redordead

and yes I did leave. Started going to a church near my place last week. Planning to go there regularly. Its amazing how it feels like a burden has been lifted. One of the songs they sung for worship just spoke to me.. "Christ is enough for me Christ is enough for me Everything I need is in You Everything I need"

Butero, I attended the AG church that I had visited a while back. It was great. Loved worshiping God and the sermon was great too. stormy612, I have finally left the church. The new church is a breath of fresh air. I was at peace after the Sunday sermon.

Thank you, B3L13v3R. I'm moving out of that church this week. FresnoJoe, The scriptures you posted flies in the face of everything that is taught in that church. Thank you for reminding me.

Thank you all for your replies. It has been encouraging to me. I've been contemplating leaving this church for almost 2 years now but I guess I'm not finding the strength to take that step, but I will eventually. I'm planning on attending a church this Sunday near my place that i visited couple of months back. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Hello, I have been struggling with the issue of whether I should leave the church I'm currently attending. I'm 25 and I have been attending this church since ever. Lately I have been having concerns over several doctrines and practices. Since I was taught that the teachings of my church were the closest I could get to true doctrines, it never crossed my mind to question them. But the past couple of years I have been more open to other Christians and have re-investigated the beliefs that I hold by reading the bible and I have come to realize that many of my beliefs are wrongs. Here are the list of beliefs/practices that I feel are contradictory to the word of God. 1. The pastors in my church do not marry and only the unmarried are allowed to enter the ministry teach the word. Those who enter the ministry are expected to literally leave behind everything (house, parents, relatives etc) and never look back. 2. The biblical Zion mentioned in the book of Revelation is a place in eternity inherited by unmarried ministers. 3. Taking medicine would mean you would not be seen at the second coming of Jesus. 4. The word "saint" is referred to the unmarried ministers during a typical sermon and believers are referred to as "believers". 5. Only this church has the revelation and other churches of this world do not measure up to the standard of doctrine taught here. 6. Evangelizing includes bring in members from other Charismatic/Pentecostal churches even though this church is one. 7. Only those who follow all of the doctrines taught in this church are real Christians (they don't explicitly say that, but it can be inferred during every sermon). 8. Believers from other churches and those who take medicine are not allowed to take the communion. 9. Only those sinlessly perfect will go to heaven (in the sense that those who attain a state on this earth where they no longer commit sin) 10. Topics such as helping the poor and the needy is never preached. One of the pastors once said that to avoid being prideful believers must give the money to the ministers and they would give money to those who need it (I don't think he had any ulterior motive in saying that). 11. Believers are expected to ask the pastors before taking any decision in their life. There would be a feeling that God would punish us if we go against their advice. They often use examples where certain believers questioned them and had horrible deaths. Leaving this church equals backsliding. This list can go on and on. But having said that, they vigorously preach against sin and almost all of the sermons are pertaining to living a holy life. The gift of the holy spirit like prophecy and tongues are abundant in the church. I have nothing against the way the believers or the pastors are in person. They seem like genuine people. They literally sacrifice their sleep and pray night and day for all the believers in the church. They genuinely care about the believers. They come running to our homes and pray for us even if we are in the least amount of distress. Here is where I stand. I'm caught in two minds. I have tried going to this church the past year owing to pressure from my parents (to them leaving this church would be like leaving Christianity itself and they would be terribly hurt if I do). But to stay in this church would mean to look down on every other Christian on this earth like they are a lesser christian than I am. I have no peace when I go to Church. Instead of listening to the sermon I'm constantly on the edge trying to check if they're teaching false doctrines. Just the other day one of the pastors said 2 people never sinned their entire life.. Jesus and Daniel (I was fuming). Would I be making a mistake in leaving this church?

That is the 3rd stanza of the hymn. It is said to have been pencilled on the wall of an asylum by an inmate. Guess nobody knows who truly wrote that stanza. It happens to be my favourite hymn..especially Mercy Me's rendition of it.