I went to an Assembly of God church for nearly 20 years, starting with a week after I became a Christian. I really tried to get into the tongues thing, but it never worked for me. And then one of the “messages of wisdom” spoken in front of the congregation turned out to be utterly false. Interestingly, it was the only quantifiable one ever uttered the entire time I was there.
I also really wanted to believe in the Pre-tribulation view that was dominant, but the more I studied, the more convinced I was that it was wishfull thinking at best. I became a very strong mid tribulationist or “Post-tribulation, pre-wrath”.
But I have attended several different churches since then and have a hard time plugging into any of them. I play bass for worship at each one that I end up attending, but I still feel “separate” from the rest of the congregation.
Honestly, I did at the AG church as well. I went on camping trips with other men, watched football sundays, etc. Yet I enjoyed none of those things. I was just trying to get along.
I had long talks with my former pastor, who is now my best friend about this whole “what is the function of the church” thing and he ended up writing a book about it called “And no religion too: thoughts on the spectator church”. Here’s a link to it: http://edwardgoblebooks.com/
I am still trying to work this whole “church in the US” thing out, but I just try to be a Christian around whoever I happen to be around. If they are a brother as well, that’s great! We have something in common beyond what we already discovered we have in common.
And no more camping/fishing trips.
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