Divine Love Posted May 2, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 8 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/01/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted May 2, 2019 So one reason why I seek to find a site like this because I wanted to stay anonymous as much as I can while I share my struggle. I got judgement from my local church already which made me stop going for good. Just to make it short, I used to like this church but the moment I start sharing my spiritual struggles they start judging (I know the difference between open rebuke vs people just literally judging my 'weakness'). I have a few friends whom I remain in contact with cos I feel genuine concern from them but I stop going to the church all together. I feel like this is wrong as I shouldn't be generalizing the entire fellowship bcos of few bad apples BUT I cant push myself to go back. I feel like if I do, I'll just go there out of obligation but not from the heart. So I still struggle spiritually and socially I guess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted May 2, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,762 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted May 2, 2019 Have you spoken to your pastor about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOrangeCat Posted May 2, 2019 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 57 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,403 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 1,824 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/24/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted May 2, 2019 I'd encourage you to seek out others in the church, including the pastor, and talk to those who have hurt you in this area. Doing so is Biblical as said in Matthew 18:15-17. Praying for them is also a good thing to do. Even if emotionally you're not ready to forgive praying for them is an act of forgiveness. Anyway if you find yourself not fitting in at that church be sure to find one that you do feel comfortable with. Connecting with other believers is important. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzephanyahu Posted May 2, 2019 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 69 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 1,625 Content Per Day: 0.79 Reputation: 2,033 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/10/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted May 2, 2019 6 hours ago, Divine Love said: So I still struggle spiritually and socially I guess. Shalom Divine, Don’t be afraid to leave that church. If you love the Lord and your love and desire for him grows day by day, then do not continue to go to that church if it only brings judgement and closed-mindedness. Some people think that if they leave church (that is, the building or local organisation) that they will no longer be “safe”. However, our Father is not limited by protecting and feeding His children by little brick shelters with crosses on the wall. In fact, it seems more people are leaving in recent years in favour of home groups instead. It may be that the Father is calling you out of the church for a reason, and this brings me to my most important point: live for Yahweh as you feel lead, whatever that means. Consider this: If you have desire to leave the church and DON’T, how will you answer the Father if He questions you why? If He asked “Divine, I pricked your conscience on this matter, why did you not follow?”. It's always best to follow your conscience in matters that do not have a clear answer. Conversely, if the desire to leave the church is NOT from God but rather from yourself, you can at least stand with a clear conscience before the Father and say “I acted true to my heart. I felt it was wrong to attend that church and so I stopped”. I believe the Father respects and understands our decisions when we make them in this way, even when we may be factually wrong. He is wonderfully merciful in this regard. But, if we act against our own conscience, we have little defence for our errors. The church (as in local organisations) can tend to pressure people to attend to further their spiritual walk – but the motivations aren’t always quite as pure. The truth of the matter is that any gathering of Christians, who seek His glory and wish to serve each other, will be in "church". The buildings and organisations are simply a convenient method to regularly do this, but they are NOT the only way. Hopefully you don’t feel alone and aren’t without Christian fellowship (close or online). You can survive without this but it will be very, very hard! Therefore, if the Worthy forum is your only form of fellowship for now, Praise Yahweh! and please stay with us! Take advantage of the anonymity and share your struggles, if you are starting to feel comfortable. It may be that our Father will speak through one of us to help you in your Walk. Thank you for sharing so openly and honestly. Love & Shalom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighbor Posted May 2, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 951 Topics Per Day: 0.35 Content Count: 13,566 Content Per Day: 5.03 Reputation: 9,045 Days Won: 6 Joined: 12/04/2016 Status: Online Birthday: 03/03/1885 Share Posted May 2, 2019 7 hours ago, Divine Love said: So one reason why I seek to find a site like this because I wanted to stay anonymous as much as I can while I share my struggle. I got judgement from my local church already which made me stop going for good. Just to make it short, I used to like this church but the moment I start sharing my spiritual struggles they start judging (I know the difference between open rebuke vs people just literally judging my 'weakness'). I have a few friends whom I remain in contact with cos I feel genuine concern from them but I stop going to the church all together. I feel like this is wrong as I shouldn't be generalizing the entire fellowship bcos of few bad apples BUT I cant push myself to go back. I feel like if I do, I'll just go there out of obligation but not from the heart. So I still struggle spiritually and socially I guess. Welcome to Worthy. What is this "church" that you have had some fellowship within? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divine Love Posted May 7, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 8 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/01/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 5/2/2019 at 10:36 AM, OneLight said: Have you spoken to your pastor about this? No. Honestly that's one of the many struggles I have with this church. It is quite a big church, the Pastor literally doesn't know anyone other than the 'church leaders' she is discipling/training. I went to my leaders of course. That didn't help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divine Love Posted May 7, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 8 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/01/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 5/2/2019 at 5:13 PM, Tzephanyahu said: Shalom Divine, Thank you for sharing so openly and honestly. Love & Shalom What you shared is honestly one of the most practical advise I have yet heard. I am trying to. I admit my flesh is a lot stronger than my spirit now. But thank you for spending the time to reply. I appreciate it a lot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divine Love Posted May 7, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 8 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 8 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/01/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 5/2/2019 at 6:22 PM, Neighbor said: Welcome to Worthy. What is this "church" that you have had some fellowship within? I'm really not sure if you're insinuating something. Anyway, it's born-again, pentecostal, charismatic, very modern if I may say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted May 7, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,762 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted May 7, 2019 5 hours ago, Divine Love said: No. Honestly that's one of the many struggles I have with this church. It is quite a big church, the Pastor literally doesn't know anyone other than the 'church leaders' she is discipling/training. I went to my leaders of course. That didn't help. You are in a situation I don't like myself, in a church that is so big it is almost impossible to have a real relationship with people. I prefer small churches where you can know your brothers and sisters. When you have a smaller group, it is like a family where people can pick up on someone having a bad day and address it on the spot. Maybe you should consider finding another church? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Alive Posted May 7, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,024 Content Per Day: 1.33 Reputation: 1,224 Days Won: 3 Joined: 02/05/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 5/1/2019 at 10:23 PM, Divine Love said: So one reason why I seek to find a site like this because I wanted to stay anonymous as much as I can while I share my struggle. I got judgement from my local church already which made me stop going for good. Just to make it short, I used to like this church but the moment I start sharing my spiritual struggles they start judging (I know the difference between open rebuke vs people just literally judging my 'weakness'). I have a few friends whom I remain in contact with cos I feel genuine concern from them but I stop going to the church all together. I feel like this is wrong as I shouldn't be generalizing the entire fellowship bcos of few bad apples BUT I cant push myself to go back. I feel like if I do, I'll just go there out of obligation but not from the heart. So I still struggle spiritually and socially I guess. When we moved to rural KY, my wife and I spent the first five years going from a Baptist church, to a "Church of God" church, and finally settled on a "Christian" church. The last we found about 3 years ago. The reason: The first two were quite dogmatic in their views and would not suffer any dissent. They would not even discuss it. The church I currently attend may not "officially" preach what I believe, but they know what I believe and allow me to teach adult sunday school. The reason - they are not dogmatic. They feel strongly about beliefs that are quite biblical and can be strongly supported in scripture. But they are not gonna kick you out because you are "mid-trib" or "annihilationist" and will even make the point that many arguments are in fact sound. The dogmatic churches mostly contain members that have strong beliefs, but don't really have that much bible "scholarship." That is, they may read it over and over, and memorize scriptures, but they don't really "study" it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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