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I was christened by a Presbyter and attended Sunday schools at the same church. It didn't do much for my outlook as a kid because the other six days a week those in charge of the fifth commandment told me 'heaven would not have me and hell was afraid I would take over'.
I did however take being christened by a Presbyter more seriously as an adult. learning that Jesus was basically christened by a Presbyter. Having something in common with a famous man that lived 2000 years ago has been extraordinary for me.
I know there was an old thread, but we have alot of new people here, so if you did, or didnt attend church as a child, teenager, how did it change your outlook, good or bad, on life now?
I had not stepped foot inside a church until I was about 25. Seeds were planted, and finally I grew, I went to church on my own.
As a child I did not know of God, only of his name in vein. Only that people who go to church are hipocrits.
So, as an adult, growing up with that influence, what made me go?
As a child, i did not know love. No hugs and kisses, no I love you. No great job Robyn. When my Dad died at my age of 21, I didn't understand what would happen. I had a son at that time, and he was 11 months old.
Always I knew, that whenever i had children, they would know I love them , they would feel it so deep in their hearts, and they do.
When i was about 24 the seed was being planted....everywhere. I had 2 children then, but even still, I knew something was missing. The Lord, in my life, was missing.
Then i let him in, and it was so good. Life was wonderful. I was baptised at 25. The church welcomed my family in, and when my mom died, in 2000, she knew I loved her, and she was able, by that time to finaly express that she loved me, as well.
The preacher and I talked to her several times, I don't know if she was ever saved, but i hope she was. Her question to me always...But how do I know this happened? They are but only words in a book. By faith, mom, you know.
By faith alone. My faith was so strong then.
I faltered. For a year and a half, the devil overcame. But he was there all along. Only very recently did I realize that he had been hovering over my husband all of these years.
My children and I are back in church now, and my husband has not been, he told my daughter that he may go with us on Sunday, and it made me thing back to when my Mom would talk about people in church being hippocrits.
He needs the Lord, and he needs worship...but I can't handle it being with us. I dont think I can handle it, after what we have been through, having him sit there with us, like he has done nothing. Like he is perfect. Like he has done nothing to me and the kids.
I ran to that altar last week....oh it felt so good....When i was younger, he tried to hold me back from going to the altar....
The first I recall about church, I was probly in the 1st grade. Before that, we had lived overseas (military) a few years and catholic was not an option.
So, beginning at age six, my sisters and I attended Church of Christ and Baptist churches alternately, depending on where we lived, the weather, influence from mom's brothers and sisters, whatever. Sometimes did the vacation bible school thing. But no pools and no dancing.
Starting the fourth grade, in a new part of town, new school and new friends I'd know through high school. Some of the kids were devout 'whatever religion', some acted like it, some didn't care. A couple of boys I sat in classes with from the 4th grade thru many of my high school classes, even shared a room with them on class trips. Of these two, one was baptist the other CofC, but it made no difference to me, I thought it was all the same thing. I didn't really care for going to church and didn't go much in high school, 'cept religious times of year or relatives came to visit. I was mostly scared poopless over the 'hell fire and damnation' thing. My sister held the fear of God over my head with every breath I took. My biggest dilemma in life was misbehavin' on the base and going to jail, or misbehaving in life and going to hell. I still have low self-esteem today.
One of the biggest religious lesson in my entire life came during the last week of high school. Those two boy (ref above) and I were in a class, sixth period, last of the day. It was a fairly free wheeling class, the prof didn't have much control. One day, the Baptist boy and his 'church' friends went into a room and locked the door. The CofC boy and his 'church' friends went into another room, shut and locked the door. There were just 3 of us left over, in the hall with nothing to do. Trying to get into a room with the church going crowd was futile. Something like... 'you're not one of us, you can't come in'.
Did I mention, these boys were from fine, upstanding, pillar of the community families? Their churches were the best churches, the finest people in town. Yes, sir. God really loved those people. I haven't seen or talked to either one of those guys since.
The most important religious lesson of my life came after an operation, in my mid-twenties. Maybe the drugs, maybe the unconciousness... after the op, I got really depressed. Really, really depressed. Finally got some counseling. Started going to church on my own, looking for answers. Tried some Baptist, some off beat, finally wound up liking the Episcopalean, catholic/without the baggage. Finally gave up on them also.
Tried 'other thought' religious endeavors, too many, too worthless to recall right now. But on my journey I began to find some answers. They all try to give you a plan, they all try to tell you where it comes from, what it means, where it goes, what it costs. At least Tammy Faye was entertaining, in a perverted sort of way.
Then I took a some foreign language. A course in physics. And a semester of logic. I began to understand and by now I've found the God that works for me. The cost is in gold, as a rule and I try to live by it every day.
I went to an American Baptist Church until I was about 9 years old then we moved about 10 miles closer to town and went to a Southern Baptist Church. Now we go to the Church of God.
I know there was an old thread, but we have alot of new people here, so if you did, or didnt attend church as a child, teenager, how did it change your outlook, good or bad, on life now?
First went to church with neighbors(baptist) Mother and Daddy started going when I was around 6 or 7and both gave their heart to the Lord. I accepted Christ as my Savior at 10yr.old My Dad was a dairy farmer/third shift cotton mill worker/sub. mail carrier on saturdays. My mother was a lab. tech. It was all about money until My Dad stopped running from the Lord and accepted the call to preach. (talk about dirt poor) from 16 to 18 we went to a Baptist church in the mountains of N.C. while my Dad was in school.(I'm org.from S.C.) He was called to a little flat top church and made 25 dollars a week,finished schoolThe first year he was there , Mother didn't work and a 1yr old baby girl ,a 6 year old girl and me.and God provided for us abundently. He preached there for 30 years tried to retire and couldn't He is 75 and still preaching. This has caused me to realize how awsome God is. I can see God in my mother and father . VBS planted the seeds in my heart but my out look on life throught all the churches I've been to (because of Daddy preaching revivals) has stregthened my faith and I have a contentment and peace that sustains me through what ever happens in my life.
We didn't go to church. But I did go to Christian school when I was a wee one. Didn't believe it though...too much contradiction between that and what I was seeing at home.
I attended Catholic church all my life - I'm on the fence about it right now.
I found that switching to Lutheran was a comfortable transition.
It's most similar in beliefs and formality of services, but it doesn't have the oppressive institution and church driven rules of the Catholic Church.
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