Attending a non-Calvinist Church

[JM]

I've been attending non-Calvinist Churches since I was saved, any other Calvinist attending non-Calvinist Churches? I've been running into some trouble, spiritual trouble and wondered if we could talk?

SP

 

[ksen]

I've been attending non-Calvinist Churches since I was saved, any other Calvinist attending non-Calvinist Churches? I've been running into some trouble, spiritual trouble and wondered if we could talk?

SP

I attend an Independent Baptist Church that is not Calvinist.

I'll talk with you if it'll help.

 

[BBAS 64]

I attend an Independent Baptist Church that is not Calvinist.

I'll talk with you if it'll help.

Good day, All

Same here!

Bill

 

[Wilfred of Ivanhoe]

Once I became a Calvinist, I couldn't handle attending my old church anymore. It was as if God opened my eyes and I realised that the preacher's message each Sunday was a rehash of the previous week's message. In essence, the sermon never changed. It was an emotional pleading of the congregation to choose Jesus. All of those sleepy Christians getting nothing but milk and never any meat.

I became a very lukewarm church attender until I found a solid evangelical, Calvinistic church. I pray for my bretheren that must sit through this.

 

[JM]

Once I became a Calvinist, I couldn't handle attending my old church anymore. It was as if God opened my eyes and I realised that the preacher's message each Sunday was a rehash of the previous week's message. In essence, the sermon never changed. It was an emotional pleading of the congregation to choose Jesus. All of those sleepy Christians getting nothing but milk and never any meat.

I became a very lukewarm church attender until I found a solid evangelical, Calvinistic church. I pray for my bretheren that must sit through this.

This is how I'm feeling right now...it could be just me. The calvinist Churches in my area seem 'dead' and aren't interested in sharing the Gospel even on the emotional plea level. Most of them are what I call cultural Calvinists...born into the faith and have little zeal.



One calvinist brother in my Church has already started seeking other Churches...

 

[ksen]

This is how I'm feeling right now...it could be just me. The calvinist Churches in my area seem 'dead' and aren't interested in sharing the Gospel even on the emotional plea level. Most of them are what I call cultural Calvinists...born into the faith and have little zeal.



One calvinist brother in my Church has already started seeking other Churches...

The thing about my church is that they believe a mish-mash. They are not quite Calvinistic and they are not quite Arminian. I believe my Pastor holds a number of Calvinistic views but he won't admit to them but I do hear hints of it every now and then from the pulpit.

Street Preacher, don't despair, look at it as an opportunity to get involved. I teach the College and Career age Sunday School class and every now and then I get to drop in some Reformed tidbits. I'm careful to stay within the church's statement of faith, but I push it where I can.

My wife is still extremely antagonistic towards Calvinism, but that's a whole 'nuther thread.

 

[ClementofRome]

I've been attending non-Calvinist Churches since I was saved, any other Calvinist attending non-Calvinist Churches? I've been running into some trouble, spiritual trouble and wondered if we could talk?

SP

I am available to talk....I have a bit of a different situation as you can see by this thread that died early on:

http://www.christianforums.com/t713163

I am a Calvinist who is attending a United Methodist Church. The pastor did his seminary work at an ARP seminary and is quite reformed. I am enjoying this church experience. I teach the Adult SS class and I am always dropping reformed bombs in the class. One of the good things and at the same time one of the bad things is that the church membership is not biblically literate enough to know a Calvinist from an Arminian. Therefore, we study and learn together.

 

[Wilfred of Ivanhoe]

This is how I'm feeling right now...it could be just me. The calvinist Churches in my area seem 'dead' and aren't interested in sharing the Gospel even on the emotional plea level. Most of them are what I call cultural Calvinists...born into the faith and have little zeal.



One calvinist brother in my Church has already started seeking other Churches...

The sad thing is that the other tiny Calvinist churchs around me are dead. Really they are hyper-calvinist churchs. Nothing going on but filling your head with doctrine.

 

[cygnusx1]

The sad thing is that the other tiny Calvinist churchs around me are dead. Really they are hyper-calvinist churchs. Nothing going on but filling your head with doctrine.

That is one of the reasons I have given up going to any Church,it's just such a hassle trying to find one that is alive and not emotionally led.

How I wish I was alive when C H Spurgeon was here.

I feel that the Lord has his hand on my life and that He will eventually lead all like minded Christians into one fold........perhaps after the great apostacy.

 

[JM]

I am available to talk....I have a bit of a different situation as you can see by this thread that died early on:

http://www.christianforums.com/t713163

I am a Calvinist who is attending a United Methodist Church. The pastor did his seminary work at an ARP seminary and is quite reformed. I am enjoying this church experience. I teach the Adult SS class and I am always dropping reformed bombs in the class. One of the good things and at the same time one of the bad things is that the church membership is not biblically literate enough to know a Calvinist from an Arminian. Therefore, we study and learn together.

How do you deal with lack of Grace in preaching? Don't you find the UMC a little wordly?

 

[Ryft]

I've been attending non-Calvinist Churches since I was saved, any other Calvinist attending non-Calvinist Churches? I've been running into some trouble, spiritual trouble and wondered if we could talk?

SP

I am Reformed but attend a non-Reformed church. I'm pretty familiar with your very experience. I would love discuss any issue with you. Do not hesitate to contact me (either by PM or email; don't forget to mention CF so I know 'who' you are).

 

[ClementofRome]

How do you deal with lack of Grace in preaching? Don't you find the UMC a little wordly?

I suspect that each UMC church is different in this respect and of course it would depend on the pastor. At the local level, we get grace preached to us regularly...like I mentioned, the pastor is quite reformed. The grace of God is always a regular part of his preaching. As for the worldliness of the church....at the local level (this church in particular), there is little worldliness....at the national level, problems do exist. That is why, as I noted in the thread that I started earlier, that I struggle with membership....not because of the local church, but because of the national church.

 

[frumanchu]

I've been attending non-Calvinist Churches since I was saved, any other Calvinist attending non-Calvinist Churches? I've been running into some trouble, spiritual trouble and wondered if we could talk?

SP

I've yet to actually attend a Reformed/Calvinist church. Right now I live in a very small town where my only choices within 20 miles are Roman Catholic, Unitarian Universalist, and Disciples of Christ. Obviously, I go to the Disciples church, but recent events have led to my decision to leave that church and find a new one. It was not a decision I took lightly as my wife's family has gone to that church for almost 20 years.

Ultimately, the reason I decided to leave was that the pastor is more interested in pop psychology and social gospel than in expository preaching or Word-based preaching. He was instrumental in a decision to open our pulpit to the minister from the Unitarian Universalist church across the street in his absence, and became very irate and hostile when I went before the church board and brought to their attention that this was not at all appropriate.

I will dearly miss my church family there, but my responsibilities as the spiritual head of my household and my conviction that the primary purpose of the communion of the saints is to worship in spirit and truth have compelled me to leave. We are currently in the process of moving to a different city, so we will be presented with more choice as to where we go.

If you need any advice about a particular situation, I too extend the invitation to contact me privately.