Loyalty To Your Church vs. Loyalty to God

[melannewis]

Question. Does loyalty to God directly relate to loyalty to your church? The reason why I ask is because my church has a way of making you feel like your being disloyal to God if you don't attend their church every week. My family is mult-idenominational and does not attend only one church every week. We split our Sundays between two different churches. I do not feel like I am being disloyal at all to God, but many of the members of my church have started ignoring me and making me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable because I do this.

 

[looking4joy]

Question. Does loyalty to God directly relate to loyalty to your church? The reason why I ask is because my church has a way of making you feel like your being disloyal to God if you don't attend their church every week. My family is mult-idenominational and does not attend only one church every week. We split our Sundays between two different churches. I do not feel like I am being disloyal at all to God, but many of the members of my church have started ignoring me and making me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable because I do this.

If indeed the one church is trying to make you feel guilty this way, this is wrong. Church attendance isn't something God figures in when he says this or that person is loyal or not. Loyalty to God is doing the work Jesus Christ assigned us to do: believe in the only name given under heaven, Jesus Christ, for your salvation. Put your faith and trust in him for forgiveness and justification of your souls, and be sanctified by God's Holy Spirit.

But church attendance is something the Pharisees would have nit-picked on. It's not good to totally forsake the assembly of getting together in a church. But it's not as important as believing on Jesus Christ in general.

 

[melannewis]

Thank you. This is how I feel as well. We actually attend every week just not the same church every week. We divide our time between two different churches. One church is fine with it the other is not. We are a multi-denominational family with one spouse who was raised Penacostal/Assembly of God and the other which is Presbyterian. Since these two denominations have a very different approach and style to worship we felt it was best to split our time between both churches and give everyone a chance to experience what they enjoy about worshiping. Several people at my church however seem to take issue with it and say that both myself and my family need to be loyal to them. My son is a musician as well and performs many times there. This whole situation came to a head when they asked him to perform on Easter there and he had already committed to play at the other church. They made both him and myself feel really bad that he was playing somewhere else instead of there. Since that time it has gotten progressively worse and they have gone from a stance of asking to demanding and becoming very nasty when they are politely told no. I was starting to wonder if maybe I was missing something in my understanding of the scriptures and in my relationship with God. Nowhere have I seen that you must attend the same church every week (or time you worship) and I have never felt God place it upon my heart that what I was doing was wrong.

 

[1watchman]

I think it is good to explore around to the church groups one thinks are good and true to God; however, when one is ready to join and become a member to participate, they need to be loyal and accept the doctrines and practices there ---otherwise: why join?

 

[gypsygirl]

Question. Does loyalty to God directly relate to loyalty to your church? The reason why I ask is because my church has a way of making you feel like your being disloyal to God if you don't attend their church every week.

Let's face it - fallen humanity wants to dominate and control; this is the source of virtually all our troubles, and it began in Genesis 3 while being outlined throughout the Old Testament accounts and martyrdom of Christ and the apostles. If someone is secure and entirely confident in their beliefs and practices, why must they try manipulate another? Just do a character study in the gospel accounts of Christ's inquisition - His accusers (Jews) were threatened by His spiritual sway over the people, and the Romans hated His potential political threat.

In other words, if church leaders really understood themselves the keys to lead victorious spiritual lives in God while communicating to their "flock" the same tools , thus enabling the congregations to think for themselves (thus turn around and question the church authority), why on earth would they threatened by your absence?

Ask yourself, who would would you rather serve - Holy, perfect God or fallen humanity who has limited understanding and tainted perception?

 

[Tigger45]

Without the Bridegroom there is no Bride.

 

[Shane R]

It seems to me that your personal dilemma, a multi-denominational family, is something that your Presbyterian church is not prepared to address in a compassionate way. They need to do some growing, as this issue is becoming quite common with our cultural diversity and mobility. If they cannot present you with any compelling reason not to resolve the situation in the way you did, it may be time for you to search for another congregation. These situations are hard.

 

[iaworkshop]

Change the church.... But never change God.

 

[Colleen1]

I think this is an important issue to discuss even in a bigger sense. Thanks for bringing it up. I think it's so important to know the Bible well and to refer to that frequently when this issue comes up in my life. This issue is especially difficult if we've had unhealthy experiences with church in the past. We as humans err ...My point being that even the early church needed correction and whether or not we ourselves and our churches are 'on track' is something I think we continually need to question. I feel for you. I've experienced some of what you have described for various reasons and it's not right or fair.

 

[thesunisout]

Question. Does loyalty to God directly relate to loyalty to your church? The reason why I ask is because my church has a way of making you feel like your being disloyal to God if you don't attend their church every week. My family is mult-idenominational and does not attend only one church every week. We split our Sundays between two different churches. I do not feel like I am being disloyal at all to God, but many of the members of my church have started ignoring me and making me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable because I do this.

While I feel the way the church is treating you is wrong, I also feel that it is important that you commit yourself to one church. You can't effectively pray, fellowship, sit under teaching, and use your spiritual gifts at two congregations at the same time.

It all depends on what God wants. Has God led you to do this or was it your own decision? Ask God where He wants you and your family to go to church and how often and then do that.

 

[hopelovejoy1231]

Hey yall! I'm new here, but I really like this post, because I feel strongly about this topic.
My church is inter-denominational. We focus on a true relationship with God, rather than rules and "religion." The issue with some churches is they get so caught up with THEIR denomination and rules, that they feel that other denominations are wrong. Sadly, this is not the way it should be. Whether you are presbyterian, pentecostal, Church of Christ, etc., we are all Christians who love God and serve our Savior Jesus Christ. How we worship may be different, but it's more of a preference than a right/wrong. We attended a sweet Church of Christ for about a month, and although the people were so sweet and welcoming, and the harmony of their voices was wonderful, we were taking nothing from the pastor. We ended up back at our larger inter-denominational Church where the pastor preaches truth and real-life issues. He teaches how to fully love and serve God and not get caught up in legalism and rules. If a church is turning their noses up at you, bc you are not attending THEIR church every weekend, then maybe it's not the church for you. Your family should pray about it, talk to the pastors if they feel like it's necessary, and decide as a family what to do. You should not feel unwelcome when you are coming to a place to learn how to better serve and worship God. Best wishes

 

[melannewis]

Interesting thoughts all! Thank you for sharing. I have always had a very close personal relationship with God and pray/converse with him very openly and freely regardless of where I attend service. I have never let the fact that we are a two denomination household stop me from participating or helping at church or helping someone else. Although I find it very difficult and annoying that my church is being so stubborn as I do personally feel most comfortable with the Presbyterian beliefs. I do however enjoy the services and the fellowship at Assembly of God, even though I don't fully believe in all of their doctrines (mainly the speaking in tongues to be filled with the wholly spirit). As I would not expect my church to conform to meet all the needs of my family I would not expect them to demand the same of me. Maybe I do need to find a different Presbyterian church to attend when we go to those services. I enjoy my peaceful reflection time during those services and would hate to abandon it because I'm being pressured into doing something that I don't feel is right.

 

[Colleen1]

Interesting thoughts all! Thank you for sharing. I have always had a very close personal relationship with God and pray/converse with him very openly and freely regardless of where I attend service. I have never let the fact that we are a two denomination household stop me from participating or helping at church or helping someone else. Although I find it very difficult and annoying that my church is being so stubborn as I do personally feel most comfortable with the Presbyterian beliefs. I do however enjoy the services and the fellowship at Assembly of God, even though I don't fully believe in all of their doctrines (mainly the speaking in tongues to be filled with the wholly spirit). As I would not expect my church to conform to meet all the needs of my family I would not expect them to demand the same of me. Maybe I do need to find a different Presbyterian church to attend when we go to those services. I enjoy my peaceful reflection time during those services and would hate to abandon it because I'm being pressured into doing something that I don't feel is right.

I think I understand. Many times I feel like I fall in between denominations and feel like a lady 'without a land'. It can feel like it's hard to really feel at home in any one church.

 

[michaelG1949]

I have actually recommended to people that they do attend classes or studies, services, small gtoups etc. at other congregations and ours are open to people from other congregations and denominations. the more you get to know the people in GODS church the more you learn to love each other. all the churchs are supposed to belong to Him. we fear what we do not know. get to know other congregations.