Trying To Find A Chruch -17 Years Later (Lutheran, presbyterian, doctrine)

[dakota79]

I grew up attending church with my family, and then when my mom died, we slipped away. Now, 17 years later, I am looking to start attending again, (in a diferent city), but it seems like things have changed a lot.

First, I like the more traditional services, not the "progressive" or "modern" services with a band. These are becoming more popular thiough.

Next, and maybe we were wrong 20 years ago, but when I was young and attended church, we would attend on Sunday, occasionally participate in activites with the church, and go about our daily lives the rest of the week, but in an obediate Christian way. As children, we had Sunday School, but adults were not expected to attend classes too. The church did not push our views on anyone, or try to convert someone. We did charitable work, but did not do it with intentions of making them "hear our message" We simply used what we had been given to help others. We did not memorize bible verses, but rather cared more about the meanings behind the verses. We did not protest things others did with rallies or boycotts, and we never discussed politics in the church.

Now it seems like being a complete Chrisitan means you are expected to make reference to any bible verse and debate it with confidence. You can't just do charitable or voluteer work, but have to do "mission" work. You must approach strangers and try to bring them to God. I have a cousin who started going to a church a few years go, and rather than it becoming part of his life, they expected it to become his life. He has since neglected his family and seems obsessed. Church and politics also seem to go hand in hand now.

All of this has me very intimidated about returning to church. I am not comfortable with some of these things. If it is wrong to feel this way, then I guess I'm wrong. Are all churches and denominations like this, or are some more respectful that not everyone acts the same way and may not be as outgoing?

[howgreatthouart]

in my experience the churches that i have been o are pretty much like this..
Jesus is my truth, my light and my salvation.. and he is found in our hearts

meet him there anyday, anytime

hope u find what u are looking for
blessings

[hljc]

Best way to find a church is to pray to the Lord God and ask him to send someone to ask you to go to church where they go, and tell God that you are going to tell people that you are looking for a church. so he will give a witness of his lead with his people in his churches...Jesus knows just what church you will like and what will be good for him in your relationship with him..... If he sends you to the wrong church than you can change churches down the road..........Jesus has a plan for every one that will stop rejecting him and turn and be blessed....... Glory to God.....

[Enow]

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.

The whole point of assembly is to encourage one another in the faith in Jesus Christ as He is the only way we can have that reconciled relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God the Father calls us to be witnesses of the Son, but nowadays, churches are more of a witness of themselves as a church than they are about Jesus Christ, the Good News to man.

So know that because you are a believer in Jesus Christ, that you have been bought with a price and sealed as His, and that the only way we can get to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection is by learning of Him through the scriptures in the knowledge of Him that we may know the riches of Christ so that our love may abound yet more and more.

I'd stick with the King James Bible as I have found other translations to change the meaning of God's words in various places that it has led believers astray by placing the emphasis on the believer and not the faith in Christ and place the emphasis on the Spirit as if He is the Mediator as well when there the Son is specified as having that honour only as the Son is the only way to the Father and that is Whom the Holy Spirit in us is still pointing believers to go to in having that relationship with the Father so as to avoid false spirits as well as false prophets.

So beware of the churches. Many will say "Keep your eyes on Jesus" or have a web site that has its boasting of talking about Jesus, but they talk more and more about the Spirit than they are about the Son, and yet the Holy Spirit in us, will not speak of Himself (John 16:13), but to testify of the Son(John 15:26) in seeking the glory of the Son(John 16:14), but yet believers that are dull of hearing are speaking of the Spirit in such a way in seeking the glory of the Spirit, but that is not the mind of Christ that the Holy Spirit in us wish us to have in standing apart from the world in being witnesses of the Son: John 15:27 & Philippians 2:5-11

This is the current state of most churches today:

Jeremiah 50: 6My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. 7All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers

So while most churches speak of themselves in seeking their glory as a church as some, if not most, seek the glory of the Holy Spirit in these movements of the "Spirit" or passively in their hymnals, and as some, if not most would seek the glory and boast of man in their deeds by the flesh of keeping their commitments or by the deeds of the law of keeping the promises as if that is the power in living the christian life......... yet all the while in vain they do worship Him, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.....

....just seek the Son in learning of Him through the scriptures so that you may learn of His promises and take Him at His word that He will help you live the christian life by helping you to follow Him, leading you away from temptations and delivering you from the evil one for that is how you will get to know Him as Your Good Shepherd as well as Your Saviour: and your praise and thanksgiving may be full for that is how the Father is honoured (John 5:22-23) and glorified (John 13:31-32) and that is through the Son for that is how you will know the Father by getting to know the Son: John 14:6-7 and that is why all prayers are done in Jesus's name and no other name, for the glory of the Son WHOM the Holy Spirit seeks to glorify, is the glory of the Father as by the Son is the God that answers prayers: John 14:13-14.

So as many believers are not "doing" what they are saying, nor are they discerning the practises by the scriptures of what is the will of God is, keeping your eyes on Jesus and learning of Him through the scriptures of the King James Bible is how you will be able to discern good and evil in what is of God and what is not as well as what is of faith and what is not since keeping the faith is the good fight: not keeping up with attendences in churches. 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Incidentally, if you find another or even more by His grace that shares your likemindedness in Christ, you can always have a fellowship in your home. If not even that, if your family is likeminded, then consider that a blessing and have fellowship at home.

[BioAdoptMom3]

If you prefer traditional services I would check out churches of the following denominations:
Roman Catholic
Lutheran
Presbyterian
Episcopal

Most of the above churches, as well as the Methodist church, are very active in social ministry. Of course they all want us to lead others to Christ as its our primary purpose as Christians, but there is not a major emphasis there at the beginning. Instead they tend to want you to reach the person and meet his/her physical and emotional needs before evangelizing. They want you to get to know the person a little bit first and determine what their needs are. The above churches also tend to be more socially and politically liberal in their views on things, although different synods or branches will be more conservative or liberal than others.

In the Methodist church a lot depends upon the particular congregation and their pastor and his/her background as far as whether the services are traditional, contemporary or blended. The Methodist churches also tend to be more on the moderate to liberal side in their views.

Many Baptist churches tend to be traditional, but in a different sort of way. The above traditional churches are very liturgical (using a lot of liturgy in the services and following the church year - Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, etc.....). The Baptist churches are not. A lot depends upon the branch of the Baptist church you are attending. In the Baptist church there also is much more emphasis on leading others to Christ, quickly, like as you are meeting their needs or even when you meet them for the first time, even on the street.

I believe that most Penecostal, Churches of God, many Baptist branches and most community churches tend to be more informal with their services and many do not even provide traditional worship.

There are many other denominations I am not sure of such as Church of Christ and the Nazerene church (among others of course) but you could probably get a wealth of info by doing a Google search.

Like I said, I don't know about all of them, but hope some of the above information helps.

Nancy

[AnonChick]

I think what the OP is saying, is she's trying to avoid evangelical sects; wants to have a "personal" relationship with God, which she wants to keep personal. Though I'm not a Christian, I can definitely understand and respect that desire. What the OP might try to do, is recall which sect of Christianity she belonged to, all those years ago.

Was it a United Methodist? Or perhaps even a Unitarian... I was a member of a Methodist youth group growing up, and it sounds like it might be a nice fit. We did charity work, the church members themselves went to church on sundays and occasionally mid-week for certain, specific occasions. It was more of a community that shared religious beliefs, rather than a religious group that lived in the same community. If you can appreciate the difference between the two, then you might want to look for the local Methodist church and ask their pastor for some information.

Disclaimer again: I'm not christian. I was just friends with some Methodists when I was a kid and their youth group was open to anyone, so I joined it. It was a pretty awesome group of people..