Having doubts about church I joined

[jsimms615]

Last year I joined a Southern Baptist church. Weekly it has an average attendance from anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 people. It has three worship services. Two that are nearly identical and one more traditional service. I was attending regularly and having difficulty finding a Sunday School class I liked and have tried three different classes. I have also attempted to volunteer, but I really felt like in the children's ministry where I volunteered I really wasn't needed, so I stopped. Since I joined a year ago I have really only gotten to know a couple of people, but they never contact me or call if I miss church. I doubt with so many people that they even notice.
I have thought about going elsewhere, but am not sure where. I am not dogmatic about what type of Bible to use whether it is KJV or another translation. I don't believe in infant baptism and there are a lot of Methodist churches near me. I do want a good sermon in the service I attend and opportunities to serve. I don't particularly care if it is contemporary music or not. Most of the more contemporary songs I don't know the words to. It would be nice if communion was more than once a quarter, even if it was weekly. I believe in baptism by immersion, but it isn't a deal breaker for it to be done another way. I am not Calvinist in my theology. Every time I think about leaving the church I joined I go back and it feels to me like it confirms that I don't fit in there and need to move on. I have thought about going to a smaller church but have no ideas as to which one.

 

[redleghunter]

PM me and I will give you some suggestions

 

[jsimms615]

PM me and I will give you some suggestions

Okay, is there a reason you can't say on the forum?

 

[PloverWing]

What you've described is one of the drawbacks of a large church: it can be easy to get lost in the crowd, to feel like you don't really matter to anyone. In my experience, the best way to navigate a large church is to find some small group that you fit into -- Sunday School, choir, evening Bible study, a particular ministry, something like that. It sounds like you've been trying that. One option is to continue to experiment with trying different available small groups until you find one you fit into.

And another option is to look for a smaller church. Small churches don't have the diversity of ministries and activities that large churches do (that's their drawback), but you might feel like you matter more in a church where you're one of 100 instead of one of 1000 -- that people notice that you're there and miss you when you're gone.

I'd recommend visiting some smaller churches, if there are some near you. It sounds like finding a community where you are noticed and welcomed is more important to you than finding exact doctrinal agreement on all minutiae. Maybe give the Methodists a try, if they have a better sense of community.

 

[Rescued One]

Last year I joined a Southern Baptist church. Weekly it has an average attendance from anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 people. It has three worship services. Two that are nearly identical and one more traditional service. I was attending regularly and having difficulty finding a Sunday School class I liked and have tried three different classes. I have also attempted to volunteer, but I really felt like in the children's ministry where I volunteered I really wasn't needed, so I stopped. Since I joined a year ago I have really only gotten to know a couple of people, but they never contact me or call if I miss church. I doubt with so many people that they even notice.

That is typical of mega churches.

I have thought about going elsewhere, but am not sure where. I am not dogmatic about what type of Bible to use whether it is KJV or another translation. I don't believe in infant baptism and there are a lot of Methodist churches near me. I do want a good sermon in the service I attend and opportunities to serve. I don't particularly care if it is contemporary music or not. Most of the more contemporary songs I don't know the words to. It would be nice if communion was more than once a quarter, even if it was weekly. I believe in baptism by immersion, but it isn't a deal breaker for it to be done another way. I am not Calvinist in my theology. Every time I think about leaving the church I joined I go back and it feels to me like it confirms that I don't fit in there and need to move on. I have thought about going to a smaller church but have no ideas as to which one.

Read their statements of faith online. Then visit the ones that sound okay. The friendliness of a church depends on a couple of things: how do project yourself? And do you keep quiet if you disagree with another person? Some churches that use contemporary music project the lyrics so everyone can see them.

Dale Carnegie taught:

 

[jsimms615]

That is typical of mega churches.



Read their statements of faith online. Then visit the ones that sound okay. The friendliness of a church depends on a couple of things: how do project yourself? And do you keep quiet if you disagree with another person? Some churches that use contemporary music project the lyrics so everyone can see them.

Dale Carnegie taught:
View attachment 265325

thank you. I have done this for quite a few of them over the last ten years. most of the churches around me I have been to at one point or another. Most of them are dying with an older congregation and not much going on

 

[jsimms615]

What you've described is one of the drawbacks of a large church: it can be easy to get lost in the crowd, to feel like you don't really matter to anyone. In my experience, the best way to navigate a large church is to find some small group that you fit into -- Sunday School, choir, evening Bible study, a particular ministry, something like that. It sounds like you've been trying that. One option is to continue to experiment with trying different available small groups until you find one you fit into.

And another option is to look for a smaller church. Small churches don't have the diversity of ministries and activities that large churches do (that's their drawback), but you might feel like you matter more in a church where you're one of 100 instead of one of 1000 -- that people notice that you're there and miss you when you're gone.

I'd recommend visiting some smaller churches, if there are some near you. It sounds like finding a community where you are noticed and welcomed is more important to you than finding exact doctrinal agreement on all minutiae. Maybe give the Methodists a try, if they have a better sense of community.

I'm considering going to a Methodist church near me next Sunday.

 

[Albion]

I'm considering going to a Methodist church near me next Sunday.

Hi. Any particular reason? Or is it simply one you haven't visited yet and thought it worth doing?

 

[jsimms615]

Hi. Any particular reason? Or is it simply one you haven't visited yet and thought it worth doing?

Well, it is close to home and it is one that I have not visited in many years and thought it might be worth a second look

 

[Albion]

Thanks. I hope that didn't seem too nosey of me, but I am supportive of the idea of visiting other churches for no particular reason, even though people sometimes talk as though this is scandalous or faithless. I have had some very beneficial experiences doing that same thing, often in a church that, as it turned out, I had misjudged beforehand.