Seeking wisdom in choosing a church (Gospel, presbyterian, doctrine, churches)

[TimC2462]

A little about me: I am a single male seeking a church. I grew up attending a Baptist church for nearly 21 years, which was basically my second home, before my attendance declined greatly afterwards due to a combination of somewhat losing interest and moving away from my hometown.

Now nearly 9 years later of attending several different churches (but not regularly) I am ready to devote my entire life to God. I have been attending a church in the last 6 months, but I do not feel a connection to the other church members whatsoever. I feel it is because it is extremely large and partly because I have not made myself known at their Welcome Center.

I am being urged by my other Christian friends to attend their church that was planted by the one I attend now. After reading the membership FAQs and bylaws at their church website, I feel uncomfortable by its strong wordings and strict requirements. Not that I am uncommitted to God, but it seems somewhat very controlling. At least that's how I feel.

Recently, I got in touch with a former church member who attended the same church I grew up attending. We had not seen each other for over 10 years and I guess God works in mysterious ways. She has moved in the area with her husband and three children. Her husband is the pastor of the church that is 20 minutes away. On one hand, I feel very comfortable with the idea of attending their church, but that is without even attending their church first. On the other hand, I can't based my decision on attending a church just because a friend is as well. Which leads me to feeling very conflicted about the three churches.

Anyone got any suggestions or can someone ask me questions that will nudge me gently towards the right direction? This is a very big decision that will have a great impact on my life as a Christian.

[Electron]

Dude, try them all. I am getting ready to join a church that I visited twice, almost FIVE years ago. Long story, so just visit them all, pray for guidance, and the right choice will be made obvious.

[MissKate12]

Originally Posted by TimC2462

A little about me: I am a single male seeking a church. I grew up attending a Baptist church for nearly 21 years, which was basically my second home, before my attendance declined greatly afterwards due to a combination of somewhat losing interest and moving away from my hometown.

Now nearly 9 years later of attending several different churches (but not regularly) I am ready to devote my entire life to God. I have been attending a church in the last 6 months, but I do not feel a connection to the other church members whatsoever. I feel it is because it is extremely large and partly because I have not made myself known at their Welcome Center.

I am being urged by my other Christian friends to attend their church that was planted by the one I attend now. After reading the membership FAQs and bylaws at their church website, I feel uncomfortable by its strong wordings and strict requirements. Not that I am uncommitted to God, but it seems somewhat very controlling. At least that's how I feel.

Recently, I got in touch with a former church member who attended the same church I grew up attending. We had not seen each other for over 10 years and I guess God works in mysterious ways. She has moved in the area with her husband and three children. Her husband is the pastor of the church that is 20 minutes away. On one hand, I feel very comfortable with the idea of attending their church, but that is without even attending their church first. On the other hand, I can't based my decision on attending a church just because a friend is as well. Which leads me to feeling very conflicted about the three churches.

Anyone got any suggestions or can someone ask me questions that will nudge me gently towards the right direction? This is a very big decision that will have a great impact on my life as a Christian.

I would stay away from any group that has "by-laws." The only rules any congregation should be looking at are those written in the Bible. I would look for a congregation who pattern themselves after the NT church where matters of worship and organization are concerned.

Of course, I am biased toward the church of Christ, but even with them, you need to weigh what they do and teach with the Bible in view. Some congregations will be very warm and friendly. They will come to you with open arms. Others will never leave their pews. For me, the most important thing is that any group I worship with MUST serve the Lord's Supper each first day. IMHO, that is central to the worship service. Jesus did say that as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you do show my death. He also says to do this in remembrance of me. What christian wouldn't want to bring the focus of Jesus'death, burial and resurrection every time he comes together with the congregation?

So there you have it, my two cents!

Katie

[GoodToBeHome]

Originally Posted by TimC2462

A little about me: I am a single male seeking a church. I grew up attending a Baptist church for nearly 21 years, which was basically my second home, before my attendance declined greatly afterwards due to a combination of somewhat losing interest and moving away from my hometown.

Now nearly 9 years later of attending several different churches (but not regularly) I am ready to devote my entire life to God. I have been attending a church in the last 6 months, but I do not feel a connection to the other church members whatsoever. I feel it is because it is extremely large and partly because I have not made myself known at their Welcome Center.

I am being urged by my other Christian friends to attend their church that was planted by the one I attend now. After reading the membership FAQs and bylaws at their church website, I feel uncomfortable by its strong wordings and strict requirements. Not that I am uncommitted to God, but it seems somewhat very controlling. At least that's how I feel.

Recently, I got in touch with a former church member who attended the same church I grew up attending. We had not seen each other for over 10 years and I guess God works in mysterious ways. She has moved in the area with her husband and three children. Her husband is the pastor of the church that is 20 minutes away. On one hand, I feel very comfortable with the idea of attending their church, but that is without even attending their church first. On the other hand, I can't based my decision on attending a church just because a friend is as well. Which leads me to feeling very conflicted about the three churches.

Anyone got any suggestions or can someone ask me questions that will nudge me gently towards the right direction? This is a very big decision that will have a great impact on my life as a Christian.

Church shopping is completely the wrong approach to finding the source of real truth. What you are doing is searching for truth that matches your truth or the truth that matches your sensibilities. Is YOUR truth the real truth? How do you know that you are getting the real truth or some man's false interpretation? First thing you must realize is that Jesus didn't leave us a Bible. He left us a living church to continue, pretect, and spread the deposit of faith. Do some research and study the early Church and the Early Church Fathers. They actually were either taught by the Apostles or the desciples of the Apostles. That's first hand information! After you educated yourself, then act. That's how you find the right church.

[Mr5150]

My Story: Our old church just wasn’t working. My wife was walking out of the services as soon as the preaching started, it had gotten that bad, but I digress.

We had our list of what we wanted in a church. Solid biblical preaching/teaching, small home group midweek studies, good worship (contemporary, spirit filled flowing) good fellowship, children programs-the usual stuff. We had our list of possible churches based on what we wanted in a church. We prayed for God’s leading.

So come that next weekend we found ourselves confused, without direction as to where to go. So I got out the phone book to refresh my memory and for some Godly reason the only church that stood out was First Presbyterian. First Pres???. Not even close to what we wanted, but whatever.

So we went.

Organ music, hymnals, structured service (you could set your watch by what was going on), lightweight, but decent sermon, friendly people. When it was over my wife and I felt spiritually refreshed and had an increased desire for the things of the Lord.

We went the following Sunday. Same thing. Third Sunday, we knew this was where God wanted us. Who’d a thunk-First Pres? It was perfect for us despite our laundry list. God placed us where we belonged. We made friends, grew spiritually and it seemed like every aspect of the service was “worship”. Felt the presence of the HS for the entire hour and 15 minutes of the structured service. The music did change during our time there and they went to an overhead screen and put together a band (of which I was part) Became members, then deacons and the only reason we left that church is because we moved to another town 275 miles away.

Laundry lists are ok, but let God do the pickin' and be open to where He leads.

[Horn of ‘83]

I have been attending a church in the last 6 months, but I do not feel a connection to the other church members whatsoever. I feel it is because it is extremely large and partly because I have not made myself known at their Welcome Center.

Why don't you join a small group/Bible study? I belong to a large church, & we urge all members to be a part of a ministry or small group. It makes a large church seem small.

[godservant]

Search within yourself. you are part of the spiritual church that is being build in zion. our souls are the piliars being used to build this hold temple. not physical buildings

search yourself and consciously break down all the walls that we unconsciously put up to separte oursleves with truth and with the most high

[Catholic]

Have you read the writings of the Early Church Fathers to find out what they believed? How did they worship? Was preaching the center of Christian life? The results may surprise you.

Early Christian Writings: New Testament, Apocrypha, Gnostics, Church Fathers

[hljc]

The best way to find the right Church is to ask Jesus Spirit who is the spirit of wisdom for Jesus to make a plan for the Church were Jesus need you to go...., But you can discern what a good church may be until direction from the Lord is there, as Abraham was seventy five years old before God told Him to go, so go figure......The best Church's are those who preach the gospel of salvation to the Lord Jesus , and have clear evidence of Holy Spirit and His Workings .... other ideas are that the church has a doctrine of prayer, which is needed for survival of salvation ...

[tonytonytony]

Any pastor or ministry mocking water baptism is not your church
home-----John 3:5.

Any pastor or ministry mocking the Sabbath is not your church home
at all-----Hebrews 4.

Any pastor or ministry mocking preacher rules is not your church home at all-----1 Cor. 14:34-35.

Any pastor or ministry mocking remarriage doctrine is not your church home at all----Mark 10:11-12.

Any pastor or ministry mocking God intrepretation of the bible only is not your church home----2 Peter 1:20-21.

Any pastor or ministry mocking Christian attire is not your church home at all----1 Peter 3:3.

Any pastor or ministry mocking tongue rules is not your church home at all for you-----ALL 1 Cor. 14 and Romans 11:29.

Any pastor or ministry mocking Christian segregation is not your church home at all-----2 Cor. 6 and Amos 3:3 and Matthew 7:6.

Any pastor or ministry mocking man to man bible rebuke is not your church home at all-----James 5:20.

Any pastor or ministry mocking Christian parties is not your church home at all------1 Peter 4:1-4.

Any pastor or ministry mocking conditional grace is not your church home at all-----Romans 6:1 and John 8:31.

Any pastor or ministry saying your saved if your a 90% bible believer only is not your church home at all-----Matthew 5:18-20.

Any pastor or ministry that says the Holy Spirit talks outside the bible is not your church home at all----Romans 10:17.

Any pastor or ministry that says theirs 3 upstairs in heaven is not your church home at all----Psalms 110:1 and John 14:9 and John 8:24.

Any pastor or ministry thats less concerned about unity and more concerned about having converts with everybody is not your church home at all-----Matthew 7:6 and Psalms 133:1 and Amos 3:3 and
John 17:21.

Any pastor or miinistry that feels its more important to see somebody off of drugs then be a 100% bible believer is not your church home at
all-----Matthew 4:4 and Matthew 5:18-20.

Any pastor or ministry that feels its more important to be well liked then be a 100% bible believer is not your church
home---Matthew 10:34-37 and Luke 6:26 and Titus 3:10.

Any pastor or ministry that feels its more important to have a family well off then be a 100% bible believer is not your church home at
all----Matthew 10:34-37 and Luke 6:26.

Any pastor or ministry that feels legal prosperity to man is more important then legal prosperity to God is not your church home at
all-----1 Timothy 6 and Luke 3:14.

Any pastor or ministry that believes 2 Christians are made to disagree with each other on 10% of the bible and still go to heaven is not your church home at all----Titus 3:10 and Amos 3:3 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 and Romans 3:1-4 and John 8:31.

Any pastor or ministry that says the goal is to have a good buddy meeting only is not your church home----Amos 3:3 and 1 Thess. 5:12.

Originally Posted by TimC2462

A little about me: I am a single male seeking a church. I grew up attending a Baptist church for nearly 21 years, which was basically my second home, before my attendance declined greatly afterwards due to a combination of somewhat losing interest and moving away from my hometown.

Now nearly 9 years later of attending several different churches (but not regularly) I am ready to devote my entire life to God. I have been attending a church in the last 6 months, but I do not feel a connection to the other church members whatsoever. I feel it is because it is extremely large and partly because I have not made myself known at their Welcome Center.

I am being urged by my other Christian friends to attend their church that was planted by the one I attend now. After reading the membership FAQs and bylaws at their church website, I feel uncomfortable by its strong wordings and strict requirements. Not that I am uncommitted to God, but it seems somewhat very controlling. At least that's how I feel.

Recently, I got in touch with a former church member who attended the same church I grew up attending. We had not seen each other for over 10 years and I guess God works in mysterious ways. She has moved in the area with her husband and three children. Her husband is the pastor of the church that is 20 minutes away. On one hand, I feel very comfortable with the idea of attending their church, but that is without even attending their church first. On the other hand, I can't based my decision on attending a church just because a friend is as well. Which leads me to feeling very conflicted about the three churches.

Anyone got any suggestions or can someone ask me questions that will nudge me gently towards the right direction? This is a very big decision that will have a great impact on my life as a Christian.