Many Churches?

[Maureen]

okay, I have got into this without realizing, it crept up over a period, so what now?

I started out, with 1 church, then with my work I brought in Gospel Services, and the Pastor asked me to come along on a Thursday night I felt obliged as he'd obliged by telling the Gospel to the residents I cared for, right, that's 2 churches.

My Dad was going to a differant church, so I decide I wanted to go with him as Mum didn't, he went alone and it touched my heart, so that is now 3 churches, are you counting?

Had to leave the first church due to differant issues, to long to go into, tried another church, not for me, tried another, I was going to one on Thursday night, then this one I'd found on Sunday Morning then Sunday night I was going with my Dad, okay still 3 churches, but was okay, I'd no problem with this, I also went to the Sunday morning one's Tues Prayer meeting. My Dad died, saved and went to Glory - praise God.
okay stopped Dad's church, now went to same one Sunday Morning and Night, but found this very hard didn't like the twice in same church as service was much the same, so struggled with that, but grinned and beared it.

okay here's were it starts,
the one I mainly go to (Sun Morn+Even) I had become restless in my spirit with, after struggling, it had returned after several months, well I just couldn't ignore this, prayed about it, and found myself going from a very few people to a vast people church, a Metropolitan Tabernacle, I love it, I had joy returned which I couldn't find elsewhere, I had freedom in my spirit to worship the way I was lead too.
Problem sets in, I've been going to this BIG church both services on Sunday, which only leaves a Tues night for wee one, I still go Thurs to Mission one.
Still 3 churches I know, what I've always done, but it doesn't seem right this time round.

I know one needs to go, as I have said, I've found something I lost were I am now, and wouldn't like to give up the Mission on Thurs as been going there since I got saved, and it's only place were I'd have a one to one with a Pastor, as new church is really too big for that sort of contact.

Would really value your views regarding this, I just know in this new church I've found, my family could come and enjoy it, leading them to Salvation, whereas they didn't like the wee one, I started loosing my joy there and felt very bound in my spirit, it is a very traditional 'old gospel' now theres absolutly nothing wrong with that, is a very true bible believing church were the undiluted Gospel is preached but so it the new one, only with joy and freedom included, instead of being sombre.

Sorry this has taken so much wording but to explain it right couldn't do anything else.

 

[ladylovesJesus]

I believe we should fellowship in one place and belong to that fellowship. We are to reach out to the lost and help them to know that Jesus is the way the truth and the life. I know in a large gathering it is not easy to have a one to one with a Pastor. Your family need salvation so take them where they will learn and hear the truth.

God bless

LLJ :rainbow: :rose:

 

[Maureen]

Thank you LLJ
for a quick reply, and spiritual guided answers.

they all teach and preach the true word, I have not become a member because I dont feel lead to do this, but my family have visited but won't come back to the wee church because of the service being 'sombre' is the only word I can find to describe it, the Pastor is young, in his very early thirties, so you would wonder at that.

all I know is I'm struggling there, and I wouldn't give up the Mission on Thurs night, been going to long there. It would be my fellowshipping with God's people in there. As the Metropolitan Church is too vast to fellowship with the same people, you never sit beside the same person.

I know the Lord is in this, He will lead me, I just need to keep close to Him while this is happening in my life, it is all for a reason, a plan that will be unfolded in His time, I just know it is.

As my husband likes it there, and i really thought he would have not, it's all what he doesn't like, freedom in the Holy Spirit to worship as lead to, now it's not over the top, don't think that, it's all to the glory of the Lord Jesus.

 

[trulyblezzed]

Hello my friend. I completely understand where your coming from. You're face with a question of do you stay in the big church and sacrifice your contact with the pastor at the small church for your family's sake or do you stay in the small church with the big posibility that your family won't be saved.

just like LLJ said, it's best to stick with one church. Which one you ask? That's easy. Where do you feel comforable the most? Where is your spirit at ease? Where do you get excited? Where do you feel God's anointing and presence?

If it's at the big church, have peace because God wants you there if you feel good about it in your spirit. The longer you are there, the more people you will know. I speak first hand because my church has over 7,000 and in 4 years, I've only spoke with my Pastor once and it was a "hello" LOL. However, we have "top leadership" which are an elite team of spiritual guides who are there to help when someone needs to be consolidated. Your big church should have something similiar.

I hope that helps a little.

Also, for more info on attending multiple churches, go to gotquestions.org and type in "many churches" or "multiple churches" and an article should come up

 

[Maureen]

trulyblezzed

oh you made me laugh, thank you, when you said after 4 years you only just got to speak to your Pastor, and it was Hello, that did make me laugh.

That was real easy to answer, to all questions, it is the Big church, it has just over 2000 so not as big as yours.

But considering the wee church has 25 some differance, now I know we are not to count numbers, David didn't do to well on that account.

Thank you for the web address I will do that didn't know such a thing existed.

Lordbless you, you have helped.

 

[ladylovesJesus]

On the main TJ page down the right hand side opposite the poetry forum it says Bible resources and got questions is listed right there.

God bless

LLJ :rainbow: :rose:

 

[Maureen]

Yes, found it but couldn't find anything there, about 'multiple churches'
not to fret, all will be revealed, I have no problem in waiting the Lord has taught me well.
Thank you

 

[baruch]

Hi Maureen, I've been in a similar situation. I joined the local church in 1979. But, didn't get saved until 1982, and left to join a small Christian Fellowship where the teaching and Pastorial was excellent, as was the worship.
After 5 years we felt led to go back into the mainstream church. I felt God wanted me to return to my local church. I attended for 2 or 3 months and didn't like it at all, so I stopped going. For 3 years I stayed away, but never found any peace and had to give in, and be obedient to Him. I'm still going there, and things are changing now for the better. We have a new Minister, and the teaching and worship is improving week by week.
Two years before the old Minister left, I was about to give it up again, but God told me He was going to remove the Minister, and bring in someone new and to stick with it. I ended up on the vacancy committee to select a new Minister, and was instumental in choosing the one we have now.
What I'm saying is, if God didn't want you to go to these 3 churches, I'm sure He'd let you know. It's interesting, that you don't feel led to join any one off them. Keep going until HE tells you otherwise.

 

[Maureen]

baruch

the reason I don't feel led to join any of them, become a member, is I believe I am in the church of God built by Jesus Christ, therefore I don't want to be termed as having a 'denomintion' I don't agree with them, and when the Pastor of the small church I go now prays only for the churches of that particular denomination a chill goes through my spine, or my spirit more like, he will add sometimes and other churches who preach the true Gospel, but not always.

Recently it has been getting to me some things the Pastor is speaking on, to me it's being 'critical' of others, so what if they are getting up to all kinds of everything, are we not to pray for them instead of condemning them for it.

I dont like it, and I think of late this is being impressed upon me more and more, love them to Jesus, not ridicule them.

This probably is coming across really bad for my Pastor and I just want you to know he's not, he is a true believer in the Lord Jesus and is so on fire for him, I just think it could be done a better way, to go to the churches that are getting it wrong and speaking to them in love about what they're doing instead of tellling about their doings from the pulpit on Sunday.

I don't think Jesus wants this to be our way, and I don't want to be partaker of that, by listening.
I have done something with the Pastor and I'm very remorsfull for it, he had flyers made with Alpha Curse on them, as he was doing a talk on it, and how it's not of God, I helped put them in the doors of houses in our area, that still bothers me to this day.
young lads came from the church who run the Alpha course and they were so angry at what was said.
The same church has been prayed for to take it out of darkness, in my eyes they should all be sitting down together and discussing their differances trying to join hands in Jesus, and not picking holes.

Don't know what your views are on this, but please feel free to say.
A critical spirit is not of God.

 

[baruch]

Hi Maureen, I'm not "denominational" either. I don't like labels. If asked what religion I belong to, I reply, "I'm Christian, I have faith in Jesus!"
I too spoke to the previous Minister, asking him why he rarely used the Name of Jesus. He only used His title, Christ.
At infant baptisms, when the church was filled with friends and relatives of the child's parents, who very rarely, if ever attended any church, why he never took the chance to preach the Gospel of Jesus to them.
I sat through many sermons, and wanted to scream, but the Lord kept me quiet. At the cup of tea after the service, when someone said to me,"That was a good sermon today" I had to bite my tongue.
Many people left the congregation because of his behaviour, and what happened to make him leave. But they are slowly coming back.

 

[Maureen]

I really don't hold with infant baptism, adult yes certainly as believers they know and love the Lord Jesus, but a baby doesn't and it's usually unsaved who are the baby's Godparents sure these vows are laid upon them knowing they will not adhere to them, how can they, they don't know Jesus, what a shame, best to wait till the child can know itself.

A service of Thanksgiving to God for the Life of the little one, that's differant, A dedication some call it.
Matthew 3 V 6
And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins

adult baptizism, as found in Matthew's gospel,

only my view, don't be offended, it's what I read in the word of God.

 

[shingie]

That thread sounds so interesting Maureen.I know what you mean. I also gets in that kind of a situation sometimes.My friends invite me to their churches for Sunday service sometimes. I appreciate everything they do there, the sermons, praise & worship but somehow I feel uncomfortable simply because the way they do their things is different from the way we do it at our church.
I go to Anglican church.It`s always good for you to be at the place where you feel God wants you to be and also where you feel comfortable in working for him.

Maureen I think you should go where you feel free and comfortable to work for the Lord(The bigger church) and pray for the small church as well so that it will also be a home to everybody who joins it.

 

[Maureen]

It is mighty strange to be sitting in your own church and feel uncomfortable though, or discontented, this is what is happening.

Then to go to a completely differant church (vast one) and the opposite happens.

To me it should be the other way round, but the Lord's ways aren't our ways.

I am waiting on the Lord, husband doesn't really understand me, as he's not saved yet, so it would seem odd to him, he jus wants me to quit one now, but I have to wait on the Lord.

Psalm 27 V 14
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

is only one of the verses to 'wait' it does take courage, in no matter what circumstances they are, as the flesh just wants to act on impulse, but look what He says He will do, give strength, Hallelujah.