I joined because I'm lonely...

[Neighbor]

Hi,

Welcome to Worthy!

Have you first talked with your pastor?

Have you first accepted his appointment as your pastor?

Have you submitted yourself under the enabling of God the Holy Spirit to the lead of Christ Jesus and his anointing of pastors, elders, deacons, and deaconesses, within His local body of Christ Jesus?

Do you pray for your pastors, elders, deacons, deaconesses, by name and for their needs?

Do you pray for the study time and the message to be delivered, and pray during the message itself?

I mention these things because the church is not of a pastor, the local body is made of many gifted by and of God the Holy Spirit working the will of God the Father for His glory in the name of God the Son Jesus.

Also; old people are not a plague on a church, but are to be listened to,  learned from, and lifted up in prayer too.

Do you pray for the children of the youth group that meets, pray for each of them by name, learn of their needs, and of their family? Might see if there is something to be done there waiting for you to hear the call of the Holy Spirit to go tend to it.

May God enrich your own local place of gathering the local body of Christ jesus with many that will pray read think and act, each in support of the local body. May the body then grow in the spirit, each member indwelled and eager to serve by the lead of the Spirit within each member for the Glory of God the Father.

Are you wrongheaded in concern about your  local church body? Don't know, but I do think answering the above questions to yourself, actually writing down the answers for you to privately read and pray over might help your spirit to  be led by the Holy Spirit to good service regardless of the overall condition of your local church body.

May God bless

 

[Tzephanyahu]

Shalom LJ,

I can totally empathise with your situation.

Consider what the apostle Paul would say, if he stayed at your church for a few days. That's not to say we should blame your church, but rather that your feelings and thoughts are probably justified. 

It may be that Yahweh has laid these things in your heart ahead of a future calling for you. If your thoughts feel right, true and scriptural then do not ignore them. Meditate upon them but do not share them with other members in the congregation, lest you be misunderstood in your intentions and there be doubt cast over your character.

In my opinion, what the church "does", in terms of outreach programs, missions and witnessing - these matters belong with the leaders. Whatever they do or don't do is between them at God.  As a member of the church, the most important thing to do is to love, help and care for one another. Whether you do this or not is between you and God.  This will be the same with every church you go to. Almost all of them have some form of issue to face these days.  If you are very unhappy then maybe leave but it could be that you are meant to be in that church for a purpose.

What I'm trying to say is this. It's good that you have visions and plans for the Church, which may be in your heart for a reason. But, in order to get your plans heard, live at peace with all the members and leaders.  Love them all and help as many as you can. Then, the leaders might take notice of this and willingly invite your ideas, if it's God's will.  And, if they don't, you'll still be living your church life respectfully and dutifully with is YOUR responsibility in any church (good or bad).  Yahweh will see this and bless you. 

Whatever you decide to do my friend, I hope that your zeal finds it's fruition for the glory of God. 

Love & Shalom

[Jostler]

Quote

Psa 68:5-6

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.

God sets the solitary in families;
He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Quote

Isa 30:15

¶

For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:

“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
But you would not,

I think Isaiah 30 might speak to you very powerfully right now.  Especially the second half of it.   Be blessed friend, IN HIM  

[Ljsitzer]

Thank you, friends.  You have given me much to think about and consider.  I have actually done many of those things, but maybe my dissatisfaction has clouded these and I need to take a closer look.  I appreciate your kindness and advice. 

[Heybro]

Hi LJ, welcome to Worthy, I want to add to what Who Me said, in that it is unfortunately, whether it be in the church or any body of people. It is the minority, not the majority, who put "their hand to the plough," You see, most folk want to be served, and are quite happy to let others do the work, and I find that quite sad really, especially in the body of Christ. Especially when Jesus came in "the form of a servant" and said 'I came to serve, not to be served."  As Marilyn pointed out, it's not for us to try and "organise" but to "let go and let God have His way." He is a Master Organiser and has been doing that very thing before the beginning of time. As we know that at the end of time, "Jesus Will have the Last Say." Be blessed LJ, Jesus sees your heart, He knows and He will bring His purposes to pass, God bless.

[Ljsitzer]

What a blessing it is to have found someone to talk with. I and alone on our farm much of the week with no one to talk to about this. I know my husband would listen but I don't want to bend his ear about this because it would sour his attitude about church. He loves this tiny church and feels like he makes a difference doing what he does in the church. He comes from a huge church that worked it's workers to death "every time the doors opened" and likes a more intimate setting.  I finally don't have to drag him to go to church. He wants to go. Today was an eye opening experience for this little "Martha wanna be". God has shown me through many different ways today that I have not given up control over my life and all it encompasses. I am still bullied by the idea of performancism and perfectionism and to be all things (in my strange way of thinking) to all people.  If things aren't like I think they should be, then there must be something wrong.  Pray for me friends that I would live biblically minded to say Christ is sufficient and “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬