I tend to have a thought when I hear this word “Run!!!!”
Isn't that awful?
I think it may be because of the some of the experiences I have had though. I really have a hard time going to church still. I always loved church. I loved going to church, going to sunday school, and listening to the preacher. I would get so dismayed when he preached things I could not understand and would sit in the chair and just wish he would just stay simple, for our sakes.
My sunday school teacher at that time taught me tons about the bible. He would go through the stories of the OT and would bring them alive. I saw Joseph as a real live person, not just a story.
Later in life when my parents quit going to church I would cry at night wishing to go. I would long to go, but didn't want to offend my dad by asking. When they allowed me to, I was so happy!
Now, it was not that my parents were not Christians, they just did not like the organized church and disagreed with things they believed, but not really what was being taught. We just stayed at home and sometimes sat down and sang, read bible, prayed and read through biographies and journals of preachers.
We read through John Wesley's journals and George Whitefield. Charles Finney was hard to handle, worse than the sermons! We discussed biographies of people like Dmitru Dudeman and others.
I have come to realize later we learned tons through these sessions even though they were not “church”.
Later when we belonged to a church group that evolved from our home group, I began to get burnt out because there were so many rules it stifled the true meaning of Christianity. Instead it was based on what how “non church like we could be” and other things like that.
I have to remember the good things about being in a house church setting and not forget there is good in everything!
you will post more about this. I hope by speaking out about it you will be healed.
Sometimes church is not at all what it is supposed to be but more of what man would have it be. I will be praying for you. God bless you richly and sweetly~~deb
I heard a quote from someone recently that went something like this. “Most house churches are filled with people who’ve been hurt by the church. Hurt people, hurt people.” We went through a season where we not only participated in a house church but had one of our own. And even though we had some great fellowship and cemented some lifelong relationships, the hidden attitude was pride. It was all about how wrong organized church was and how right we were doing it. I look back now with fond memories of that season, but I also see that we were hurt and so was everyone else that had participated. It was very unhealthy and we are happy to have passed through that period of hurt and disillusionment and have found a church that we are excited to be a part of. Keep looking. You’ll never find an organized church that will fill all of your needs because it’s run by imperfect people. But, if looking with the eyes and heart of grace you will find a church that although imperfect can benefit your family.
Gayle
I have healed alot! I know that even being able to admit that I sometimes have a hard time going to church is good. The church we belonged to went from having alot of right things to having more wrong than right things. I question myself all the time “why?” My dad never attends church, my mom will on occasion, and my younger brothers and sisters do not know the teaching like the older ones do.
I now look to see what can I take good out of the church service, not look for what I can find wrong about it or what I disgree with! It really helps as I do not believe I will ever find someone I can wholeheartly agree with the entire church, but here and there I find encouragement.