I don't like to go to church

[Lcevallos]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

[NickyLouse]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

First of all, I hope this doesn't sound harsh. It's not meant to. Secondly, I considered replying privately, but there are others with the same sentiment as you.

Let me ask 2 simple questions:

1. What do you not like about church?

2. How are you serving our King?

[Believer1997]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

Well... if you are lonely ... why not try visiting other churches? You may find one that suits you fine and you like the services, etc. I think some folks don't like going to church because they aren't comfortable with other people - and that can be a problem. Do you have some friends that attend church? Maybe you can go with them. I don't like crowds and our church is fairly large, but I've found that the more I go, the better I feel... My heart sings at church. I hope you can find a church home where you feel happy and comfortable and able to Praise God. God Bless you!

[Lcevallos]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

First of all, I hope this doesn't sound harsh. It's not meant to. Secondly, I considered replying privately, but there are others with the same sentiment as you.

Let me ask 2 simple questions:

1. What do you not like about church?

2. How are you serving our King?

- For my personality the worship time is too long and the preaching is too short. I miss the hims.

- I listen to a lot of preaching in the net, i sing at home and in my car I give to God the money that belongs to him

and I just love him sooo much that sometimes even at work i say aloud how much I love him. He is so good to me

that I can't even start talking about it because i will never stop.

[Lcevallos]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

Well... if you are lonely ... why not try visiting other churches? You may find one that suits you fine and you like the services, etc. I think some folks don't like going to church because they aren't comfortable with other people - and that can be a problem. Do you have some friends that attend church? Maybe you can go with them. I don't like crowds and our church is fairly large, but I've found that the more I go, the better I feel... My heart sings at church. I hope you can find a church home where you feel happy and comfortable and able to Praise God. God Bless you!

I did.

[Believer1997]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

Well... if you are lonely ... why not try visiting other churches? You may find one that suits you fine and you like the services, etc. I think some folks don't like going to church because they aren't comfortable with other people - and that can be a problem. Do you have some friends that attend church? Maybe you can go with them. I don't like crowds and our church is fairly large, but I've found that the more I go, the better I feel... My heart sings at church. I hope you can find a church home where you feel happy and comfortable and able to Praise God. God Bless you!

I did.

Well, don't give up - keep visiting - go to a new one each week until something clicks. Go to small churches, big churches, etc. ... Keep going until you find a church home. You will find one - I'm sure of it. God Bless You!!!

[oak]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

Hey, I never liked going to school, at times hated going to work, some parties were more like a torture chamber then anything close to fun. My advice (no preaching) is don

[irishcowboy]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

Actually, "GOING" to church is not correct, for the church is not a building, but PEOPLE.... My Church is Christ. I fellowship at Kings Chapel in Carterville Mo. I have fellowshipped at AOG's, Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, Non-denoms, Nazarine, Methodist, Roman Catholic, so forth and so on.... We have even held fellowships in the park, at peoples homes (some call this home church), in tents (some think this is revival time) or even under Brush Arbors......

What made the place where you were going home? and why is it no longer home? just because one person left? or is there something else? Have you thought about starting a HOME STUDY? you do not have to lead it, just host it at your house.... invite others to come and participate...... isn't this the way the 1st century church started? in peoples homes? isn't this where the young man fell from the window to his death and Paul brought him back?

in the 70's, we had plenty of "cell groups" that met through out Wichita Ks, the ones I went to ( one on tuesday, and thursday) and then there were other group meetings at homes and "coffee shops" for study and fellowship.....

if a person wants to, they can worship, praise, and fellowship every day of the week and never enter a "Church" building, and be more in tune with the Lord God Almighty then probably 75% of the people that go to the "church" buildings.....

so, what you may wish to do, is spend some time seeking the Lord for this.... find out what you really want and or need....

something that has been impressed upon me, is that the Lord dwells in our Praises...... and our gift to the Lord is our Praises and our Worship and our song and our time giving to HIM..... and the sermons are the Lord giving to us...... as with any relationship it is a two way street...... I love Exalting the Lord, Lifting Him above all things, Praising His Name.....

God wants us to crawl up in His lap and let Him know how much we Love Him..... spending time with Him telling Him about everything.... yes, He already knows, but there is nothing more joyful to a dad, then to have his child come home and crawl up in his lap and share the day with him, even though he already knows everything that happened.... I love it now, my children are grown and gone, and I thrive on the time I spend with my grandson and he crawls up and tells me all about the zoo, that we just went to, I seen it all, and yet , it is so wonderful to hear him tell me all about it.....

that is how God is, He wants to hear from us.......

working with the youth, we are trying to instill in them that God wants them to spend time with Him, just like they spend time with their friends, and with us...... we have some that will sit and share their entire week with us, and when they see us, it is like we have not seen them for years, not just a few days.... some times only one day or two.....(Friday night is youth nite, and some times on Saturday we have youth things too....)

what is it you expect out of church? what is it you need?

I have been in crowds of family, friends, and loved ones and been lonely..... and been by my self and been totally in comfort... some times I need to be around people, other times I do not...... some times I need to be alone, and yet am not lonely......

mike

[KC02]

Praise God it is refreshing to see a little bit of honesty. It's very easy to see the faults in others, but hard work to look deep within and take inventory of our own soul.

I say you just haven't found the right church.

The church I visit often has a wonderful presence of God there. I have told myself many times, "I could stay here forever in the presence of God!" It's not the people, but God who make me feel completely at home there.

So keep looking. You will know immediately when you find the right church. Trust me, it is important to find that church, because I don't believe we can make it on our own. God didn't make us self-sufficient, but a body. We really have to work together to function and also to draw strength and support from each other.

(Heb 10:25 [KJV])

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

That day is approaching and we need God and each other now more than ever.

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

Edited March 31, 2009 by KC02

[stacey c]

Please don't give me no lectures. I am looking for help. I finally had courage to confess that I actually hate to go to church.

I never liked much. I am very close to God. I study the Bible, listen to sermons, praise God with hims but just

don't know of any church where I would like to be. Since the pastor of the church where I was a member retired I

can't find a HOME and I am lonely.

Hey no lectures from me!!!

I know where your coming from. I was a member of a church for many many years, an independent non-denominational church, and because of scandal the pastor had to leave state. He came back a couple of years later he came back and took over his fathers church. So I went to that church for many years (hey if God will for give him who am I to hold a grudge).

This pastor was very annointed and knowledgable and I grew in the Spirit by leaps and bounds. Then about 6 months before I left things began to feel weird to me and I began to lose that excitement and thirst to get up 6 am Sunday morn. and get my kids ready for church.

I began to see my friends leave the church by droves, but no one would say why (didn't want to gossip) then I began to hear lies for the reasons this one or that one left, and I knew they were lies!

After some very hurtful things that were said to me and about me that the pastor himself and his right hand hechmen, I left. And so did my desire to get involved in another church. And several of my friends feel the same way. We all still love the Lord and daily seek His face and search His word, I think there is a deep seated fear of getting involved again. It seems that pastors are no longer held accountable when things get shady, and hold way too much power and control over people.