Posted on 06/21/2011 3:51:29 PM PDT by NoGrayZone
Okay, here's the deal in a long story short. I was raised Lutheran, moved out to Long Island and continued to be raised in St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
Aunt Jeannie (my name sake) has been a member since. I decided years ago I wanted back, so I went.
I did not feel Him there, thought it was me. I kept looking around the congregation, thinking it was me. After a while, I realized it wasn't (a couple of things happened after that confirmed it wasn't me).
Anywho, the icing on the cake was my Aunt Jeannie stopped going as well. After almost 30 years she felt the change as well. I looked up our church and saw they were apart of the "accept homosexuals as Pastors" crowd. That was 1 of the things that confirmed it was not me.
But my Aunt Jeannie leaving was the icing on the cake.
Here's our delima. Both of us are July babies. She is the 2nd, I am the 18th. We decided on 7/17 we would find a church to attend (we both want one to belong to and believe in), then go have brunch to discuss.
She is much more open minded than I am, but I promised her I would be open minded, if just for an hour, on that day.
I said to her, during our conversation "how do we know if the "Pastor" is a homo or not. She believes He is with us no matter where we are. I agree....to a point. I don't believe a homosexual can be one of His Shepard's leading His herd if that is so.
There have been so many "demoninations" coming out for homosexual "Shepard's" I have NO idea where to begin.
I have called a few churches and left messages for the Pastor to call back so I can interview Him (no lady Pastors for me).
Any advise to where we can look? Anyone know anything about Presbyterians?
The devil will do ANYTHING to keep us from PRAYER!
Has she ever just looked thru the windows?
does the Holy Spirit lead someone differently in the 21st century, than He did in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, etc. etc centuries??
i think not, God is not the author of confusion.
I’ve never looked too closely myself, but the ones I’ve seen don’t appear to have windows, not on the front at least.
Yes, but until that time, can't we try NOT to sin. I have tried and it seems impossible, heck it is impossible. There has got to be a way.
I know what He states will be the end all of the system of things, but there HAS to be a way to lesson the burden.
Yes indeed He can and does lead as He wills...same as He lead Abraham, Isaacc and Jacob differently....not to mention Noah and others of the household of faith. Even as we come to the place of trusting Christ...the way is different for each.
not according to Paul in Ephesians, there is “one faith” ( i should say not according to the Holy Spirit using Paul’s letter to the Ephesians saying there is “one faith” )
Saddleback Valley Community Church. Not your average Southern Baptist church!
I have been in them. They are very basic, no pictures, cross, no nothing, Just an organ upfront to sing hymns.
It seemed very basic to me. Mostly it was reading the Bible and singing hymns from the Bible.
The Bible was all you needed.
“the Bible is all you need”
The Holy Spirit is working on you already, find out where we got the Bible from, who set the canon and you will find the Church you seek.
The link that I sent you was about First Baptist Church, Union, Mo.
You are half-way there with that statement. I have traveled much and always trying to find a church where I am at. A good idea is to let people know you are looking for a church...as you have here on FR. Many will share their own and tell you about. You know enough of those who present a counterfeit Christianity to stay away from those. Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, and Scientology are definatly the wrong direction.
When invited by others I watch for God to confirm to me THIS is or not the place to be once I atend ..He has never disappointed me and in fact led very well.
Sometimes I opt to go to a churches Wed. evening bible classes for a first visit. They will recognize immediately a new face.... Less formal... and you usually will find people there who are serious about their faith. You can get a good feel about where they are at by listening to how they interact and respond to the questions and comments made while they do their study.
Then I might go to a Sunday service...and am very observant of how the Pastor preaches...."so goes the Pastor so goes the church". If he's not preaching using God's word, and you're not getting anything from the message given..you might try another church.
Sometimes it might take going to two or three different ones ...but you'll know...you really will.
I rather like Evangelical Free Churches...and Baptists Churches...also Christian Missionary Alliance's. All which have seemed spot on with the gospel and the Pastors preach God's word....
I would say the difference for me has been some Pastors are well equipped to "teach/preach" and they are always my favorite churches to attend. I want to learn so as has been said..."When the student is ready God provides the teacher".
I wish for you the very best and prayerfully you will soon find your "home" church. I am certain God will not disappoint you.
One more thing...in the past few years it has become increasingly more difficult to find a good church for the reasons you have mentioned. So asking the Pastor where the church stands on that issue would be a heads up for me...if any allow the homosexual community a place among them...it is not a place I would go.
That’s an indirect scare tactic Salvation. Shame....
If you are Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church.LOL!
Yes indeed Elsie...I attended a Wesyleyan church at a very tough time in my life...the Pastor was great and the congregation equally so. It was in a rural community as well.
One particular Sunday he preached a very powerful sermon. The whole congregation was affected. You knew the Lord was in that place without question. No, there was no handclapping or waving, there was just a stillness and alertness by us all. Amazing really....God moved the hearts and minds of His that day...and everyone knew it.
And it’s remarkable you mentioned the church right down the street. The very best church I went to ended up in my own back yard, so to speak...just two blocks away. Another more small community church. Awesome Pastor! Learned more in one year there than a lifetime to that date!
The pastor wanted a smalll church though he could have easily accepted a mega church Pastors position. He believed he needed to know the condition ‘of the flock’ and could not do so with a mega church. Remarkable teaching...Pastor’s drove 2 hours to hear him even..He was a Pastor’s Pastor as well.
Of course there’s one “faith” which is belief in Christ. But the way to Him is orchestrated by God and that varies from individual to individual...in the end it all is about accepting Christ and His forgiveness He brought us. But we do not all travel the same path to Him...he meets us on the road just as He did Paul...or he calls us as He did the Fisherman...or come down out of the tree for He’s coming to our house that day. He meets us where we are...and that varies to the individual and where he is at.
Google won’t help you; suggest you start with prayer, if you an’t figure it out for yourself, and ask God for help guiding you to another flock for worship fellowship.
JC
Oh that's baloney!..... Jesus never set those conditions on anyone who came to Him. He said follow ME!.. and I will make you fishers of men" Which means He will lead....and that's a promise. Jesus is faithful to lead those who seek a church to the destination He would have them....and it requires no understanding of any churches cannon, doctrine or lists of to-dos to sit among them.
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