Posted on 05/13/2017 1:21:59 PM PDT by metmom
I have been in the church for over twenty years now. I’ll never forget my first experience in a real Bible-believing, Spirit-filled, grace-singing church. I was surprised people enjoyed being there, floored that they knew the words to the songs, and freaked out that they talked about their faith when they weren’t at church. I saw spouses doting over each other, kids being respectful, and college students staying sober. It had a tremendous effect on me — I was sold on the church.
Twenty years later, I have felt the pains of being in church. I have felt the pain of getting ground up in the gears of church politics, leaders leaving members in the dust on decisions, friends uttering harsh words, members ruining their lives in sin, and congregational meetings that almost seemed like an episode of Jerry Springer.
Church hasn’t always been pleasant. But while I’ve watched many people give up on the church and flee from it like a haunted house, nevertheless, I still love the church and even decided to move my family to rebuild a struggling church. What I am doing may confound people, but despite the imperfection and sin we see in the church, we still love the church.
(Excerpt) Read more at desiringgod.org ...
Matthew 21:31
Which of those two did the will of his father?” They said unto Him, “The first.” Jesus said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you.
"The church of me and you and I'm not too sure about you."
Seriously, anything human beings do is going to be a mess a lot of the time. Why else would St. Paul have repeatedly emphasized being patient, forgiving, bearing with people's faults, being humble, putting others first, etc.? If being Christian meant that everyone was going to get along perfectly all the time, none of that would have been necessary.
LOL! My Sunday School classes are always amazed when I tell them the story of the boy who fell asleep during Paul's sermon and fell out the window. This year, one boy moved his chair further from the window, even though it's only about 5 feet to the ground.
Always funny because it’s so true-to-life. It seems that the more people agree on the “big things,” the more rabidly they fight over the little things.
I’m sorry you’ve had problems that bad.
I’ve had my share of grief doled out at the hands of church people.
Just try dealing with a chronic health issue and go to a Pentecostal church.
They are often worse than unbelievers.
I’ve learned to write off those church people. My relationship with Christ is that church attendance is tertiary.
Good for you. I hope you are southern baptist.
No, that’s not where mr. mm chooses to go.
At this point we are not members of any denomination.
I stopped attending when we got a preacher that claimed she was divorced and she had a child in tow. I’m not convinced she was ever married, but if someone, preacher or not, takes an oath, makes a promise, before God and a hundred other people to stay with their life partner, then don’t; a lie of that magnitude has no place in a leadership position.
Absolutely.
Personally, I have problems with women pastors.
I don’t believe that Scripture supports that at all.
A lie of such magnitude sets a very bad example. I stopped attending when we got a preacher that claimed she was divorced and she had a child in tow. I’m not convinced she was ever married, but if someone, preacher or not, takes an oath, makes a promise, before God and a hundred other people to stay with their life partner, then don’t; a lie of that magnitude has no place in a leadership position.
A few thoughts:
1) the word church has a lot of different meanings. which one are we talking about? The visible church, the building , the institutional church, the group of people, Gods chosen?
2) Ask people about their church and listen to what they say. You will hear about the music, like the pastor, food, a new building.
3) Most churches are club houses. There is some common factor that brings them there. What is it? For churches is ain’t what we think it is
4) I used to belong to a Toastmasters club that met at 6:30 am on Saturdays. Everyone knew the reason we were there, it was talked about and we were held to high standards. There was a waiting list, and if you didn’t participate to standards you were moved along. Get the picture?
5) Even this article focuses on love love love. Now there is a word that has a lot of meanings. There is more to a church than that.........................
we belong to a group of volunteers...VOLUNTEERS...and you would not believe the pettiness, the jealousy, the pouting and the ridiculousness....
I was kidding. I am southern baptist but would defend any Christian denomination. Paul and Peter started 8 churches, all of them different, but all Christian.
Mal 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In His presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared Him and always thought about the honor of His name.
To fully understand Gods grace you have to understand fear. Now we don’t live in fear but one should visit it once in a while. Neither should one live in fear without visiting the grace of God. Thinking of fear should lead you to grace and thinking of grace should lead you to fear. Too many people don’t visit...................
Now I have always wondered what these folk talked about and what God heard...............................
Personally, I have problems with women pastors.
I don’t believe that Scripture supports that at all.
The problem with women is they are doing their own appointing. But we have the same problem with men.
I’m done with the church. The body of Christ has bullied me( and I mean actual bullying; not the snowflake type) for the last time.
I’m out.
Elijah thought he was the only one of Gods people but God said there were 7,000 others. There is always a remnant. Your job is the find the remnant. Good luck on your journey, and you will do a lot of shaking of dust from your feet. The good news is that you will have to rely on God while you are in the wilderness.
IMHO some people have too high expectations of churches. Full of sinners.
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