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[FLA865]

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[GodsGrace101]

Hi
Welcome to the forum.
I can only tell you what I would do..
I wouldn't go to a church that has changed.
I wouldn't pay attention to the age range,,,maybe your going there might change things.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Hi. I am new to the forum and have been slowly returning to faith.
Long story short, I was brought up Baptist and also went to a Christian middle school. I went to christian camps and participated in church functions. About the time high school hit around 2002 I had basically abandoned faith and turned to science and history for my beliefs.

Throughout life i have made many mistakes which I will not get into here, but I have been slowly turning back to faith for answers and for a better lifestyle. A big part of it is that I want my 7 year old daughter to grow up with the same experiences i had with religion.
Upon researching local Churches I have noticed that many of the people I went to church with years ago are either gone or no longer religious.
Another big thing that has stood out is that the churches I am familiar with are pretty empty except for the older 55+ age range when they used to be full of all ages. A lot of this probably has to do with a newer, very large church that has all the new technology, coffee shop, ect. I think the term is Mega church. I would be willing to try it but something is really standing out to me. The new Church has extremely liberal views and teachings accepting things that were considered to be wrong back when i went to church 16 or so years ago.

I guess my questions are these:
*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?

*Am I wrong in believing the original teachings we were brought up with before all the politics and political correctness worked their way into modern churches?

*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?

*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?

Any help or info would be appreciated.

I, too, can only tell you what I would do.

I tend to prefer to go to smaller places when I can... which isn't really easy to do in the Catholic world. The smallest I ever found was only small because of logistics. It's a very trad parish and I really enjoyed how people seemed to know each other there.

This Coffee Shop Christianity stuff won't be around forever. Or probably even for very much longer, judging by the attrition rate. I say go to a place where the things you believe in are shared by others.

I think you are correct to view a congregation with an average age of 55+ as having reached End Of Life though.

 

[John 12:25]

Hi. I am new to the forum and have been slowly returning to faith.
Long story short, I was brought up Baptist and also went to a Christian middle school. I went to christian camps and participated in church functions. About the time high school hit around 2002 I had basically abandoned faith and turned to science and history for my beliefs.

Throughout life i have made many mistakes which I will not get into here, but I have been slowly turning back to faith for answers and for a better lifestyle. A big part of it is that I want my 7 year old daughter to grow up with the same experiences i had with religion.
Upon researching local Churches I have noticed that many of the people I went to church with years ago are either gone or no longer religious.
Another big thing that has stood out is that the churches I am familiar with are pretty empty except for the older 55+ age range when they used to be full of all ages. A lot of this probably has to do with a newer, very large church that has all the new technology, coffee shop, ect. I think the term is Mega church. I would be willing to try it but something is really standing out to me. The new Church has extremely liberal views and teachings accepting things that were considered to be wrong back when i went to church 16 or so years ago.

I guess my questions are these:
*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?

*Am I wrong in believing the original teachings we were brought up with before all the politics and political correctness worked their way into modern churches?

*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?

*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?

Any help or info would be appreciated.

Yes, unfortunately leftism and the Marxist doctrine of political correctness has infiltrated many churches these days. Whether it be that the churches actually buy into it, or compromise and teach false doctrine to please BigBrother.gov and maintain 501c3 tax exempt status varies from place to place.

From what I gather, many ‘mega churches’ seem to push some sort of new age inspired self-help think positive ‘prosperity’ doctrine based on teachings of man rather than teachings from the Bible. Just my opinion, but I would avoid such places. Who cares if the congregation is mostly older than your family, or if they have a coffee shop and the latest tech. The important thing is you want a church that teaches non-compromised, biblically sound doctrine. A place with teachers whom love the Lord Jesus Christ and exalt Him, rather than themselves as many of these new age hipster churches do.

You can research online, learn a bit about the church before going in person. Some churches nowadays post videos of their services online. See if there are any within your proximity that do so, and you can get a feel for where they stand on things and if they administer biblically sound teachings.

But this shouldn’t be about ‘finding a church’ or ‘getting back to religion’. All that doesn’t matter. The priority is to develop a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, accept His gift of eternal life, and put away the old man and be reborn. Churchianity isn’t important, speaking and praying to the Lord Jesus Christ on a daily basis is what matters. Ask Him to guide you, ask Him for discernment, ask Him to increase your faith, and thank Him for what faith you do have. Best thing to do sometimes is just get out the Bible and read, pray to the Lord for knowledge and understanding of the verses. There are good teachers out there who stay true to the scriptures, but ultimately..let only God be true and every man a liar.

Don’t pass on a church just because it has a smaller congregation. Whether or not they adhere to sound doctrine is what should take priority. Today we are living at a time where many folks are sensitive snowflakes who do not care for the truth, they’d rather have their feelings pampered and their emotions coddled. They want to hear what makes them feel good, rather than sound biblical doctrine. They want an attitude of permissiveness and coddling towards their sins, rather than a righteous rebuking. They want a church that will let them out on time to get ready for the silly ballgames on Sunday.

This is great what you’re doing though. Hopefully you will have some success finding a place within close proximity that has what you want. But the most important thing isn’t what church you attend or what denomination you’re a part of. A relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is what takes the priority.

 

[OSAS 101]

Hi. I am new to the forum and have been slowly returning to faith.
Long story short, I was brought up Baptist and also went to a Christian middle school. I went to christian camps and participated in church functions. About the time high school hit around 2002 I had basically abandoned faith and turned to science and history for my beliefs.

Throughout life i have made many mistakes which I will not get into here, but I have been slowly turning back to faith for answers and for a better lifestyle. A big part of it is that I want my 7 year old daughter to grow up with the same experiences i had with religion.
Upon researching local Churches I have noticed that many of the people I went to church with years ago are either gone or no longer religious.
Another big thing that has stood out is that the churches I am familiar with are pretty empty except for the older 55+ age range when they used to be full of all ages. A lot of this probably has to do with a newer, very large church that has all the new technology, coffee shop, ect. I think the term is Mega church. I would be willing to try it but something is really standing out to me. The new Church has extremely liberal views and teachings accepting things that were considered to be wrong back when i went to church 16 or so years ago.

I guess my questions are these:
*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?

*Am I wrong in believing the original teachings we were brought up with before all the politics and political correctness worked their way into modern churches?

*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?

*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?

Any help or info would be appreciated.

You say you are a Baptist.
Get rid of it.
You say you are a Republican.
Get rid of it.

Get rid of the denominations and the politics.
You are a Christian first and foremost.
You belong to Jesus Christ, not a denomination or a political party.
When you talk to people, let them see Jesus Christ inside of you.
You may be the only Christian they ever talk to.

Pray to Jesus regularly, make him your best friend.
Share everything with him.
Listen to him talk to you
Read the New Testament.
Everytime you hear a promise from God, grab hold of it, preach it, and believe it.

Be the Christian you want to be.
Don't let anyone hold you back.
Jesus will walk with you every step of the way.
The Holy Spirit will speak through you everytime it is necessary.

Believe that you have power in the blood of Christ.
You can do all things in his name.
You don't need to know everything.
Only God knows everything.
Step out in faith and teach your family how to live a Christian life.

Amen.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Hi. I am new to the forum and have been slowly returning to faith.

Excellent.

I guess my questions are these:
*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?

No. They are just a mutation. Real Christianity believes old things like the Nicene Creed. And with good reason.

*Am I wrong in believing the original teachings we were brought up with before all the politics and political correctness worked their way into modern churches?

It does depend, of course, on what you were brought up with. Some denominations have been changing their stances for years and years. Some have held to the same teaching over the years. People say we have to keep up with the times. I think it's better to stay true to the original Christian teachings more than being hip and modern and having the best coffee and the latest PC beliefs. That's just a fad.

*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?

Something may be wrong there too. If they are aging out of existence is it because they are faithful in faithless times OR because they also have lost something critical to the faith? I think of the old-line denominations which have compromised their faith and only a few elderly people remain because they are too afraid to leave. That is admittedly a bit of exaggeration but there has to be something better for you than a.) a mega big box church with great coffee and dodgy teaching OR b.) a shrinking little congregation with no future. I see in my parish lots of children. But we have traditional organ and choir music and what I would call fairly traditional teaching. No coffee in the church (afterward though) and no loud rock music. Silence even, for moments here and there. Psalms, hymns, kneeling, singing, teenagers, babies, old people. Not a megachurch but bigger than lots of places. Such places do exist. Probably where you are as well.

*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?

You don't want to be teaching one thing and your church teaching a different thing. You also don't want to be teaching one thing and her school teaching a different thing, but that is a separate issue.

 

[JustRachel]

I wandered for more than 30 years. When I returned to God I went back to the Baptist church I had attended before. It's a great place to start. They believe only the Bible and don't deviate from it. You may find some place that's more comfortable for you in time. Don't let the age thing get in the way.

 

[St_Worm2]

*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?

What are some of these "newer" teachings that you speak of?

As for churches, there are still many kinds. Unless you live in a very small town there must surely be more to choose from than simply a liberal megachurch or a small church made up of 55+ yr olds, yes? So keep looking (though you may need to drive a bit further than you'd like to).

*Am I wrong in believing the original teachings we were brought up with before all the politics and political correctness worked their way into modern churches?

Again, I guess it depends on what those "teachings" were (and now are).

*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?

If the megachurch teaches things that you don't agree with, I wouldn't make that church my first choice if I was you Do the smaller/older churches have any programs for your daughter to be involved in? You know, Sunday School, youth group (when she's just a little older, that is), youth missions trips, etc.? Also, how do you think she would handle a worship service that is geared toward seniors only?

*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?

Again, what are the changes that you are referring to?

As for your daughter and introducing her to the Christian faith, a good Sunday School class can help with that. Seven is too young to sit through an adult service.

At home, along with the Bible itself, of course, there are books written to help younger kids understand the faith/come to Christ/grow in the faith. For instance:

I Believe In Jesus: Leading Your Child To Christ

A Faith To Grow On: Important Things You Should Know Now That You Believe

A Faith To Grow On Children's Bible​

--David

 

[Albion]

I guess my questions are these:
*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?

It has been trending that way, but Christianity has always had its trends back and forth, so I would not be overly concerned that this one might scoop the field.

*Am I wrong in believing the original teachings we were brought up with before all the politics and political correctness worked their way into modern churches?

No. There are plenty of churches that fit that description. Most denominations have now divided into traditional on one side and modernist on the other. Missouri Synod Lutheran vs. Ev. Lutheran Church in America...Southern Baptist vs. American Baptist, etc.

*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?

That could be a tough call, but since you seem most concerned to have the true faith and traditional practices, I would think that the smaller one would meet your needs better. However, I would hope that where you live there are some that are in the middle, neither megachurches nor struggling, half-empty churches.

*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?

Choose the right church, both of you get involved with it, and the existence of the other kind will not matter much.

 

[Lost4words]

Stay away from happy clappy churches. Stick with truly prayerful churches. Obviously i would say Catholic. Be it, western, eastern or orthodox.

 

[OSAS 101]

Stay away from happy clappy churches. Stick with truly prayerful churches. Obviously i would say Catholic. Be it, western, eastern or orthodox.

You sound like your faith is dead.
Is it?

 

[Lost4words]

You sound like your faith is dead.
Is it?

How?

 

[OSAS 101]

How?

you tell me.
Is it alive?
Let's hear it.
Edify us all.
Isn't that why were here?
Isn't that what it's all about?
Just asking.

 

[chevyontheriver]

you tell me.
Is it alive?
Let's hear it.
Edify us all.
Isn't that why were here?
Isn't that what it's all about?
Just asking.

Actually it is about assisting the original poster. I'm not sure your line of questioning does that.

 

[Tigger45]

Looking for a Church statement of purpose;

Welcome to the Looking for a Church forum! We encourage members here to ask questions about churches and denominations, doctrines, practices, etc. in order to facilitate their search for a church home. This is not a place for debate, teaching, or proselytizing. Posts and threads of this manner will be considered off-topic and may be closed or removed. Please do not start threads here to advertise your congregation, these will also be considered off-topic to the forum.

Thank you for respecting this space as a safe place where others can find the church that suits them best.

Please do not use this forum to discuss churches which are outside of this forum's Statement of Faith.

Homosexuality and Same Sex Marriage:
Homosexuality and same sex marriage may be discussed in this forum, however, no promotion of these topics is allowed. Promotion is defined as encouragement of the progress, growth, or acceptance of something including advertising and publicity.

 

[Lost4words]

you tell me.
Is it alive?
Let's hear it.
Edify us all.
Isn't that why were here?
Isn't that what it's all about?
Just asking.

Obviously you have an issue somewhere. My faith is not dead!

 

[FLA865]

Delete

 

[GodsGrace101]

I, too, can only tell you what I would do.

I tend to prefer to go to smaller places when I can... which isn't really easy to do in the Catholic world. The smallest I ever found was only small because of logistics. It's a very trad parish and I really enjoyed how people seemed to know each other there.

This Coffee Shop Christianity stuff won't be around forever. Or probably even for very much longer, judging by the attrition rate. I say go to a place where the things you believe in are shared by others.

I think you are correct to view a congregation with an average age of 55+ as having reached End Of Life though.

Hi,
I agree with all you've said...I just want to repeat for the O.P. that sometimes churches need new families to join and that might encourage others also. I don't think churches should be separated by age grouping.

I do, however, also understand that a young family would want a church where their children will find friends. It's a tough call.
It's sad to see only older persons in church - which is how it is over here where I live.

 

[Tony B]

I've been thinking about what I might do if I was in your situation. I'd probably pray to God, asking Him to guide me to a Christian fellowship where I and my daughter can be nurtured in His ways!

 

[Willie T]

Are you a Parrish native? That "small-town" culture may do a lot of the deciding for you. And that may, or may not, be a good thing.