New member seeking advice

[Awakening234]

Hi All,

Firstly you have a wonderful site here! Thanks to those to maintain and support it. God bless.

A little about myself.

I was born and raised as a Christian in the UK. I went to Church, Sunday School and my primary & secondary schools were CofE, I even sang in the choir . However there came point when I was about 14/15 where due to various events occurring in my life and my reaction to them, I fell away from the church gradually until I stopped going altogether. I got mixed up in the wrong crowds and went into a life of sin. My own Ego led to this.

However, despite the path I was on, one thing I have never stopped doing is praying. My mum taught me to pray everyday when I wake up and before i go to sleep, a habit that never left me. I did stop for a brief period....i never felt so empty in my life! So I continued.

Despite me falling away, i feel God has always been with me and has always kept "one" eye on my affairs. He has fulfilled my needs by giving me an education, career and financial security. But he never completely filled the emptiness in me, because I never fully embraced the love of Jesus until when I had a revelation and personal experience earlier this year.

11 years since I fell away, I now wish to take things to the next level. I wish to attend a church and get involved in a mission. I'm now having a dilemma and this is where I need your help.

On what principals should I select a church? There are 3 churches in mind in my vicinity.
Baptist Church
Pentocostal church
CofE
My background from childhood is CofE. I'm used to the priests wearing grand robes and the Choir wearing red tunics and white collors etc. yes all the glittery stuff....but part of this is what disillusioned me in the first place, it all seems so fake to me. Maybe my intelect and synical nature are clouding my judgement

First I have attended the Baptist church as it was nearer. I went for several weeks. i felt very welcomed, they had special people who purposly came and spoke to new faces. However the service itself consisted of about 70% hymn singing and 20% preaching and 10% bullitin. i was introduced to some "young" people to try to make me feel at ease but the first thing they wanted to do after the service was go to the pub, I politely declined. I havent been for weeks ( i went abroad for a month in Nov and since haven't been to church again...)

i've been preparing to attend the Pentecostal one next. I then saw some youtube video's about the church and saw it had SoZo healing rituals and people falling on the floor in what looks like drunken fits. This makes me feel uncomfortable. However I liked the special guest preacher they had Dawna DeSilva but my infatuation as a male might cloud this judgement...Though she did seem to have a good message.

So the last on the list is the local CofE. i'm waiting for the festive season to end and to hit 2012 with a new covenant before I make the big leap.

Please help me make my decision, what principals should i make my choice on? Also i don't wish to go to church for the sake of going,
I want to make a difference and help the homeless and less fortunate and preach to people who were not lucky as I was to be introduced to Jesus at a young age.

Thanks for taking to time to read my long post, sorry for making it so long...

 

[faithfulservant]

You need to go to a place where the Spirit of the Lord is moving. I guess I'm implying a charismatic or pentecostal church, but please be careful. Maybe a simple, mainstream evangelical church that's not against the Spiritual gifts? Perhaps a "nondenominational" church? Pray the LORD will lead you to where He wants you, pray for discernment. There are many churches that aren't grounded Biblically. It's a real problem. Pray on the armor of God when you go to a church the first time and that He will lead you in or out of a place according to His will.

Be open to possibly participating in a home church. The Body of Christ is not divided, yet the denominational divisions stand out. Denominations aren't important, Jesus' Body is important. I really feel the LORD is happy with small, loving groups that worship Him simply in Spirit and in truth. You don't need to be affiliated with a big denomination or with a large congregation.

Two important things I look for in a church: Does the leadership and congregation obviously love and revere the Lord? Do they love others as they love themselves?

I also feel it's important that a church spends time praising and worshiping with music, whatever style suits you (as long as it's scripturally sound and reverant).

I have a personal problem with the fact that most churches collect money to funnel into a big building, and then let the building lie dormant the vast majority of the week. A healthy church should have it's hand in evangelizing in the community, helping the impoverished of the community, and giving lots of opportunities for members of the Body to fellowship and love on one another in the name of Jesus each week. The whole "show up on Sunday and tithe" thing seems so obviously misguided when you look at the book of Acts and how the early church functioned. The church met "daily" according to scripture. Just some ideas to consider...

 

[faithfulservant]

i was introduced to some "young" people to try to make me feel at ease but the first thing they wanted to do after the service was go to the pub, I politely declined. I havent been for weeks ( i went abroad for a month in Nov and since haven't been to church again...)

i've been preparing to attend the Pentecostal one next. I then saw some youtube video's about the church and saw it had SoZo healing rituals and people falling on the floor in what looks like drunken fits. This makes me feel uncomfortable. However I liked the special guest preacher they had Dawna DeSilva but my infatuation as a male might cloud this judgement...Though she did seem to have a good message.

QUOTE]


In terms of the pub issue, I agree that's a big red flag. When a church wants to be like the world, it's a church that's lost it's vision. It's taken its eyes off of Christ. Worldly ways quench the power of the Holy Spirit. We are called to be "in" the world, but not "of" the world. That requires drawing a line and standing strong in His truth.

As I mentioned in the last post, regarding some of the irreverant stuff going on in some charismatic/pentecostal churches, be careful. I'm not going to say that what may be going on in a church is demonic, but if some spiritual manifestation takes place and it's not glorifying to God something is amiss. At the very least, there is a great deal of spiritual immaturity going on. At worst, it could be serious deception.

Like I said, pray on the armor of God before you go to a church. Don't entertain over-the-top spiritual manifestations that aren't obviously glorifying to the LORD. That doesn't mean all spiritual manifestations are bad. Our God is Spirit. His eternal realm is a spiritual one. His Spiritual gifts are still at work within the Body to operate and work His will in this world.

Just be careful, and pray for discernment. This is a deceptive age. I pray the LORD will lead you and guide you in your search, that He will protect you and keep you from falling for a church that's not walking with Him or one that's walking in demonic deception. In Jesus' name I pray...

 

[evan]

My thoughts

Hi Awakening
When you find the church you like. Go to the membership classes. You are not required to join just because you are attending the classes. These classes are the place to get more information to find out if this church is a good match for you, to seek God, and to ask questions.
One membership class I went to the pastor said the Bible has some errors from being rewritten over time. It's called errent (vs inerrent)
So this means the Pastor who prepares his message each week does not know what part of bible is true or not true and bases his sermon to feed and guide my spirit on Sunday morning with his errent sermon. I need a pastor who knows the word of God is Perfect, reviving the soul.
My advice, listen very carefully during membership classes and look for red flags such as the one I found.

 

[Awakening234]

Hi All,

Many thanks for your responses. I took them into consideration. Also apologies for the delay in reply but I wanted to actually attend church before i replied (I failed on New years day...). Yesterday I attended both the Pentecostal church on Sunday morning & the CofE church in the evening.
Both were nice churches.

I felt the holy spirit moving in in the Penticostal one, the tingly cold water feeling I can't really describe. But I also felt distant and felt a feeling of sadness in that that I couldn't embrace the lord in the same way the others did, guess I was too straight/stubborn/awkward. At one point in the service the pastor said "There is someone in this room who is trying to find the Lord, just let him love you, he wants to know you" I knew he was talking about me.... I was warmly welcomed and invited to come along again. I may do one day.

I felt sad all day but I forced myself to get out and go to the evening service in my local CofE church. I was shocked! I was expecting a straight Anglican style service (i had a picture of what to expect drawn out in my mind) but inside the old iron stone middle ages building, was a modern setup with a very diverse congregation. I was warmly welcomed. There was also people in my age group (encouraging to me) who were also involved in mission work. The service was nice. After the hymns, there was a 45 minute period of bible study and preaching, bingo! This is what i was looking for. I feel like I want to be taught or to be a disciple of a teacher and this is what i wanted to hear. After the service i had a good talk with some of the people who were really nice. I felt an instant bond with some of them. A perfect ending to the day, i thank the Lord! I think this might be the one. Also conveniently, they are starting the Alpha Course this week and i'm going to attend it.

Thanks you for your advice and guidence - God Bless you all

 

[Brighthouse]

Hi awakening234!!! WELCOME!!! You know like you, I to had this problem! I had fallen away for a time,again like you, this was due to my own pride! Now I have to find a Church! But there is one big difference this time around!! YOU know more now! You know how church is suppose to be!

Now there is 2 battles taking place! One on the outside of us,and the other on the inside of us! I can only tell you what I decided on doing,I hope this will help you in your quest to become the believer in Jesus i know you want to be! 1.Prepare yourself!! You spoke so rightly when you said you believe it is a sin not to pray!! I agree!!( 1 Samuel 12:23)says the same!

To have our flesh fall in line, we must do something in God's Word to make this so! Discipline!! That which we both received on the outside,we must now do on the inside! Get into and stay into the Word! DAILY! When we hunger daily do we not eat something? Sure we do!Same!

You have food many know not of!! Not even ourselves until we find out brother!( john 4:32-34) To be able to do our Fathers Will we must seek our Fathers will,and to do this, we have to stay in HIS Word. After a week or so of doing this discipline,you will find out something we both wished we had found out about long ago!!

( luke 16:10) and ( luke 10:16) both go hand in hand.( mark 4:24) We want to hear we can do all things in Christ Jesus,so we can do all things in Christ Jesus!( rom 10:17) We hear, obtaining faith,so we can do according to our faith! Now once you are settled inside!! ( And say this out loud, not just reading this!! You want to hear faith!!, to do this we must speak faith!)

2. Look for what the very nature of who Jesus is himself!! LOVE! 3. What outreach program can you get into there? Are those who you see in it,encouraging others? if so follow, if not,then Bless God lead!

God may have put you in a Church that has a great need! YOU my brother my be that need they have! And from the strength Jesus has given you on the inside,you can proclaim him to the outside,being as Jesus would say a light on a hill! The salt that flavors and seasons others!( matt 5:13-16) (Colossians 4:6) Please notice the scriptures here!

They are the very lifeblood to us in our Lord Jesus! But we have to make this so! And we do this by disciplining ourselves to do it. Remember, we will always do what we most want to do! With this in mind!! Be a fisher of men my brother! Again welcome!! and thanks for taking the time we all need to be reminded of just how much we all need one another !

 

[Kit Carson]

Hi All,

Many thanks for your responses. I took them into consideration. Also apologies for the delay in reply but I wanted to actually attend church before i replied (I failed on New years day...). Yesterday I attended both the Pentecostal church on Sunday morning & the CofE church in the evening.
Both were nice churches.

I felt the holy spirit moving in in the Penticostal one, the tingly cold water feeling I can't really describe. But I also felt distant and felt a feeling of sadness in that that I couldn't embrace the lord in the same way the others did, guess I was too straight/stubborn/awkward. At one point in the service the pastor said "There is someone in this room who is trying to find the Lord, just let him love you, he wants to know you" I knew he was talking about me.... I was warmly welcomed and invited to come along again. I may do one day.

I felt sad all day but I forced myself to get out and go to the evening service in my local CofE church. I was shocked! I was expecting a straight Anglican style service (i had a picture of what to expect drawn out in my mind) but inside the old iron stone middle ages building, was a modern setup with a very diverse congregation. I was warmly welcomed. There was also people in my age group (encouraging to me) who were also involved in mission work. The service was nice. After the hymns, there was a 45 minute period of bible study and preaching, bingo! This is what i was looking for. I feel like I want to be taught or to be a disciple of a teacher and this is what i wanted to hear. After the service i had a good talk with some of the people who were really nice. I felt an instant bond with some of them. A perfect ending to the day, i thank the Lord! I think this might be the one. Also conveniently, they are starting the Alpha Course this week and i'm going to attend it.

Thanks you for your advice and guidence - God Bless you all

Beware of that preacher.
You have already found the Lord. You already know him. This is simple common sense.

No man knows your heart, only God knows you. Some are masters of deception. They have ways of saying things to work on your mind and they are masters of illusion and can recognize your body language and put your own feelings to use against you. A person that is uncomfortable with the actions of a Pentecostal Church is easy to spot.

I am Pentecostal. I will grow bored and go to sleep in a calm ordered church. But it takes maturity and time to not be swayed by the emotional situations realized in this setting. You must test them all, as some are masters of using your own emotions to gain their wishes.

Not saying tis so.......just speaking from experience, and telling you no man can stand at the pulpit and know the heart of another to the point of telling about yourself..........

Beware of these things..........I feel it, the spirit says......can you feel it.....someone is being healed of an ear infection in the room.........well if the room is big enough and if there are enough people it is and will be so, and casual conversation before the meeting is used for control also.

Just be careful......test it all.

Kit

 

[Truehearts]

Hi welcome to tJ, hope you are being blessed so far. I pray that you will be led in the right church. Study the scriptures yourself so you wont be swayed and deceived by false teachings. Keep praying and praying and praying. Ask God for wisdom.

Ephesians 4:4-6