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After my divorce, Evangelical church reminded me of my ex-husband as well as the calling he crushed. We had both come together in the first place, b/c we felt called to missions, but after we married, he revealed a side of him that wasn't worthy of being a leader for Christ. He told me to accept his lifestyle or leave him. Basically I had no choice. No one in church could reach him. To this day he rejects the Lord he once convinced me and many people, that he knew. I walked away from God, angry, bitter, confused, and got lost for 6 years. I've been back with the Lord for 2+ years now and he's put on my heart that it's time to rejoin my brothers and sisters in Christ, even if I don't "feel" like it all the time and even if they make me feel judged at first. I will need to be vulnerable and I will need to remind myself that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. It's necessary that we have fellowship with other Christians. Whether it be super "organized" or in our homes. Contemporary or traditional. Fellowship is the heart of "Church". It also aids in assisting in protecting us from the devil. Non-Christian friends are great to have but they shouldn't replace our Christian support through regular attendance of Church. The church I want to attend is in Denver, which is states away from where I live now. Soon I hope to check out a Messianic Jewish church because I think that's where I feel most at home since the Lord has called me to serve his original chosen people and has given me a very Jewish soul over the years.
Most of the time, Sunday is my only day off and I don't feel like getting dressed and mingling........
I do have several favorite preachers (local and nationally) who I love to listen to on TV. I even get up early to get ready for work so I can watch Joyce Meyers at 6:30 every morning.
I do go to an awesome laid back church...but I find that most churches have too many "man rules" and screwed up doctrines. As believers we should be free in Christ to do anything. I understand having some order, but when the rules shift to things like, being locked out of the service because you have to use the potty, or no older "quiet" kids in the sanctuary, and/or ( this really bugs me) no praise and worship, something's wrong. I think those things take focus off the Lord...makes you not want to go so much, imo.
I didn't vote because there was no "Other" given for an option.
Although I'm quite spiritual, maybe even unconventionally religious, I don't "fit" in with any denomination. Also, I think of church as a community, which is good; however, I don't really want that for myself. (I'm very anti-social.)
And I'll admit that I don't like "church music" as a whole (although I do like some ~ especially black spirituals).
Some times I do kinda' miss going to services, and maybe someday I will try it again. I've been wanting to go to Midnight Mass for years, and in this case I fall prey to the "I'm too lazy to get up and go".
Location: Prescott Valley, Az (unfortunately still here)
2,543 posts, read 4,896,184 times
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I don't go to church anymore, because I've tried at least 3-4 different churches here (in the 6 years I've lived here) and just not comfortable with any of them.
Most of the folks are over 60, when the service is over the people go their separate ways and don't care about staying around, and no one is friendly enough to say, "hey, would you like to come with us and go to lunch".
There's just no "nice" churches here in this town. And in most, the preacher doesn't say goodbye or shake peoples hands at the door when the service is over and you can't stick around to ask a question. It's bizarre here. So, I quit going. I can praise the Lord in my own home and not worry about making friends. That's fine with me.
I don't need to go to church to believe what I do. I don't like being around other people, and my spiritual experience is unique to me, because it happened to me, and no one else can quite have it the same way I did.
It's like having sex, everyone experiences it in a different way that can never be fully explained to anyone else, because it's unique to them.
I think for some, it might be work related. Not everyone has a 'normal' job where they have nights or weekends off and especially in retail or food servers, you work when they tell you if you want a job at all.
Waiting for you to say a John 8:31 preacher responding to :
John 3:5
1 Peter 3:3
Hebrews 4
1 Timothy 2:9-14
Romans 6:1
Romans 7:2-3
2 Timothy 3:16
James 5:20
James 1:5
2 Timothy 2:15
Galations 1:8-9
1 Thess. 5:22
Amos 3:3
2 Cor. 6
2 Peter 1:20-21
etc. , etc. , etc.
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