Should I pack up and go?

Sketcher

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I am just disillusioned with everything. So many man made restrictions like forcing future pastors and missionaries to first marry. Got to be saved a long time too. Just disillusioning.
Paul directly taught against making recent converts church leaders (1 Tim 3:1-7).

As for marrying before going into long-term missions, that's not a Biblical rule. I can see the wisdom in it, though. That way you're not seen as trying to find yourself a wife from the people you're supposed to be ministering to, and having that hold back your ministry.
 
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Jude1:3Contendforthefaith

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?


Maybe you should be an Orthodox or Catholic Monk or go to a Christian College / Seminary. I think about it all the time.
 
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Monk Brendan

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?
Yes, you are being led not only into foolishness, but by pride.
You say you want to be more "sold out" than what you see in the faithful around you, but I doubt that God allows you to see into other people's hearts at this point in your spiritual life.

What you are describing at the end of your letter is basically life in a monastery, but it's a shame that most Protestant denominations have none, and some condemn the idea.
 
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jamesbond007

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?

Are you bored already? I'm not sure what you mean by focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. Sure, he focuses on us 100% of the time because we are all affected by gravity 24/7. If you want to leave your current situation, then it sounds like boredom but not of Jesus and the churches you've been to. What it sounds like you're looking for is a change from your current situation. Young people crave change and that's not necessarily bad. What it means is that you gain something new, but also lose something. Sometimes, we end up making major changes. Thus, that's something to consider before embarking on your new journey. I would pray to help with the decision to move and whether it is right for me now. I think you'll find the answer within yourself, but don't use it to leave the church. That's just displacing your boredom and coping with it with something else.
 
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Monk Brendan

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?
I think I should remind you that a frequent trap the devil lays for spiritual novices is to get their eyes fixed on their eyes fixed on the perceived faults of others, especially imagined faults, but to blind these same novices to their own.

You might what to read what CS Lewis says about this in THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS.
 
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sea5763

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I think that worldrace thing mentioned by someone else earlier is a great idea. It's great that you want to give everything to follow Christ. That's a good thing. However, you might want to consider getting a job too so that you don't end up living on the charity of others. You don't have to buy a lot of things. you could just live in your car and work enough to pay for your food and gas, and maybe gym membership so that you can get a shower every now and again, and then go do your thing of spreading the gospel. Even Paul was a tent maker so as not to be a burden to others. Acts 18:1-4.

1 Thessalonian 4:9-12
9Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
 
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Unofficial Reverand Alex

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As I've mentioned before, you're never going to find this kind of perfection, people going in 100% to serve God. The closest you'll find is in the strictest communities of monks & nuns, but even those groups are still populated with imperfect humans, not caricatures of holiness.

You seem to have quite a bit of certainty about your stance, and this makes things tricky; while solid, unbreakable faith has its place, opinions about everyone around you is not it.

Search for your own faults; you complain about materialism, but if you drive an expensive car, or pay a few hundred dollars to remodel your house or pay for unlimited data, then you're only fooling yourself. Be honest with God, be patient with others, and be quiet; try to just listen.

God be with you, brother.
 
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Kenny'sID

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But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?

You clearly know no one would listen so, nope, not foolish at all.

What you are describing didn't used to be so prevalent, and it will get worse as people continue to meld Christianity with the world, something that in reality cannot be done. This is the age of have our cake and eat it too false doctrine.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
 
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BibleloverBill

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Romans 8:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not according to the flesh but according to The Spirit.
2 But the Law of The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh;
4 so that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us,
who walk not according to the flesh but according to The Spirit.
5 For they who are according to the flesh mind the things of flesh,
but they who are according to The Spirit the things of The Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace
7 because the carnal mind is enmity against God,
for it is not subject to the Law of God,
neither indeed can it be.
8 So then they who are in the flesh
cannot please God.

26 Likewise The Spirit also helps our infirmities.
For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought,
but The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And He searching the hearts knows what is the mind of The Spirit,
because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 For whom He foreknew,
He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son,
for Him to be the First-born among many brothers.
30 But whom He predestinated, these He also called;
and whom He called, those He also justified.
And whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Galatians 5
16 This I say then, walk in The Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against The Spirit, and The Spirit against the flesh:
and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would.
18 But if you be led of The Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,
seditions, heresies,
21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,
and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of The Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 meekness, temperance;
against such there is no law.
24 And they who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in The Spirit, let us also walk in The Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory,
provoking one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6
1 Brothers (and sisters),
if a man be overtaken in a fault,
you who are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness,
considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear you one another's burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work,
and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
6 Let him (or her) who is taught in the word communicate to him who teaches in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man (or woman) sows that shall he (or she) also reap.
8 For he (or she) who sows to his (or her) flesh
shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he (or she) who sows to The Spirit
shall of The Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to all,
especially to them who are of the household of faith.
 
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Chris V++

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?

Have you read the Bible yet? If not then just study for now. You don't have to run off and become a monk to do that. If you want to serve you can serve right where you are at. You can work full time and be a witness to people you work with, just by respecting your employer's time and performing like you are working for the Lord and behaving like a Christian.
 
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NeedyFollower

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?
Jesus left all He had with the Father and become a man because His Father asked Him to go love a fallen creation . Abraham left all that was familiar and comfortable to go to the promised land ( which he had no idea what it looked like ) Churches quickly become comfortable and familiar and are typically run by those who also are familiar with a "traditional" church ...change makes people uncomfortable ...the cross is uncomfortable ...we walk by faith and not by sight . I don't suppose God needs a building nor stained glass , nor pews , nor anything inanimate ..I can not imagine God even caring about these things as they will soon be burned up . Now people ...souls ..I can believe God cares very much for them ...enough to give His only Son ..What great love our Father has . I feel bad for pastors that have to conform to the expectations of the congregations . Truth was carried to the brow of a hill and almost stoned after his first sermon . ( And by the way , Jesus never preached from a pulpit . ) Love is ministered bottom up ..from the feet . But it is comfortable to go hear a sermon week after week and of course familiar . Jesus told the church to repent in revelation and I do believe that the current model is not even scriptural ..( Let the prophets speak two and three and let the others judge . Ask the Lord Jesus to guide you ...do all in humility and meekness ...beware of cults ..and beware of the temptation of starting anything ...go try to be nothing so that Jesus is everything . Give yourself to much prayer and ask the Lord Jesus to help you to gather with other believers even if it be one other for prayer . May God's grace through Jesus lead you brother. Peace ( Do truth ..in love . )
 
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Thir7ySev3n

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?

I believe we all have our calling and there are many members of the same body. I am not trying to be judgmental but this is more of a revelation of the following: the height that Christ is lifted up in me is contingent upon the extent in which the old man plunges to his destruction (in this life). If I fall to the ground and die completely, then Christ is raised completely in me. And if Christ be lifted up, He draws all men to Himself. So my fruitfulness is directly correlated with Jesus being raised in me...but I have to be completely crucified to ALL THINGS but Christ! What better thing can there be in a world that's here for only a second?

I guess my calling is to one day be a missionary.

But my church requires both future pastors and missionaries to be couples! So I MUST get married one day if I remain in my church and want to one day "go". Marriage is a sacrifice in itself but clearly the inferior one. Marriage is temporal and a vanity. I need the mobility and less accountability to any one but God. For the sake of souls and the next world.

Things are confusing.

I agree with Aiki on this because this was my experience immediately after giving my life to Christ, and I too can testify that I later discovered it to be a massive problem of pride. It probably won't appear so when you introspect yourself, since you are immature enough in the faith to not understand proper Christian character and attitude in a matured, deeper manner. You also haven't had nearly as much time to fail Christ as many of us have, and so have your weaknesses exposed and further grown in humility, dependence and compassion (think of Peter's confidence before denying Jesus 3 times, Luke 22:33-34).

My story on this level is almost identical to yours. I was 14 when I gave my life to Christ, and only a couple months later I was talking to the assistant Pastor about sending me off to another country to be a missionary. I envisioned it to be so glorious. Despite all the warnings of dangers and obstacles, or my ignorance and need to mature, I just wanted to run off with Christ with a Bible in my hand, a prayer in my heart and the dedication to preach til martyrdom in some distant hostile land. Of course now I understand this was actually an emotional spur to a genuine but immature new spiritual reality, and that pride ruled my heart in my examination of my brothers in Christ. It also occurred to me that my logic behind the goal was nonsensical, because my whole family was lost and many in the churches here are lost, and many who walk the streets are lost. But when, in child-like manner, you want to prove yourself all you see is the "glorious" display of your work. It's simply not as glorious to minister in your own house or the church across the street as it is to travel about like a nomadic warrior of Christ when you've just learned to walk for weeks.

I am just disillusioned with everything. So many man made restrictions like forcing future pastors and missionaries to first marry. Got to be saved a long time too. Just disillusioning.

This is the verse your advisers probably had in mind when they told you you should be saved for a while before endeavouring into ministry of this sort: "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil (1 Timothy 3:6)." While this was to overseers, the principle applies because the danger is the same. Certainly it is not only overseers who suffer from pride, and it is not only overseer's ministry and selves that will suffer from the rousing of it.

This is why virtue and zeal has to be tempered with knowledge: "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8)."
 
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Daniel Martinovich

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time. I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?
For one thing the early church didn’t live commune style. The reason the Holy Spirit led them to sell everything was because of the coming war in Judea. It was a special circumstance that we do not have now.
 
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Billy Evmur

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I did that

When I was saved 41 years ago, packed me duds and took off and for all those reasons, fell flat on my face...I ended up in the Salvation Army, when I was humbled I found tham Sallies were VERY interested in the Holy Ghost, we got praying together and God started saving folks...bad folks.

The key to my success was not walking off in a proud huff but in discovering that God's children are everywhere, just waiting for an opportunity to serve.

You'll get hurt if you don't humble yourself.
 
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rockytopva

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I went to a revival at an Assemblies of God back in the 1990s. While there I overheard two woman talking that the Spirit was saying that in the last days the people were going to have to, "Cut their own paths."

I believe it was meant for my ears to hear that prophecy. In this day and time if you follow a man or a church you may end up like Jim Jones and his "Peoples Temple" congregation!
 
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Sam81

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Another thing, my church believes in conditional election (Arminianism) whereas I am beginning to become convinced in the opposite (Calvanism). I cannot get around the words of Jesus - "Not my will, but your will be done." - as the very essence of Christian life. The words go deeper than mere concession. They are a proclamation of fact. A proclamation found only in the CHOSEN.
 
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timewerx

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I have only been saved a couple of months but already I have become disillusioned with certain elements of every church! People want material things and no one wants to be 100% focusing on Jesus 100% of the time.

You are correct to observe this.

I feel led to just buy a bus ticket to a certain city, a few clothes, only a few hundred bucks, and just go. Am I being led into foolishness? I wanna be far more sold out tham anything I see from anyone. I have a vision of commune style, Acts based, the world is pointless, live and preach Jesus constantly 24\7 type of Christianity. But who would dare join me - no one would listen! Am I being foolish?

No you're not foolish, your heart is in the right place and that's good.

However, it's not that simple. The most important part of being a Christian is probably the learning and the seeking of Truth, rather than teaching.

Jesus spent far more time learning and gaining knowledge before He went preaching.

And not all of the Christians in Acts are poor. Some of them provided considerable financial support to the early Christian movement which means they still made money through work or business.

Although it's good to point out, the Acts Christians who had and made money, gave away a considerable portion to the cause. Something that only very few Christians do today.

So it is worth mentioning that compared to Acts Christians, Christians of today are indeed far more worldly, and more precisely, they love the things of this world and money. Something St. John cautioned against with very serious consequences (1 John 2:15-17)
 
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Serving Zion

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Another thing, my church believes in conditional election (Arminianism) whereas I am beginning to become convinced in the opposite (Calvanism). I cannot get around the words of Jesus - "Not my will, but your will be done." - as the very essence of Christian life. The words go deeper than mere concession. They are a proclamation of fact. A proclamation found only in the CHOSEN.
We are all God's workmanship. Some are created as vessels for honour, but not all are.

If you possess something of value to Him, it is a talent entrusted to you, and I know the constant wrestle against those in authority roles who have their own ideas about how we should use them. But at the end of the day, it is Christ whom we must answer to for the deeds we have done (2 Corinthians 5:10, James 4:4).

"You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men". 1 Corinthians 7:23

This is a booklet that I made prayerfully with the talents God gave me, that I share with people for a bit of encouragement and guidance:

Adonai Reigns : The Gospel : God did not send his son to condemn the world!
 
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royal priest

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I feel led to just buy a bus ticket...
Christ is the head of the church and we are His body. What sort of member would we be if we were to detach ourselves from it?
Colossians 3:12-16,
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
 
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