HOW DOES A CHURCH OR YOUR CHURCH REALLY MAKE YOU FEEL ?

[Your closest friendnt]

My church doesn't make me feel anything, one way or the other. Some music can affect my emotions, so can some messages, even some people can influence my feelings. This is the same in my home, my work place, while shopping or drivng my car etc. Experiences can affect my feelings inside or outside the church. In that sense, it is like every other place.

Now, if going to the market, made be feel guilty, or unwelcome or something that was unpleasant, I would likely find another market. However, I go to the market to buy food. If the food is good, and the prices are fair, I will likely be back, even if the music they play during the shopping experience is not to my taste.  The reason is simple, they have something I need - food!

Some places have things I need, and I do not have expectations of much in the way of comfort, but I will go to those, because they have something i need or at least something of value to me. For example, I might go to a doctor's or dentist's office, or a hospital, with full undertanding that the experience will likely be unpleasant. However, if I have a malady that needs attention, I might choose to undergo some discomfort, because the benefit outweighs the outcome of not going.

The church is the same way to me. I certainly have tastes in music, but I do not go to church for the music. Have a music collection at home, and a radio in the car where I can hear music I like. I prefer seat or pews that are comfortable, but again, I have chairs at home and in my car that are more comfortable, so I do not need church for that. I certainly do not go just for the message, even messages, can be found on Youtube or in books, my local church hardly has a monopoly on that. However, I do prefer to go to a church that has sound teaching, bible based, and relevant to the things I need, not for feeling good, but for my spiritual health. Often those teachings are uncomfortable - just as going to the doctor can be uncomfortable. If a sermon makes me squirm a little, I see that as a good thing, people who are not perfect, should squirm a bit when confronted with truth. If the teachings of a church always made me feel happy, warm and fuzzy, I would flee that place as spiritually dangerous and lacking a balanced Biblical message.

Again, I can find truthful and uncomfortable messages in book, online, on radio and on the internet . In fact, I can get uncomfortable messages which are truthful from friends. In fact, people who will only say good things to me, are not the best of friends. Good friends care enough, to say it as it is, even it it will cause me pain, if it is something I need to hear.

That brings me to why I do go to church. Church is a collection of people, gathered together in one place, who know they are not perfect, who know they need repairing, and who know, that there are others in the same boat. We gather, we pray together, we study together, we worship together and most of all, we serve each other in various ways, as we see needs, and as we have the ability to address those needs. Some of those needs are physical, some are spiritual. 

God has gifted His people in different ways so that we can help each other, build each other up and see to their various needs. Church is where I go, to be with other beleivers, to find people I can serve with my knowledge, my skills, my friendship, and my generosity, and it is a place where I can receive the same when I need it. It is a swapmeet of souls, cooperating for each others well being in all sorts of matter, might be counseling or wisdom and one of many other things. When a person is confused, has a situation they do not know how to deal with, a wise and compassionate word, can go a long way, and that is a blessing to both.

God made us with needs, and God calls us to meet needs. Church is just a place, where I can find needy and helpful people, and form relationships that exist in other locations and on other days than Sunday. Gathering together with God's people, also provides some needed accountability in matters or doctrine and practice.

Worthychat, is not unlike that in some ways, so I spend quite a bit of tie there, but the physical church I attend, has the benefit of being able to serve real needs that I can see, in the lives of others, that just cannot be done online, or on the phone, or through a written letter. I can pull weed, drive nails, fix a tire, make a meal, and offer comfort to the hurting, in a face to face situation better than any other way. That is why I attend a local church.

This is the most excellent post, God bless you, 

You are a strange man thought not to complain a little, and not trying to make people clons of your self. I don't think so you belong in our group, hope you continiun your search to fine someone else like your self. 

However, I apreciate your post the most. 

[Omegaman 3.0]

LOL, I am a strange man! I would not disagree, and have been called worse!  

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

My church doesn't make me feel anything, one way or the other. Some music can affect my emotions, so can some messages, even some people can influence my feelings. This is the same in my home, my work place, while shopping or drivng my car etc. Experiences can affect my feelings inside or outside the church. In that sense, it is like every other place.

Now, if going to the market, made be feel guilty, or unwelcome or something that was unpleasant, I would likely find another market. However, I go to the market to buy food. If the food is good, and the prices are fair, I will likely be back, even if the music they play during the shopping experience is not to my taste.  The reason is simple, they have something I need - food!

Some places have things I need, and I do not have expectations of much in the way of comfort, but I will go to those, because they have something i need or at least something of value to me. For example, I might go to a doctor's or dentist's office, or a hospital, with full undertanding that the experience will likely be unpleasant. However, if I have a malady that needs attention, I might choose to undergo some discomfort, because the benefit outweighs the outcome of not going.

The church is the same way to me. I certainly have tastes in music, but I do not go to church for the music. Have a music collection at home, and a radio in the car where I can hear music I like. I prefer seat or pews that are comfortable, but again, I have chairs at home and in my car that are more comfortable, so I do not need church for that. I certainly do not go just for the message, even messages, can be found on Youtube or in books, my local church hardly has a monopoly on that. However, I do prefer to go to a church that has sound teaching, bible based, and relevant to the things I need, not for feeling good, but for my spiritual health. Often those teachings are uncomfortable - just as going to the doctor can be uncomfortable. If a sermon makes me squirm a little, I see that as a good thing, people who are not perfect, should squirm a bit when confronted with truth. If the teachings of a church always made me feel happy, warm and fuzzy, I would flee that place as spiritually dangerous and lacking a balanced Biblical message.

Again, I can find truthful and uncomfortable messages in book, online, on radio and on the internet . In fact, I can get uncomfortable messages which are truthful from friends. In fact, people who will only say good things to me, are not the best of friends. Good friends care enough, to say it as it is, even it it will cause me pain, if it is something I need to hear.

That brings me to why I do go to church. Church is a collection of people, gathered together in one place, who know they are not perfect, who know they need repairing, and who know, that there are others in the same boat. We gather, we pray together, we study together, we worship together and most of all, we serve each other in various ways, as we see needs, and as we have the ability to address those needs. Some of those needs are physical, some are spiritual. 

God has gifted His people in different ways so that we can help each other, build each other up and see to their various needs. Church is where I go, to be with other beleivers, to find people I can serve with my knowledge, my skills, my friendship, and my generosity, and it is a place where I can receive the same when I need it. It is a swapmeet of souls, cooperating for each others well being in all sorts of matter, might be counseling or wisdom and one of many other things. When a person is confused, has a situation they do not know how to deal with, a wise and compassionate word, can go a long way, and that is a blessing to both.

God made us with needs, and God calls us to meet needs. Church is just a place, where I can find needy and helpful people, and form relationships that exist in other locations and on other days than Sunday. Gathering together with God's people, also provides some needed accountability in matters of doctrine and practice.

Worthychat, is not unlike that in some ways, so I spend quite a bit of tie there, but the physical church I attend, has the benefit of being able to serve real needs that I can see, in the lives of others, that just cannot be done online, or on the phone, or through a written letter. I can pull weed, drive nails, fix a tire, make a meal, and offer comfort to the hurting, in a face to face situation better than any other way. That is why I attend a local church.

This is the most excellent post, God bless you, 

You are a strange man thought not to complain a little, and not trying to make people clons of your self. I don't think so you belong in our group, hope you continiun your search to fine someone else like your self. 

However, I apreciate your post the most. 

Amen to both of these !

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Everyone is different.

I have a friend who hates my church, the music, the teachings..... I love it.     Her church is a cult, She  is Seventh Day Adventist and everyone that does not worship on Saturday is in trouble. When you tell people that you are going to be required to worship on Saturday in Heaven and other things like that , you are going to loose people.  The music, praise and worship music she becomes almost rabid about, she hates it.  As far as she is concerned  it is only the old hymns, everything else is disrespectful.  I would die a slow death of boredom at her church,  There is no life and she wonders why the membership has gone from about 90 to less then 25.

If the word of God is taught and it is 100% scriptural there is nothing wrong with it.  It's all in what you are looking for.

I look for Jesus and if I don't see him I don't stay.

Good post.

 

I a responding to the accusation of SDA as a cult. That is a broad term and apart for defining it can create a false impression.

Mirriam / Webster's Dictionary says:

Full Definition of CULT

1 formal religious veneration :  worship
2 a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also :  its body of adherents
3 a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also :  its body of adherents
4 a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially :  such devotion regarded as    a literary or intellectual fad
   b the object of such devotion
   c  usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

I attend a Baptist Church. Under definitions 1, 2, and 5a, my church is also a cult. The late Dr. Walter R. Martin, author of "The Kingdom of the Cults" and considered my many to be the worlds foremost expert on cults and comparative religions did not believe SDA to be a cult. He did, however, consider them to be erroneous in some doctrines. He also believed that their are people who are in SDA, who are non-Christian cultists, by their beliefs, but did not label the denomination itself that way.

Of course, on that notion, I feel certain that there are people in my congregation, whose beliefs should classify them and non-Christian cultists. From a page on the Christian Research Institute's website (also founded by Dr. Martin) I found this:

Since SDA does accept the foundational doctrines of historic Christianity (the Trinity, Christ’s true deity, His bodily resurrection, etc.) we do not believe that it should be classified as a non-Christian cult. It is our conviction that one cannot be a true Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, Christian Scientist, etc., and be a practicing Christian in the biblical sense of the word; but it is possible to be a Seventh-day Adventist and a true follower of Jesus, despite certain distinctive Adventist doctrines which we consider to be unbiblical.

I agree with their position for those same reasons.

Regarding Saturday worship, the Bible says in Romans 14:

5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 

Is that not what the 7th Day Adventist does, regard one day (Saturday) above another, convinced in his own mind?

I tend to think of the day of the week as totally unimportant, so I would not judge Sabatarians at all, of course I cannot approve of the stance of some, who look down upon those who chose to gather on Sunday.

I think the best model, might be in Acts 2 where it says:

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

However, though I had a lot so say about the small points (relative to you main point) about SDA being a cult and comment on Saturday wroship, I think you post ihits the mark.

I don't know if it can or can't be classified as a cult or not, as I am no expert. I would never refer to a believer as a cultist, as this is most often counter-productive in a conversation. I have read their history and beliefs, and while I don't personally agree with their dispensation of His Word 100%, I cannot say that for many churches ( that's just me ). Saturday Sabbath is one thing, but saying that Sunday worship is the mark of the beast could be considered exclusionist. Ellen White was obviously mistaken a few times, and I personally do not hold her as a prophetess of God. Still, there are believers found in the strangest of places in this strange world !

[Omegaman 3.0]

Oh for sure, Ms. White was no true prophet, and I am not certain that that is a requirement, a statement of faith to be a 7th Day Adventist, I know that of the 4 or 5 Adventists that I have talked to, not of them held that she was. Certainly, our veneration is to be focused on Jesus, not the founders of denominations or religious ideologies. The thought of some the Sunday worship is the mark of the beast, is extremely absurd and certainly not based in scripture.

However - pointing out those joining this thread, the topic is not 7th Day Adventism, I did not intend to derail it.

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Amen Mega. Back to the Topic  

 

[Ezra]

Amen Mega. Back to the Topic  

And back to the topic means that church membership is a two-way street. Christians expect certain things from their church, but churches should expect certain things from their members. And it is not a matter of "feeling" (as many churches have made it out to be) but of fulfilling what Christ expects from His churches (Acts 2, Revelation 1-3). Sitting on the sidelines while fault-finding will not get one anywhere. If the church member is saying "What have you done for me lately?" The Lord is also saying "What have you done for me lately?"

[Your closest friendnt]

It had a season my life that I visited deferent churches, I did not know why and I did at the same time, I was looking to find not only the church that compliments my understanding of, but people that fit my persaption of what a believer should be, looking to find the pie ready baked to perfection, on top of that, I hoped that they wellcome me and that they will exalt me far above themselves,

Later I discover that I was moved by a various reasons, and at the same time at times by the Holy Spirit, and some times by a destorted spirit, and some times by my own self, not to forget how I was influence by the various books and other speakers, that their words was music to my ears, as a result I have experience the care of a brother, who took me under his protection from the rath of others. He said "the only thing that we own to another human is love" he did call me brother.

I mature very fast, I show Jesus working among most of them, and I begin to understand that Jesus was not looking for the perfect church or people, out of love he reach to his children, and was happy if he found some stubborn people, who gave him a hurt time to work with.

These days when I go to church, I am looking to connect to people who I can comfort, have some thing to leave with them, believing the Holy Spirit can take some place, I know that I will find people who disagree and their very protective, and see the devil in any one who disagree with them, or don't subject themselfs to them, but I try not to provoke them, I learn to say yes, Pastor, so I can be around to fellowship not with leaders which avoid "only goog word", God bless, but with a brother or sister , a litle friendship, some Godly encouragement. 

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Amen Mega. Back to the Topic  

And back to the topic means that church membership is a two-way street. Christians expect certain things from their church, but churches should expect certain things from their members. And it is not a matter of "feeling" (as many churches have made it out to be) but of fulfilling what Christ expects from His churches (Acts 2, Revelation 1-3). Sitting on the sidelines while fault-finding will not get one anywhere. If the church member is saying "What have you done for me lately?" The Lord is also saying "What have you done for me lately?"

Amen brother. We are speaking of individual congregations, that are ( sometimes ) within individual denominations, etc. The bottom line is, the true " church " is the body of Christ Jesus, which is the culmination of ALL who are believers and follow Him. As a member of that GREATER organization, it is our responsibility to actually " follow " Him. To accomplish that means, wherever and with whomever we find ourselves, we do our very best to REFLECT Him in all we do or say, amen ?

[Tiger Eye]

Oh for sure, Ms. White was no true prophet, and I am not certain that that is a requirement, a statement of faith to be a 7th Day Adventist, I know that of the 4 or 5 Adventists that I have talked to, not of them held that she was. Certainly, our veneration is to be focused on Jesus, not the founders of denominations or religious ideologies. The thought of some the Sunday worship is the mark of the beast, is extremely absurd and certainly not based in scripture.

However - pointing out those joining this thread, the topic is not 7th Day Adventism, I did not intend to derail it.

I like your posts.

I know several SDA"s that would shame people from my church with their faith and worship of Jesus Christ.

At the same time, I have read online Statements of Faith from church organizations  that preach just the opposite or somewhere thereof.

With so many denominations and all this information at our fingertips, we judge people far too easily without getting to know them.

Now how does a church make you feel?

Some seek the praise music, some seek the sermon, some seek the fellowship, some seek other things.

But if something is drawing you back to a church activity, then hopefully there will also be someone working for God who will take you into the family and help you draw into a closer relationship with Jesus.

I for one no longer go to church to be fed but rather to feed.

And when I am able to feed someone through the gifts that God has given me, that's how I am fed.

Don't think there's not a church for you somewhere, there is.

Keep seeking more of Jesus and he will lead you there.