• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

considering leaving my denomination

G

Godislove94

Guest
Hello. Since I've been a believer, I've struggled a lot with anxiety, mental health issues, and have been more miserable than joyful in my Christian walk. I've also been involved in primarily Pentecostal churches and am wondering if this doesn't have something to do with it. Church feels intimidating, I'm afraid of God and always think he'll be angry at me if I make even one wrong move, and I also have a very warped sense of Christianity. I started going through membership classes at another Pentecostal church and following my latest issues with anxiety have decided to take a break and try to get counseling at a nondenominational church in my area. Now that I really step back and look at things, I realize that not everything that appears to be coming from God is actually Him and there is something about it that rubs me the wrong way. What do you think?
 

katerinah1947

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jan 13, 2015
4,690
805
✟81,130.00
Gender
Female
Faith
Catholic
Even just by posting this it's made me scared to death that God is going to be furious at me for looking outside of my church for help.....this church isn't legalistic, but this is the way I've come to see God.

Hi,
Uh, no way. He absolutely will not be furious, rather He loves and LOVES you for questioning.
LOVE,
...Katie., .... .
 
Upvote 0

MWood

Newbie
Jan 7, 2013
3,894
7,990
✟137,571.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Republican
Hello. Since I've been a believer, I've struggled a lot with anxiety, mental health issues, and have been more miserable than joyful in my Christian walk. I've also been involved in primarily Pentecostal churches and am wondering if this doesn't have something to do with it. Church feels intimidating, I'm afraid of God and always think he'll be angry at me if I make even one wrong move, and I also have a very warped sense of Christianity. I started going through membership classes at another Pentecostal church and following my latest issues with anxiety have decided to take a break and try to get counseling at a nondenominational church in my area. Now that I really step back and look at things, I realize that not everything that appears to be coming from God is actually Him and there is something about it that rubs me the wrong way. What do you think?

Your relationship with God has nothing at all to do with a denomination or their teachings of their perception and understanding of scripture. You yourself are responsible for your knowledge and understanding of the truth of Gods Word. You do your own reading and studying. Let the scripture speak for itself. The Holy Spirit will open your understanding. And due time you will realize that a lot of the things that you were taught in that school is not the truth of the scripture. I encourage you to simply study your bible yourself. Let the Spirit teach you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: katerinah1947
Upvote 0

jmount78

Newbie
Dec 30, 2014
21
8
✟22,777.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
It's frightening because it seems like God put me there, so I'm scared of leaving because of that, but then I wonder "I know we're supposed to deny ourselves, but why would God put me in a place where I'm this miserable and mentally disordered?". I wonder if I haven't been deceived all along.

It could be to have you weather the storm, so you can decide and compare other houses of worshiop what environment blesses you the mos and what has the best fellowship for accountability partners. If you hear the knocking on your heart for change, don't ignore it. Get into the Scripture and make the tough choices yourself. Sounds like you already have a few theories.
 
Upvote 0

katerinah1947

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jan 13, 2015
4,690
805
✟81,130.00
Gender
Female
Faith
Catholic
Hello. Since I've been a believer, I've struggled a lot with anxiety, mental health issues, and have been more miserable than joyful in my Christian walk. I've also been involved in primarily Pentecostal churches and am wondering if this doesn't have something to do with it. Church feels intimidating, I'm afraid of God and always think he'll be angry at me if I make even one wrong move, and I also have a very warped sense of Christianity. I started going through membership classes at another Pentecostal church and following my latest issues with anxiety have decided to take a break and try to get counseling at a nondenominational church in my area. Now that I really step back and look at things, I realize that not everything that appears to be coming from God is actually Him and there is something about it that rubs me the wrong way. What do you think?

Hi,
I am taking a fresh look at this. Now that you have responded, I am thinking more and more.
One possibility I see here is that you are being taught some things that are not God, nor of God, because you have implied that prior to this you have had no anxiety issues.
Assuming that is still true, wow, boy/girl you have much to do as you are actually much, and your type is mentioned in the beginning of ACTS.
I have no clues nor experiences if your issues are not purely spiritual. If they are though, your counseling and seeking out other churches within your denomination should help. You are allowed to shift denominations, and God will never be upset with you for looking around, in fact under His command really to Test all things, you are pretty much going to make Him happy by questioning. Even Questioning your denomination.
If you need and want more. Please stay. There are many helps and forums here with only one goal with God and you. It is to do for you what God would have them do for you. If they can.
LOVE and love,
...Katie., .... .
 
Upvote 0

dayhiker

Mature veteran
Sep 13, 2006
15,561
5,306
MA
✟232,140.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
US-Others
I really think it would be great for you to tune into the two commands of God and think about them: to love God and to love people. If you see God is love and He sent Jesus because He loves you then I think you can start to put that fear aside and enjoy your relationship with Jesus. Remember 1 Cor.13 says everything else is nothing if we don't have love. So major in love.
 
Upvote 0

pescador

Wise old man
Site Supporter
Nov 29, 2011
8,530
4,780
✟498,964.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat
Hello. Since I've been a believer, I've struggled a lot with anxiety, mental health issues, and have been more miserable than joyful in my Christian walk. I've also been involved in primarily Pentecostal churches and am wondering if this doesn't have something to do with it. Church feels intimidating, I'm afraid of God and always think he'll be angry at me if I make even one wrong move, and I also have a very warped sense of Christianity. I started going through membership classes at another Pentecostal church and following my latest issues with anxiety have decided to take a break and try to get counseling at a nondenominational church in my area. Now that I really step back and look at things, I realize that not everything that appears to be coming from God is actually Him and there is something about it that rubs me the wrong way. What do you think?

Why are you afraid of God? Because he loves you? Because he adopted you into his family? Because in Christ he no longer sees your sins? God is your spiritual father who unconditionally loves you and wants you to relate to him as Abba.

Any church or individual who is telling you otherwise is in conflict with Scripture. End of story!
 
Upvote 0

MWood

Newbie
Jan 7, 2013
3,894
7,990
✟137,571.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Republican
Why are you afraid of God? Because he loves you? Because he adopted you into his family? Because in Christ he no longer sees your sins? God is your spiritual father who unconditionally loves you and wants you to relate to him as Abba.

Any church or individual who is telling you otherwise is in conflict with Scripture. End of story!

AMEN
 
Upvote 0
G

Godislove94

Guest
Thank you all. The current church is in the Assemblies of God denomination.....the people are good, but the whole thing with prophecy, tongues, healings....very into Brownsville Revival, Kathryn Kuhlman, slain in the spirit, gifts, falling before the altar......we had a revival service not too long ago that was very unsettling for me. Plus, the whole "God has to dictate every move you make" mindset that I've developed from it has got me tied up in knots.
 
Upvote 0

MWood

Newbie
Jan 7, 2013
3,894
7,990
✟137,571.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Republican
Thank you all. The current church is in the Assemblies of God denomination.....the people are good, but the whole thing with prophecy, tongues, healings....very into Brownsville Revival, Kathryn Kuhlman, slain in the spirit, gifts, falling before the altar......we had a revival service not too long ago that was very unsettling for me. Plus, the whole "God has to dictate every move you make" mindset that I've developed from it has got me tied up in knots.

Get away from that. It is the Holy Spirit urging you to move away from there. Find another church. The Baptist don't have a lot of mans traditions tied up in their services. Try them.

But most of all read and study your Bible yourself. Know for yourself what the Word of God says. More especially the Letters of Paul.
 
Upvote 0

katerinah1947

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Jan 13, 2015
4,690
805
✟81,130.00
Gender
Female
Faith
Catholic
Thank you all. The current church is in the Assemblies of God denomination.....the people are good, but the whole thing with prophecy, tongues, healings....very into Brownsville Revival, Kathryn Kuhlman, slain in the spirit, gifts, falling before the altar......we had a revival service not too long ago that was very unsettling for me. Plus, the whole "God has to dictate every move you make" mindset that I've developed from it has got me tied up in knots.

Hi,
Please go slow and test. Although to be here they forced me to put up my Religion as Catholic and it is. I am very Catholic, what I am about to say about my form of Catholicism even has the Catholic hierarchy wondering not about me and God, but maybe about them and some of their sayings.
Technically no one goes to God. God actually calls. My call was totally Biblical. So when I see people say read the Bible, it is hard not to cheer, because yes that is incredibly important.
I am Catholic only because of something that is said in the Bible. Do not forsake your regular meetings. Great!, I thought, now I have to pick a church and go there regularly. So I did. I picked the Catholics and went there regularly.
Now every Prostestant here can tell you what it should be like for a Bible Person to be a Catholic. It was like this for me. They were sure I was a Biblical Saint. Here is why. I actually knew what the Bible said and says and how to read it. So, I just usually said what was there, and they called it profound.
So, I am still for reading The Bible, and for having an easy to read Bible with some errors in it. Why? Why could I say such a thing? How is that even possible for any Christian to say get an easy to read Bible with some errors in it? Shouldn't we instead get a Bible with no errors in it. This person must be daft or nuts or just plain to be ignored. I would think that is the worst piece of information anyone could be given.
That, easy to read Bible is only one of your sources of Bible information. The other Bibles in your home or bought from Good Will if you are low on funds, have to be there also. I can see this should confuse.
To shorten this. I used a Good News Bible and the other Bibles such as KJV together. What I did not understand, when I needed to have preciseness, I used the others also. I learned much faster that way. I had 8 to 10 Bibles, one of which was always an easy to read one.
Eventually this happened, but is advanced. On ever subject I wanted to know Biblically. I looked up every passage on that subject, from the front of The Bible to the back of the Bible and threw none of them out ever, then tried to see how they could all be true simulataeously. That is for later.
Changing churches is fine. It is a test. Bible reading is fine. I don't know how you can learn about God as well from any other source, including books.
LOVE,
...Katie., .... .
 
Upvote 0

CGL1023

citizen of heaven
Jul 8, 2011
1,342
267
Roswell NM
✟83,281.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Word of Faith
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Republican
Hello. Since I've been a believer, I've struggled a lot with anxiety, mental health issues, and have been more miserable than joyful in my Christian walk. I've also been involved in primarily Pentecostal churches and am wondering if this doesn't have something to do with it. Church feels intimidating, I'm afraid of God and always think he'll be angry at me if I make even one wrong move, and I also have a very warped sense of Christianity. I started going through membership classes at another Pentecostal church and following my latest issues with anxiety have decided to take a break and try to get counseling at a nondenominational church in my area. Now that I really step back and look at things, I realize that not everything that appears to be coming from God is actually Him and there is something about it that rubs me the wrong way. What do you think?

I cannot image good bible teaching leaving such an impression of God. Also, fear is a primary tool of the devil. At some point you learn how to think about and handle fear. You also discover that the Father loves you beyond description. It takes diligence on your part and self-study to be proficient in the Word and that will come to you in time. I would also say to be particular about the teaching you receive. Go where you feel ok about what you are learning.
 
Upvote 0
G

Godislove94

Guest
Just wanted to give an update.....after visiting the church I'm hoping to get counseling at, I have officially decided to not go back to the Pentecostal church.....since leaving I have noticeably less anxiety. I have also heard that there are others in the Church I was going to who are leaving because the new pastor is taking it down a road that no church should go.....one of fanaticism and legalism it seems. Praise God for getting myself and the others out!
 
Upvote 0

MWood

Newbie
Jan 7, 2013
3,894
7,990
✟137,571.00
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Republican
Just wanted to give an update.....after visiting the church I'm hoping to get counseling at, I have officially decided to not go back to the Pentecostal church.....since leaving I have noticeably less anxiety. I have also heard that there are others in the Church I was going to who are leaving because the new pastor is taking it down a road that no church should go.....one of fanaticism and legalism it seems. Praise God for getting myself and the others out!

Praise God indeed!
 
Upvote 0