in the car with Kevin Riordan. He was sitting in the backseat, and we were stopped at a red light. There was a veteran standing there with a sign, clearly in need. Kevin called him over, right there at the stoplight, and asked if he could pray for him. He prayed, and the guy got healed instantly. The light turned green, and we had to drive off, but I looked back and saw that man standing there with his mouth wide open, staring at the car.

Jesus is still healing! But if you stay tucked away in a system that denies the supernatural, you’ll end up like Dave, wondering where God is while you die of thirst next to a fountain.

People are hurt by the "Church" all the time, but usually, they’re hurt by the system, not by Jesus. That's why we have to go out into the streets. We have to find the lost sheep who will never darken the door of a church building because of the wounds they’ve received. A lot of those folks have terrible stories of abuse and slander at the hands of "religious" people. They’ve seen the "wolf in sheep’s clothing," and they’ve decided the whole flock is bad.

Personal Reflections: Knowing Him vs. Knowing About Him

As I read Dave’s article, I kept thinking about the massive cognitive dissonance he described. His beliefs didn't match his reality. He was gaslighting himself to stay in the faith. Eventually, he had a mental and emotional break.

I’ve been there in my own way. There were times when I had to ask myself, "Conrad, do you really know Him, or are you just talking about Him?" Jesus warned us that this would happen.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV).

This is a hard passage, isn't it? These people were doing "wonderful works." They were using the name of Jesus. They were calling Him "Lord." But Jesus says, "I never knew you." The word "know" there implies intimacy. It’s the difference between knowing that the President exists and being his best friend.

Dave Gass said his parents were abusive, his marriage was a sham, and no prayers were answered. It sounds like he was surrounded by people working iniquity while wearing a religious mask. If you find yourself in a place where the "devout" are the most miserable people you know, you’re in the wrong place!

I’ve found that the people who benefit the most from the corporate system are often the "fringe" attenders who don't take it too seriously. The ones who dive deep into the legalism of the system often end up the most broken because they’re trying to satisfy a spiritual hunger with carnal rituals.

Biblical References We Can't Ignore

We have to look at what the Bible says about the falling away. Some people will get weary. They’ll get tired of the fight.

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:24-27 KJV).

Eating and drinking in His presence—that sounds like communion. Being taught in the streets—that sounds like going to church. Yet Jesus says He doesn't know them. Why? Because they were workers of iniquity. They never let the Truth set them free because they never continued in the Word.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32 KJV).

Real discipleship isn't about how many books you've memorized for a test or a sermon. It's about whether those words abide in you and change the way you live. It’s about a spiritual relationship with the biblical Jesus.

Key Takeaways

• Head Knowledge is Not Salvation: Memorizing the Bible is great, but without a spiritual encounter and a personal relationship, it’s just data.
• The System is Not the Church: The corporate church model is often more about power and influence than making disciples. Don't confuse the two.
• Expect the Supernatural: If you are a believer, signs should follow you. If they aren't, it's time to seek God more diligently.
• Repentance and Intimacy: We must move away from iniquity and toward a deep, personal knowing of Jesus Christ.
• Church Hurt is Real: Many are driven away by the "system," but Jesus is still calling His lost sheep.

Conclusion and Call to Action

My heart goes out to Dave Gass. I’ve prayed for him, and I hope you will too. I call it "50:20 hindsight," based on Genesis 50:20 where Joseph tells his brothers, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." I’m praying that Dave’s mess becomes a message. I’m praying that his disillusionment leads him to a real, face-to-face encounter with the living Christ, away from the monologues and the hierarchies.

And I’m praying for you. I’m praying that you don't settle for a "form of godliness" that denies the power thereof. If you’re struggling with spiritual attacks or feel like you’re just going through the motions, check out my book Overcoming Night Terror: Making the Demons Leave. It deals with the reality of spiritual authority and how to actually use the power Jesus gave us.

Don't let a broken system steal your soul. Seek Jesus diligently. He is a rewarder of them that seek Him!

If this message touched you, please subscribe to the blog at ConradRocks.net, follow me on social media, and leave a comment below. Let’s talk about how we can move from the head to the heart together.

Action Items

1. Audit Your Intimacy: Spend time this week asking the Lord, "Do I know You, or do I just know about You?" Be honest. He can handle it.
2. Diligently Seek an Encounter: Set aside a day for fasting and focused prayer. Don't just read the Bible—ask the Author to speak to you.
3. Look for the Signs: If you aren't seeing the signs of Mark 16 in your life, ask God to activate His Spirit within you. Start small—pray for someone's headache or a word of encouragement for a stranger.
4. Step Out of the Monologue: Find a small group of believers where you can actually "one another" each other. Share testimonies, pray for one another, and be the ekklesia.
5. Release Church Hurt: If you’ve been wounded by the system, take those wounds to Jesus. Don't let the failures of men keep you from the perfection of the Savior.

God bless you. Thank you for being in my life. Until we meet again, dig deeper and go higher!