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Hey everyone... I've spent the past 45 minutes or so reading through the various threads in this forum... I enjoyed it
I have a question...and I'm looking for any help/advice/input.
I'm 22, and I was raised as a Lutheran. Growing up as a kid, I was often "dragged" to church by my parents.
In the past few years, I've gone through a "rough patch"... basically a roller coaster... I feel its time for me to turn to God, and ask for forgiveness. I guess in a way, I've matured during my rough times... I really value what my parents did for me by having me attend church... It made me grow as a person, as I was growing up.
I would like to join a church in my city... But I really have no idea as to how to do this... or how to pick one. I was raised Lutheran...but do I stay this way? I'm just confused about it all. Anything will help me! Thanks in advance.
I had a rough time in my mid-late teens, wound up occasionally church hopping (and usually skipping) for about 10 years, and ultimately wound up back in a Lutheran church. Why did I wind up going Lutheran? It basically came down to it making sense to me. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about anything. If you have a copy of the Small Catechism, I'd recommend running through that. If not, check here: The Small Catechism by Martin Luther
A big thing for me in choosing churches was to first understand what they teach, then attend their services and finally meet with their clergy. That is how I decided on which church around Fargo to join. That is also what brought me back completely into the Lutheran church.
The longer one is 'Not unless you think you need to stay'.
For me, my journey took me away from Christianity -- not because of bad experiences or a hostility towards religion, but because that path wasn't what I needed, anymore.
Christianity had given me all it could, and I needed to see 'faith' from another point of view.
This is a comedy on church shopping, I do know what is like to find a church, I prefer small churches as they are more real, and intimate, you get to know everyone and get to pray on a more intimate level, you uphold one another's faults cause everyone sees them, you get to practice forgiveness., repentace...and encourage one anther in your growth and relationship with Jesus/God. And be held accountable if you desire in your walk and talk of the scriptures.
You're going to have to decide what you believe. What do you believe about God, salvation, Jesus Christ, Scripture. What do you want in a church? Do you want a controlling church that tells you what you can and can't do, i.e. go to movies, dance, wear make-up, vote Democrat/Republican, et al? Do you want a church that focuses only on salvation or do you want a church that tries to follow the example of Christ by helping the poor, the sick, the elderly, the homeless--but does it in a way that gives glory to God? Do you want a church that's politically involved? Do you want a church that focuses on the Lord and honoring Him?
These are the types of things you need to ask yourself. You might have other things that are important to you in serving and worshiping the Lord. Figure out what they are and start the search, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Mennonite, etc.
Good luck and feel free to send me a direct message if you have more in-depth questions. Remember, if you are sincerely searching for the Lord, He WILL lead you. I know; I've been there.
I really agree with the last post by bobmulk. You need to have a deep understanding of what you really believe and what you don't and base your choice of a church of what matches your belief system. Churches have some very different beliefs within the overall Christian religion, some would be considered very conservative and follow a traditional approach while others are very liberal and I would think the membership of these churches would represent a much different group of inidividuals. I would think you'd want to have alot in common with those who chose the same church and not feel conflicted about certain things you might not agree with. It also might be a good idea to just go to the services of various churches and get a feel for the congregation and what is being taught there. If you're really serious about wanting to get involved in a church you need to do a little homework and self assessment to find out where you feel you really belong. Good luck.
If you are seeking a home church ask God to lead you to the right place. You will usually know when you feel comfortable. Our is fairly small, teaches from the Bible, has small mid-week groups so you can get to know a few people on a deeper level, youth groups and Sunday School. Our church really reaches out to the community and helps serve the poor. Find a church that meets your needs to grow in your faith and also looks to how they can help others.
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