New Christians need some help

MrsS said:

Hi Guys

Me and my hubby are new Christians, we attended a church today in our area and said the prayer with the pastor to accept Christianity (we are ex muslim converts )

We are so confused by all the different churches around. This one we visited today were so so friendly but had some ideas that kind of made it hard for us to commit to going back.

We just want to go and simply follow the bible. Would that make us non denom? if so what type of church would we be looking at going to?

I think our town has protestant, episcopal ,catholic and a Baptist church who seem also not up our street.

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Hi MrsS! That's wonderful to hear that both you and your husband are now fellow Christians. I couldn't be happier for you. But, as far as any church is concerned, I'd suggest you just pick one that is essentially Trinitarian AND, at the same time, is one that you find comfortable. What kind of social "feel" are you looking for? Traditional, or Friendly, or Preachy on the Truth, or Spiritually Expressive and Exuberant?

MrsS said:

Hi Guys

Me and my hubby are new Christians, we attended a church today in our area and said the prayer with the pastor to accept Christianity (we are ex muslim converts )

We are so confused by all the different churches around. This one we visited today were so so friendly but had some ideas that kind of made it hard for us to commit to going back.

We just want to go and simply follow the bible. Would that make us non denom? if so what type of church would we be looking at going to?

I think our town has protestant, episcopal ,catholic and a Baptist church who seem also not up our street.

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The simple answer is not so simple in today's churches. Unfortunately, not a few churches have strayed from the Word so it would be difficult to give you general advice as even individual churches within denominations differ from their own denominational stances. There are nondenominational churches too but unfortunately that does not ensure that the pastor in charge is teaching correct doctrine. My "simple" advice is to compare what is preached/taught with your own study of God's Word. Don't assume that what you are taught is true unless you first search and study the scriptures for yourself. This does require a lot of time and effort on your part but it is well worth it. In the long run, you will know what you believe and why you believe it. In my own studies, I have found that what I was taught in some instances is not scripturally correct, despite me having graduated from seminary. Feel free to IM me if you wish. I certainly don't claim to have all the answers and for the ones that I think I do, you must scrutinize those as well.

MrsS said:

Hi Guys

Me and my hubby are new Christians, we attended a church today in our area and said the prayer with the pastor to accept Christianity (we are ex muslim converts )

We are so confused by all the different churches around. This one we visited today were so so friendly but had some ideas that kind of made it hard for us to commit to going back.

We just want to go and simply follow the bible. Would that make us non denom? if so what type of church would we be looking at going to?

I think our town has protestant, episcopal ,catholic and a Baptist church who seem also not up our street.

Click to expand...

This appeared in our church bulletin today:

"
"Which came first, the Church or the New Testament?" the answer, both biblically and historically,
is crystal clear. Someone might protest, "Does it really make any difference which
came first? After all, the Bible contains everything that we need for salvation." The Bible is
adequate for salvation in the sense that it contains the foundational material needed to establish
us on the correct path. On the other hand, it is wrong to consider the Bible as being
self-sufficient and self-interpreting. The Bible is meant to be read and understood by the
illumination of God's Holy Spirit within the life of the Church."

MrsS said:

Hi Guys

Me and my hubby are new Christians, we attended a church today in our area and said the prayer with the pastor to accept Christianity (we are ex muslim converts )

We are so confused by all the different churches around. This one we visited today were so so friendly but had some ideas that kind of made it hard for us to commit to going back.

We just want to go and simply follow the bible. Would that make us non denom? if so what type of church would we be looking at going to?

I think our town has protestant, episcopal ,catholic and a Baptist church who seem also not up our street.

Click to expand...

Hi MrsS and welcome to CF! Welcome to God's family. I'm happy to call you and your husband my new sister and brother, in the faith.

Here are a couple links to articles that I hope will be helpful to you'll, in your search for a Bible believing/preaching church:

4 Signs You've Found a Bible-Believing Church
What should I be looking for in a church?

I attend a Jesus first, Bible believing/preaching church and you can watch the sermons online, here~~~> FBC Pasadena | Teachings | Messages | Sermons

God bless!

I would advise looking into Protestant or possibly Presbyterian (maybe). I say maybe because it probably doesn't always depend on denomination. In short, this is what I'd say: Look for the church that teaches what the Bible says, without adding to or taking from it. The church should believe the Bible is God's word, that it is accurate, that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was fully God and fully man, and that the only way a person can be saved is through putting their faith in Jesus.

God bless! And welcome to the family.

MrsS said:

Hi Guys

Me and my hubby are new Christians, we attended a church today in our area and said the prayer with the pastor to accept Christianity (we are ex muslim converts )

We are so confused by all the different churches around. This one we visited today were so so friendly but had some ideas that kind of made it hard for us to commit to going back.

We just want to go and simply follow the bible. Would that make us non denom? if so what type of church would we be looking at going to?

I think our town has protestant, episcopal ,catholic and a Baptist church who seem also not up our street.

Click to expand...

Well hello there fellow ex-Muslim converts! I am an ex muslim convert too! Welcome to the family!

As for what church to join, I can relate to this feeling of confusion when it comes to finding a church to join. I was in that same place too when I first encountered Christianity. There were SO MANY denominations to join that I got dizzy just thinking about what kind of church I ought to attend. At first, I looked for progressive churches because I wanted Christianity to fit my own beliefs. It was kind of fun looking around at other churches... yet it felt like something was missing. Something big. It took a couple of years of bouncing around, but eventually, I ended up finding the perfect church, that being the Catholic Church.

At first, I thought I would never be Catholic. After all, Catholics prayed to Mary and saints (or so I thought) and didn't believe in birth control or same-sex marriage! But then I felt divinely inspired to look closer into what Catholicism taught, and my views changed radically. First, I learned that Catholics don't pray to Mary or the saints. Actually, they just pray for the intercession of Mary and the saints (It's basically like asking your friends to pray for you). As for birth control, there are medical and moral reasons why the Church does not approve of it, and it wasn't until I did more research into the matter that I finally began to understand. And then there was my view on same-sex marriages. When I finally examined and challenged my beliefs on this matter as well, it all began to make sense to me too. It was because of the morally and logically sound reasonings of the Catholic Church that I decided to start going down the path of converting to Catholicism.

Here's what I want you to take away from what my story is saying, though: Whatever church you decide to go to, always be sure to be looking for the truth. Don't try to search for a church that will accept just any beliefs, like I did. It's just not worth it, in my opinion.

My second piece of advice would also be to try and look at the beginning of Christianity. What were the first Christians like and what church did Jesus Christ himself establish? If you start at the beginning, the truth is sure to follow.

Peace be with you and your husband!

Sincerely,
SFG

MrsS said:

Thanks everyone. Well I think we want traditional but friendly too . We certainly had a good time today but they could be evangelical it doesnt say and we didnt think to ask them. They seem to have something in common with Pentecostal beliefs.

May I ask what you feel about people healing people? Through the holy spirit?

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While I'm not at all opposed to praying for the healing of another person who experiences some malady, I'm not a proponent of churches that make big claims over their specific healing services. But, whether you think you should be there is up to you and how you think God either is or isn't working in [whichever] church you end up in. I won't be the one to tell you "don't go there!"

MrsS said:

Hi Guys

Me and my hubby are new Christians, we attended a church today in our area and said the prayer with the pastor to accept Christianity (we are ex muslim converts )

We are so confused by all the different churches around. This one we visited today were so so friendly but had some ideas that kind of made it hard for us to commit to going back.

We just want to go and simply follow the bible. Would that make us non denom? if so what type of church would we be looking at going to?

I think our town has protestant, episcopal ,catholic and a Baptist church who seem also not up our street.

Click to expand...

God bless you both!

You have people here from every denomination! Therefore, you will get different answers. I would suggest trying a non-denominational one although I never have. However, I don't know what churches are like in the U. K.

Another thought I have is to talk to:
drstevej and Hazelelponi

I believe that God heals people when we pray but “ ‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

My sister passed away from cancer; she wasn't a Christian. Yet one of my daughters at age five was very, very sick. When she and I were alone in the hospital room, I prayed for her and God healed her the next day. I think healing is always God's choice.

God bless!

I'm having trouble editing my post above, but I haven't given up.

MrsS said:

Hi Guys

Me and my hubby are new Christians, we attended a church today in our area and said the prayer with the pastor to accept Christianity (we are ex muslim converts )

We are so confused by all the different churches around. This one we visited today were so so friendly but had some ideas that kind of made it hard for us to commit to going back.

We just want to go and simply follow the bible. Would that make us non denom? if so what type of church would we be looking at going to?

I think our town has protestant, episcopal ,catholic and a Baptist church who seem also not up our street.

Click to expand...

Any individual church can have a pastor that truly follows Christ, or not, and the denomination of church will not guarantee that. Even though large denominations like Lutheran are more likely to be sound, even being old and large is not a guarantee about an individual church.

So how do you know?

Answer: the way Jesus our Savior and Teacher said!

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."

This means you should be welcomed and also should see the people in the church being loving towards one another generally.

If they are not, then they are not following Him, by His own Word.

And denomination type will not fix that -- won't help at all -- but instead repentance and conversion and revival might help. But for you -- you need a church where the people are already following Him, to begin with.

So, look for that. Pay attention, and find out if they are following Christ, as evidence by their clear love (or lack)!

Also, it's easy to listen to Christ's own words to learn what He said is the way we should be and act and do.
Here:
Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him,

A good church will be teaching things He said, every week, in one way or another, including from any book in the New Testament, but with emphasis on Christ and His teaching to us.

MrsS said:

Hello

Wow thanks for all the advice everyone.

I also believe there is nothing wrong with prayers to God for healing but it's just the big claims of the holy spirit moving from healer to person kind of deal feels weird to me. Laying on of hands and then the people are
Passing out etc ...

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I don't believe that stuff.

MrsS said:

Anyway. I had thought about Catholicism but there were too many things that we are not comfortable with ( the saints,the confession, the Pope, the Jesus on the cross hanging there and the statues of Mary etc ) but thank you for your advice

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I studied it some with a priest, but I wasn't comfortable either.

MrsS said:

It's a hard thing but perhaps church of Scotland is a safe bet ? Anyone know ?

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I don't know.