I have been saved 18 years. I got saved in and through the IFB church . I was at the church I got saved in for years, then hopped to a more contemporary ifb church, then back to the conservative one. Then I tried the " new life" non denominational church once or twice , didn't take me long to rule that one out. After that I was in the Armenian Apostolic church for 5 years without wavering. Then two years ago I tried going back to the contemporary IFB church but realized it was too much like a rock concert for me, loud, wild, and just weird. I attended a grace church( not reformed) and I like that one a lot, then went back to the conservative Baptist church in Sept of 2012. Every now and then I just get tired of it and go to a service at the grace church,right near my house, or I will go to a Christian fellowship . Can you see where I am going with this? I am happy for a short time and then I want to leave. Today the thought came to mind that perhaps, since I am single (divorced 8 years) that I just DONT LIKE GOING TO CHURCH ALONE. I like to go with my daughter and her family. They go to a fellowship church. I just don't know anymore and I am about to give up on all churches and just read my bible and live for Christ without going to a church building. It makes no sense for me to go, I only end up leaving it anyway
-
Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
Churches
- Thread starter Sminasian
- Start date
- Status
Have you ever thought that you might be going for the wrong reason? You cannot live for Christ and not attend church. I would counsel you to obey the Lord. Hebrews 10:25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
I realize that the church is failing miserably today, but there are a few that teach the truth. Find one that teaches the bible. Listen to this message and see if it fills your liking. http://media.shepherdsfellowship.org/2014/General Sessions/1008.mp3
Last edited by a moderator:
Why do you think you leave? Are you just going to church and sitting in the pew or are you ministering to the body of Christ with the gifts He has given you?
Not going to church when there are good churches around you just isn't an option, IMO. I don't see anywhere in Scripture where we are told to not go to church together. It TOTALLY makes sense for you to go to church and I don't understand why you would ever say that it doesn't.
Not going to church when there are good churches around you just isn't an option, IMO. I don't see anywhere in Scripture where we are told to not go to church together. It TOTALLY makes sense for you to go to church and I don't understand why you would ever say that it doesn't.
I'm so sorry you haven't found a church to call home. My heart breaks for you.
First, you're not alone. I have encountered many who have felt let down by the church. This doesn't make you strange, just human.
Second, I encourage you to keep searching. Yes, the church can be difficult, too judgmental and and overall not very helpful. But the reason I encourage you to keep searching is that when we get it right, it is such a wonderful and beautiful thing to experience and be a part of.
Third, there is a place for you, somewhere, someplace in the church. You have gifts, talents and experiences the church desperately needs, that only you can provide. Jesus has saved you for a reason, your story is as important as anyone else's and it would be a shame to miss out on it.
Until then, may your heart be encouraged and strengthened with the love only he can provide.
I go to church alone and have for years. It's not pleasant sometimes because the church is ALL about the "family". [and don't anyone jump in here and give the patronizing, "Well, Scarlett, you are part of the CHURCH family...and Paul said single people can serve so much better than married people and those with families"]
But nonetheless, Sminasian, let me tell you this.
You are looking for the wrong thing in church. Here is what you need to know.
- There is no perfect church.
- That saying - there are TONS of churches doing God's work and His will - it isn't nearly as bleak as some say.
- Our job, as church members, is to jump in with both feet and inquire of the LORD - "What work do you want me to do here?" - and then do it and then do it gladly and willingly for God's sake and His kingdom's sake.
- Get off the pity-pot. So - you go to church alone. Get over it and move on. It ain't about you and me and our singleness and the church's lack of understanding of what to do with us.
- God is calling you do to something for His kingdom's sake via His church. God NEVER called anyone to serve in a vacuum.
I've been where you are - more than once.
You must associate yourself with a body of believers on a regularly basis. For the sake of your spiritual health and growth.
Church is about service to God and His people. It's a giving away of ourselves and our wants and needs and seeking God's will as a body - not a solitary Lone Ranger Christian.
The Bible has ZERO teaching about how live as a Christian all by yourself, purposely living as an island unto ourselves.
Last edited:
If you look among all the posts thus far what you will see is a balance between them all. First know that there is likely a church out there for you. Being divorced can be a difficult experience and it can take away the joy of somethings. The key to finding a church home is to understand what God has said in His word about it.
1. We are not to stop gathering together. Hebrews 10:25
2. We are to find a place of service within the local assembly based on our spiritual gift. 1 Corinthians 12
3. We are to go to church not to get something from God but to give God our acceptable worship. Hebrews 12:28
Refusal to go be a part of a local assembly is just not an option with God.
The thing is, there is nothing wrong, in my eyes, with these churches. They are all good solid churches doing God's work. I like to go. The pastors are good, the people are great, it is NOT the churches, ITS ME. And I love to be involved and serve. Being a pew warmer, to me, is not an option. But I don't stay in one church long enough to serve any length of time. People are going to think I am nuts, and , maybe they are right :tear:
Consider that this is a spiritual battle going on within you. Do not let Satan win. If you can look at the church and describe it like you have above then I would suggest that you find one place and stay there. Push through the feelings of wanting to leave. It is not that you are nuts, it is that you are human. And we all have our battles and weak areas. We need to guard against them and push through. There is an old saying, "when you don't know what to do, do what you know".
If you will push through these difficult times and keep it in prayer and fasting God will bring you out of the other side wiser and stronger.
SaggyWoman
Active Member
I am not sure if I like going to church alone or not. It is something I gotta do, though since I am single. I feel your pain with that, and when it really gets me down, I try to find someone to sit with. I hate sitting with people because I am needy, though, because sometimes they take conversations to a negative about who knows why.
Having said that, we are social being, and the reason we participate in community and worship is for the community of it, since truly, we can worship God alone--and do it how we "like" it (between us and God).
Having said that, we are social being, and the reason we participate in community and worship is for the community of it, since truly, we can worship God alone--and do it how we "like" it (between us and God).
Brother, you are not nuts. You are just going through some spiritual growing pains.
Did you do this before your divorce or is this a new thing with you?
"You cannot live for Christ and not attend church." Ya, you bedridden, you old timers, you stroke victims, all you other non-church goers!
Sminasian:
I truly feel sorry for you and (to some extent anyway) understand the situation in which you find yourself.
I encourage you to take heed to the advice that others have offered you in the previous posts on this thread for you'll find much wisdom therein.
There was a period of time soon after I received Christ as my Savior in which I could not find any true fellowship with a local assembly of Bible believers primarily because I was re-assigned to a new military assignment "courtesy of" the USAF.
For several months I was unaware of any real local church body in the region where I'd been re-assigned.
The base chapel was headed by a group of very liberal chaplains whose idea of a "good[?] sermon" was to pontificate on the merits[?] of some of the written works of Ernest Hemingway!!
Needless to say, I certainly got no real spiritual edification from them!
Thankfully God eventually did lead me to a genuine missionary outreach to American military personnel where I did get some very good (and, I might add, very important!) biblical grounding that has served me well ever since!
My friend and brother in Christ, I urge you to take some time to re-evaluate some of your motives that seem to be coming between you and our Lord that apparently are (to some extent anyway) causing you to distance yourself from other true believers in Christ.
God did not institute the concept of His local church(-es) for no reason at all!
It's vitally important to each born-again child of God to seek out a local church assembly where he or she can not only receive good, solid biblical preaching and teaching, but also where he or she can best use his or her God-given "talents" for the glory of the One for whom His precious blood was shed to redeem you.
I sincerely urge you to seek out a place of worship wherein you can avail yourself of the advantages of God's local assembly(-ies) that are described in such passages as Ephesians 4:11-16 and in Hebrews 10:23-25.
I say this not to condemn you, my brother, but rather from a heart of deep concern for you.
It's my sincere prayer that our Lord will lead you to the place where you can truly experience the joys of real and honest Christian fellowship as you seek to live out your life in service to Him.
I truly feel sorry for you and (to some extent anyway) understand the situation in which you find yourself.
I encourage you to take heed to the advice that others have offered you in the previous posts on this thread for you'll find much wisdom therein.
There was a period of time soon after I received Christ as my Savior in which I could not find any true fellowship with a local assembly of Bible believers primarily because I was re-assigned to a new military assignment "courtesy of" the USAF.
For several months I was unaware of any real local church body in the region where I'd been re-assigned.
The base chapel was headed by a group of very liberal chaplains whose idea of a "good[?] sermon" was to pontificate on the merits[?] of some of the written works of Ernest Hemingway!!
Needless to say, I certainly got no real spiritual edification from them!
Thankfully God eventually did lead me to a genuine missionary outreach to American military personnel where I did get some very good (and, I might add, very important!) biblical grounding that has served me well ever since!
My friend and brother in Christ, I urge you to take some time to re-evaluate some of your motives that seem to be coming between you and our Lord that apparently are (to some extent anyway) causing you to distance yourself from other true believers in Christ.
God did not institute the concept of His local church(-es) for no reason at all!
It's vitally important to each born-again child of God to seek out a local church assembly where he or she can not only receive good, solid biblical preaching and teaching, but also where he or she can best use his or her God-given "talents" for the glory of the One for whom His precious blood was shed to redeem you.
I sincerely urge you to seek out a place of worship wherein you can avail yourself of the advantages of God's local assembly(-ies) that are described in such passages as Ephesians 4:11-16 and in Hebrews 10:23-25.
I say this not to condemn you, my brother, but rather from a heart of deep concern for you.
It's my sincere prayer that our Lord will lead you to the place where you can truly experience the joys of real and honest Christian fellowship as you seek to live out your life in service to Him.
What do you mean?
Those people DO have a difficult time without being in the fellowship of the church. I've spoken to many of them. We try to get as many as we can into church but for those who cannot attend due to actual physical reasons, we will do home visits and even have our small group meet at their home if they are able to have that happen.
But to CHOOSE to not attend church is a totally different realm than someone who is bedridden.
Was commenting on the quote quoted. Difficult maybe, impossible, no. Was not commenting on the topic of your last item.
I think many of us occasionally go to other churches, to hear other views, hear other music, and to connect with other believers. Nothing wrong with that. Some of the most impacting messages I have received, or at least listened to, were at churches visited only once, as I was on the road.
Many older folks become so infirm, they are house-ridden, and can no longer attend church. As a member of the "old geezer" squad, many of my friends dropped out as the end approached. They could no longer see, or hear, or hold the tiny juice glass.
As another thread pointed out, we will fail at some point, that while it is still today, we are to strive to serve the body of Christ using the gifts we still have. God Bless
Many older folks become so infirm, they are house-ridden, and can no longer attend church. As a member of the "old geezer" squad, many of my friends dropped out as the end approached. They could no longer see, or hear, or hold the tiny juice glass.
As another thread pointed out, we will fail at some point, that while it is still today, we are to strive to serve the body of Christ using the gifts we still have. God Bless
I had something similar in Wildflecken- execpt the chaplain was talking about the war horrow of WWII (this was 1980). However, there was no English speaking church downtown - so we took the only reasonable - we started a Bible study which in a few months, became a Baptist church.
Here I concur. As an "Old School" Baptist, I can no longer attend churches that are generic & thus "Blended" in their beliefs. I feel more resolute in this form of service, however there is no Old School Baptist church in my area.
Last edited by a moderator:
salzer mtn
Well-Known Member
Anyone that goes to church and is hearing the truth has found a home regardless if they don't know anyone or not. Hearing the truth should be a number one priority. When you are hearing the truth it enables you to worship God aright. When I am sitting there being filled up with his word I could care less if I'm a stranger to the congregation or not. To sup with God and Him with you through his word is true fellowship that we all need, fellowship with man at church is good, but not a must. If there were no churches in my area that preached the truth I would stay at home. Fellowship with man at church without the truth in the pulpit I can do without.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Status