Does anyone ever need a break from church?

maybe when you least want to be there is when you most need to be there

Blessings

 

If you'll back up the page you'll see you did indeed say this=

Like I said back up the page a little bit and you'll see it, oh and I'm not appologizing for what you did.=

And it means spiritual trouble too. You can make excuses or you can fix the problem, but you can't do both at the sametime. When you love God, how can worshiping Him become a drugery unless there is a spiritual problem? Not wanting to go to church is one of the first symptoms of spiritual problems.

 

If you'll back up the page you'll see you did indeed say this=

Are you sure that's your final answer? As you can see from the quote that you, yourself, posted, I never accused anyone of gossip or spreading rumours. All I said was that Diane jumped to an unfounded conclusion.

Strike one.

It's not about what I did. It's about what you did. Apologize or not, that's up to you but for you to say such things and refuse to apologize for them even after it's been demonstrated that I never said what you claim says a lot more about you than it does about me.

Again, from what you posted, it's clear that I didn't judge her.

Strike two.

Isn't it just a wee bit hypocritical of you to judge Jim so unfairly and then falsely accuse me of judging Diane?

Why would it be wrong for me to do (assuming your accusations were true) but OK for you to do?

Strike three. So far, you're turning out to be your own worst enemy.

Katie, I've said this three times now and I just don't know how to make it any simpler so try to read this really slowly: it has nothing to do with worshipping God. That's not what we're talking about.

Not necessarily.

 

"He's talking about what happens when church becomes not a place for refreshment and fellowship and hearing God's word, but a drudgery and a duty."

"I'm glad if you've never experienced this, but many of us have and do."

Yes, and for those of us who have been there, MORE time in a church pew is NOT necessarily what we need. We might need more prayer time, but we might also need a break from traditional weekly services if they become a drudge or a duty. Church should never be like that for us (at least not on a continual basis). When the sermons do not enlighten and the people are more concerned about their social status than actually being brothers/sisters in Christ to others, it's time to re-evaluate the church and ourselves.

I stayed about 5 years too long in one church and a year or more too long in the other. I had indications that that was not where I belonged, but I ignored those feelings thinking that they would go away or that I would somehow feel better about church later. It never happened...only got worse. Only when I made the decision to visit some other churches did I feel I was really doing what God wanted me to do. I was no longer limiting God to any one church or denomination. To think that I was starting to get brainwashed that the Pentecostals "might" have the market cornered on salvation even. How dangerous it was to even entertain those thoughts, even for a minute.

I also believe that God led me to the Primitive Baptist group I now worship with. They meet only every other Sunday, so I have the option of driving to one of the other locations to attend at another Primitive service (which so far I've never done) or go somewhere else to church on those off Sundays. Sometimes I get out of town for some much needed time away from everything. Sometimes taking care of ourselves and knowing that doing something different is what we really need to refresh ourselves and is necessary to continue to do what God wants us to.

 

You said that rumors and gosip get started by doing what you say Diane did, you are saying she si starting rumors and gossip.

I quote you and quote you, I've proved it by your words, not mine.

Nothing in oyur quote has anything to do with Jim. Try again.


So you see no spiritual problem when poeple prfessing christianity do not want to go to church? You do not beleive church is biblical? You do not believe it when we are told not to forsake the assembling tog ether of ourselves?
I'm sorry, I don't see church as being optional in the bible. I'm sorry that you do.


Misty

No, not in a pew, but serving God, in church, like we are taught in scripture.

 

I agree with some of the others, that we can serve God NOT JUST by being in a church pew but by doing other things. Burn-out can happen anywhere, even in a church setting. It can be caused by different factors and doesn't mean the person is spiritually inferior because they decide they need to do something else (serve God in another way) or GO to ANOTHER CHURCH. But recognizing WHEN you need to make a change is critical. I stayed way too long in some other church organizations when I would have been better able to serve God and been more spiritually fed elsewhere.

 

Although I agree burn out can and does happen, it is not an accuss not to go to church. What it usually means is that the person has taken on too much work in the church,and needs to narrow it down some, stop doing somethings. But it never means don't go to church at all.

 

I didn't say any such thing. You even included the quote in one of your posts. How do you still say that even after you've shown everyone that I didn't say anything of the sort?

What??? It was your quote and it was adressing Jim's situation directly!

Katie, I'm sorry. I can't have this conversation with you. You're obviously not reading this thread.

First, you accuse me of saying things I never said. Then you show everyone that I never said them and then keep on insisting that I said them.

Then, after having it explained to you quite clearly more than once (three or four times, in fact) that Jim isn't saying he's abandoning church, you insist that he's walking away from church.

I don't know how to answer someone who is so tied up with themselves that they refuse to listen to anything anyone else says. So this will be my last post to you.

I will trust that anyone here can see my words and see Jim's words and see for themselves that we haven't said any of the things you've accused us of.

I've been reading your posts for a long time now and, frankly, I'm disappointed. I expected much better of you.

Did I say I didn't believe church is Biblical? No!

Yes I believe it but, for the umpteenth time, that's not what we're talking about.

There you go again. Putting words into my mouth. that's just dishonest.

I'm sorry, I don't see bearing false witness as being acceptable in the Bible. I'm sorry that you do.

I never said anything of the kind and I think you need to demonstrate where I said it.

 

The Bible says that He will neither leave us or forsake us, or show any shadow of turning away from us.

I think that if a person is feeling burnt out, then they need to step back from what is making them feel this way. Get some perspective. Before they get embittered and leave the church all together.

God is with you always. The Bible says not to forsake the assembling together as some do. And so, you should stay connected with your assembly. As someone pointed out earlier...the more you stay away, the harder it is to get back in the habbit. Church keeps us on tract, it renews and refreshes our faith. It's like a booster shot in the arm. So don't let go or step back too far...keep connected.

There is nothing in the Bible that says that the more you visable can be seen doing at church by people the better connected you are to God. What a person's opinion about your service to God or your attendance to church is, is so unimportant... I wouldn't even give it the courtesy of acknowledgement. Remember....It's God we want to know, God we want to serve and God's approval we want to have. God will not leave you.


***Getting a little tired of weeding through the "he said, she said, I didn't say that, yes you did, you're a gossip, no you're a gossip" comments to get to the heart of the topic. I think this is self serving attention seeking and I really wish those who do it...would just knock it off and act like adults.

 

Welcome to the BB.

 

Is it over??????? Hi Gib! Hi Jim Ellis!

Never too burnt...that I can't give you a big O wave!

From one burn out to another!
God Bless
Sherrie

 

Mike, I'm not sure what more I can say to you, I have stated the facts and thats all there is,you deny you said what you said, you can keep this up if you like, but I'm done with it.

 

Hi Jim, I posted earlier to you .I must have hit the wrong button. Not unusual for me. Anyway, I noticed you were from Newark and checked to see what church you attend. My sister and brother-in-law recently became members of your church.I was very happy they joined a Baptist church.They are pretty recent converts. Butch and Geneva Rees. Just wondering if you knew them? Mary Kay

 

Katie, I have nothing more to say to you.

You've lied about me. You've lied about Jim when he came here looking for a little help and encouragement.

The only thing I can do now is to ask anyone who believes you're telling the truth about what I said to read my words (and Jim's) and see for themselves that I've never said any of the things you say I did.

Goodbye.

 

I believe some Christians do need a break from Church. They most often go back within a week though.