PLEASE HELP: Is church for everyone?

[LadyGunivere]

Unfortunately......People around here just go from church to church so they are basically dead churches here billy.

[billie]

Gosh, that's too bad. Where do you live? Hey, have you ever thought about starting a home church? There's got to be other Christians in your area who feel the same way you do.

[LadyGunivere]

i would but I'm living at home w/ parents and I'm fixing to start school so my only outlet is here

[ted]

Well then, LG, use this as your haven away from the world!

The "church", headed by Christ, is made of men and women- and subject to our own failings at times.

To find one which is true to the Word in spirit and love is sometimes a daunting task. However, WB strives to do it's best and I hope that you are able to find peace and truthfulness here.

If there is anything we can do to help, just say the word.

t.

[LadyGunivere]

thanks Ted the only other thing I use is my MSN which now also allows for Yahoo.....and I really don't have alot of friends since moving back home....

[HGPgal]

The neat thing, LG, is that these folks are pretty fantabulous and this board is great, like Ted said. Wherever you are, reach out to find other X'ns so you can have fellowship with the body.

I became born again when I was part of IVCF -- InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. It had a profound mark on my life. See if there's a X'n group on your campus.

You are loved.

[Tomi]

This is not a trap. Just thought I'd ask.

Please know that I will not become angry or seek to verbally decapitate anyone.

I really want to know what your views are. I've had a very bad time trying to fit in to a church and my last church experience was very painful. I was thrown out. After I called a couple of Elders who never checked on me or my family (I'm married with 2 kids), they were quick to tell me that I'm a "weak Christian," "not a nice person" and "unfit for friendship." They also made it very clear to me how disappoimted they were in me.

I haven't been to church in a year and have no indication from God to go and seek a church in my town or elsewhere.

So, I ask you: is church for everyone? I don't think so. But I'm open to the feedback.

Hey FC,

I read your question, letter and some of the responses. Sometimes your brothers and sisters in Christ do not act the way they should, why else would Paul have written so many letters? When the Church was a baby, believers where operating in the gifts of the spirit after having received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. But yet they were still acting unbecoming of followers of Christ. Paul had to tell them to stop gossiping and being busy bodies. He had to tell them that love was the most important thing, not how well they prophesied or ministered healing or did good works. They were literally like new born babies running around with new pacifiers and teething rings. And because they had these abilities or were operating in that authority Christ gave them, they thought they were beyon reproach. Paul had to remind them that they still needed to avoid sin and live each and every day for Christ. They were not given a license to do what ever they wanted. They not only had to obey the laws of the land but they also had to keep the greatest command and that was to love God with all their heart, mind and soul. And the second was to love their neighbor as they loved themselves. I often tell people that they can't love their neighbor if they don't love themselves.

Yes, what they did was wrong. Forgive them completely. Ask God what He wants you to do. In the meantime have bible study with your wife and children right there at home. Make sure it is fun and enjoyable to all. Focus your life on living the fullest for God. He has great plans for you as there is a purpose for your life. You were not born to merely exist. You can sing, you were on the worship team. I believe your heart longs to fellowship with other believers. For a period of time the Lord had me visiting various denominations. You know, not one of them was perfect. Every one had a flaw or two. People are not perfect and will never be while we are here on earth. Remember you are not following people, you are following God. Don't give up on Him because of people. As God leads you and you start to visit Churches again, be mindful that the one you choose will have flaws you can live with. Don't be so hard on yourself, forgive yourself and move on. Remember Paul said we must run the race and do so to win! Not just barely make it through, run to win the prize. One last thing, have you ever noticed when runners are running, they never look around. They don't look at their opponents, they don't look up at the benches, their eyes and total focus is on the finish line. They want to win, they pace themselves to last to the end and have enough strength to give it one last push at the end. Your already in the race, run to win.

Tomi

[Humble Lion]

Dear Failed Christian

I hear what you are saying. I had a similar experience. I went to church twice a week for about a dozen years. I stopped going for a couple reasons. The biggest one was the teachings of church just didn't speak to my heart. Listening to the pastor did not cultivate the sense of innner peace, compassion, and love that Jesus exemplified during his life. I found that instead, much of the teaching was based on fear of judgement, and interpretations of a very old, good book. Mostly, what I found at church was a lot of judgement and fear. I was not endowed with a sense of the bueaty of life, the ubiquitous existence of love in our universe, the fabric of stillness and peace that is our self, the power of spirituality, and how we are spiritual beings having a worldy experience....and how these things relate practically to your life, instead of what happens to you when you die. I basically concluded that if I wanted to walk in the path of Jesus I needed to cultivate innner wisdom and peace.

I have been on that quest ever since. I know now I am closer to Jesus by looking inward. When you penetrate inward you see yourself and God as one. This actualization is so founded no-one could convince you otherwise. I did not find church to be a holy place...I think the idea that God is a separate, judgemental, being that one should appease and offer reward to in the hope that one may fall into its good graces is a backwater concept. That is not what we are dealing with. My advice to you is practice your spirituality in a place that feels holy either with yourself or others and cultivate a penetrating inner gaze. You won't be disappointed. Which denomination you choose is irrelavent.

I hope I didn't offend anyone.

[Floatingaxe]

My advice to you is practice your spirituality in a place that feels holy either with yourself or others and cultivate a penetrating inner gaze.

Seems rather self-serving to me. Where does serving each other fit into this, and being part of the Church? Why does a holy feeling have anything to do with being obedient in belonging to a local body of believers?

[Humble Lion]

My advice to you is practice your spirituality in a place that feels holy either with yourself or others and cultivate a penetrating inner gaze.

Seems rather self-serving to me. Where does serving each other fit into this, and being part of the Church? Why does a holy feeling have anything to do with being obedient in belonging to a local body of believers?

It does sound self serving. But if you don't take care of yourself, how can you take care of others? I think a holy place is intuitivly obvious, whether it is in a church or on a mountain. That intuition serves to water the seeds in your spirit. It is not about being obedient or belonging to a local body of believers.