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I, too, can only tell you what I would do.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.
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.
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.
Excellent.Hi. I am new to the forum and have been slowly returning to faith.
No. They are just a mutation. Real Christianity believes old things like the Nicene Creed. And with good reason.I guess my questions are these:
*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?
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.*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?
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.*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?
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.*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?
What are some of these "newer" teachings that you speak of?*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?
Again, I guess it depends on what those "teachings" were (and now are).*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?
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?*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?
Again, what are the changes that you are referring to?*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?
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.I guess my questions are these:
*Are these newer teachings and churches what religion has come to?
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.*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?
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.*Should I stick with a smaller church even though they are empty and attendees are way out of our age ranges?
Choose the right church, both of you get involved with it, and the existence of the other kind will not matter much.*How to I properly revisit faith and introduce faith to my daughter when modern churches and teachings have changed so much?
You sound like your faith is dead.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?
you tell me.How?
Actually it is about assisting the original poster. I'm not sure your line of questioning does that.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.
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.
Hi,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.