I have to ask

[jynx]

So we are all "moderate" here.

Where do ya all go to church? LOL!

I've been searching for a nest for a long long time. I can't seem to find anything out there that doesn't condemn someone for being different than what their particular denom preaches..... I mean I've been to some churches that out right SLAM another church from the pulpit. **cringe** No brotherly love there. It doesn't help that I live in a predominately *not gonna name names but it is very conservative church* area.

What, if any, denominations are considered moderate??? Or is is more dependant upon the pastor and the flock??? Maybe I am just too weird for church LOL... dunno Maybe it is a me issue and not a church issue? I am starting to lean that way.

I am a yakker, sorry.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

It has no 3-d church but it meets online late each evening with a group of ppls to do compline (a brief liturgical service), share music, and to pray together. It has been helping Moriah tremendously.
It recently visited a local United Methodist church and found it a very nice place to be. Not superspiritual, a little on the intellectual side, but teaching good things that show God bes love, always the most important foundation to have. Would like to go back sometime, but not pursuing membership or anything at the mo'.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

So we are all "moderate" here.

Where do ya all go to church? LOL!

Well, I think the Bridge Builders name is a more accurate description than moderate, which some might mistake for being lukewarm, something that Christ-followers should never be.

I pretty much consider myself a C.S. Lewis "mere Christian" with Lutheran and Calvinist tendencies and strong "emerging church" sympathies, who happens to be a member of a more liberal than usual (i.e. less fundamentalist) Assemblies of God church.

I've been searching for a nest for a long long time. I can't seem to find anything out there that doesn't condemn someone for being different than what their particular denom preaches..... I mean I've been to some churches that out right SLAM another church from the pulpit. **cringe** No brotherly love there. It doesn't help that I live in a predominately *not gonna name names but it is very conservative church* area.

What, if any, denominations are considered moderate??? Or is is more dependant upon the pastor and the flock??? Maybe I am just too weird for church LOL... dunno Maybe it is a me issue and not a church issue? I am starting to lean that way.

I am a yakker, sorry.

Thanks for the input.

I would say it's very dependent on the pastor and the flock, and also to an extent on the region. I would not have expected a Pentecostal church to have a tolerant, loving and grace-centered attitude, but mine does. I'm sure my AG church is much more liberal than is usual for the denomination. But it's in a very liberal, very cosmopolitan West Coast port city, Seattle.

 

[Joykins]

I have been going to a United Methodist church for a while and will probably join the next time membership classes roll around. Our church is interested in helping people, not condemning them. I have never heard a slam from the pulpit in this church.

 

[longhair75]

Once, I was a member of the Church of Rome. I am now a member of the Episcopal Church

 

[DailyBlessings]

So we are all "moderate" here.

Where do ya all go to church? LOL!

I've been searching for a nest for a long long time. I can't seem to find anything out there that doesn't condemn someone for being different than what their particular denom preaches..... I mean I've been to some churches that out right SLAM another church from the pulpit. **cringe** No brotherly love there. It doesn't help that I live in a predominately *not gonna name names but it is very conservative church* area.

What, if any, denominations are considered moderate??? Or is is more dependant upon the pastor and the flock??? Maybe I am just too weird for church LOL... dunno Maybe it is a me issue and not a church issue? I am starting to lean that way.

I am a yakker, sorry.

Thanks for the input.

I'm a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America... We're generally considered moderate, though there's quite a lot of variation from congregation to congregation. I attend the most "liberal" seminary of our synod, so I'm usually surrounded by the more radical showings, but I like to think there's a church home for everyone. I think most of the "mainline" denominations have congregations that you would find okay, if you look around long enough. We Lutherans don't fit well into liberal and conservative labels as a rule, falling somewhere in between the various definitions. "slamming" from the pulpit would be a doctrinal error from our historical perspective, since preaching is intended to communicate the Gospel over and above the Law, but I suspect popular culture probably has its say in many assemblies nonetheless.

 

[The Bubba]

Yall are going to laugh at me and call me crazy, but right now, I stll belong to the Southern Baptists. Yes, I know we are the crazy nut job people But, Im trying to find a place more suited to my tastes. Have visted several churches and I like em all. So I need help in choosing one

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

I have been going to a United Methodist church for a while and will probably join the next time membership classes roll around. Our church is interested in helping people, not condemning them. I have never heard a slam from the pulpit in this church.

Well the one it visited briefly *(about 4 times) for a series in world religions they did seemed nice enough as said before.

But it also seemed -- not sure how to put this -- primarily intellectual and social in its focus. Not that this bes a bad thing ... but ... gahhhh how to put this delicately ... moriah did not feel it would be a place that could help it with problems of a more profoundly spiritual and deeply personal nature.
(to put it in "discrete" terms)

oh and Bubba it did not understand what you meant in your note to Moriah on its profile.
the UM church it visited would not be in your area. did you mean the online place it goes for compline at night?

 

[The Bubba]

Yes, I are ment that

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

Mike and I have been attending a Baptist church lately, and find it comfortable. At least I do. It's a bit different from how he was raised (Lutheran) but if he doesn't like it, he's not letting on.

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

Yes, I are ment that

You bes havesy incoming.

 

[The Bubba]

I thank the lady

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

it has internet here! it shall seesy there shortly yeah?

 

[ladyt28]

My husband and I go to a General Baptist church. I believe a lot depends on Both the pastor and the flock. We have had several discussions about how we as a church need to be ready to welcome ALL who attend regardless of how they appear or act as we are all seeking our path and relationship with God.

 

[MrJim]

American Baptist going on 5 years here (maybe I'll even become a member someday ), previous denoms have included Reformed Baptist,
Evangelical Free, Mennonite and Winebrenner Church of God...

As noted, the names on the doors mean little~never judge a church by its sign~go inside and see what they are about; they may not be as conservative or liberal as you assume

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

Let's see - my churches have been:

• Regular Baptist (GARBC) - I accepted Christ in this one in Sunday School at age 12. Pretty conservative, but not fundamentalist.
  
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - I went to this one in my early teens. Fairly liberal.
  
• A house church, loosely affiliated with Open Bible Standard Churches - This is the church I went to age 21, when I rededicated my life to Christ and was baptized. Conservative evangelical, charismatic ("Bapti-costal").
  
• American Baptist (ABC) - The first church I found after moving back home to Seattle. Pretty liberal, but mostly blue hairs. I never bonded with the culture.
  
• Lutheran (ELCA) - Tried this one briefly, didn't learn too much about it, but I liked their style. Liberal.
  
• Assemblies of God - My current church, the first church I've ever actually joined. Conservative evangelical, Pentecostal, but this particular congregation is tolerant, loving and grace-centered, and the pastor is a gifted teacher. Though technically AG, it has more of a Calvary Chapel feel to it... and actually the pastor is former Calvary Chapel IIRC. I'm so lucky! (But it isn't actually luck - I'm sure God guided me to this one.)
  

As Jim said, it all depends on the particular pastor and congregation.

 

[edie19]

I grew up Presbyterian (what is now PCUSA)

As an adult went to the RCC with my husband for one year - but since I was the only one attending I looked for a church more in line with the theology I was raised in, so. . .

I attended a UCC church for quite a while, they had my Reformed roots background - but were becoming more and more liberal, so . . . .

I then joined a non-denominational church - again Reformed doctrine but more conservative theologically. One of the church elders planted a church and I went with him at that time (that was ~10 years ago, I've been with this church family for ~15 years) and was a founding member of Providence Reformed Baptist church.

We are definitely conservative theologically - but in response to one thing you mentioned in your OP - we routinely pray for God's church in it's entirety - not just in our denomination. I also think you'd have a difficult time finding a church more welcoming than ours (guest pastors comment on that all the time).

 

[Antje]

I've mostly attended Mennonite churches, but I spent two years at an Anglican church. I agree with the people who say "Don't judge a church by its denomination." So much depends on the personality of the congregation and the leadership. I know there are lots of Mennonite churches out there that I'd rather not attend.

 

[Redheadedstepchild]

I've been UM all my life though I spent some time at a IPHC. I find the UMC to be moderate....IPHC not so much (great church all the same though).

 

[spinningtutu]

Sure, I'll share my church odysee... Might help explain why I'm so messed up, LOL...
(and yes, some of these time periods overlapped)

*The United Methodist Church (where I was baptized)... for a total of 4 yrs. I have great childhood memories of the place and first felt God's presence at the church. Even though I spent most of my childhood missing the place, my personal studies of the United Methodist Church show me that I don't belong there.

*A non-denominational/ evangelical/ charismatic house church... with Messianic Jewish leanings, very upbeat music, fully armed with Jack Chick tracts. This was the place I got saved and rebaptized. A total of 7 yrs here, until the group literally disintegrated.

*The Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) for 6 yrs. Too young to remember much, but my memories are pretty bad. Probably had something to do with the fact that the pastor was abusive...

*Presbyterian Church - PCUSA... just 1 yr. We left along with a group of about 500 other people who were disgruntled when the pastor openly endorsed abortion, preached universalism, and condoned homosexuality.

*The split-off from the previous church... an independent Presby place with conservative/evangelical leanings... for 3 yrs.

*An upbeat chipper Pentecostal/Charismatic church (affiliated with the Open Bible Standard Church) which was hardly more than a house church. I spent 5 yrs here. I loved the style and the service at the time ~ and I still do miss that. My "perfect" church would be a progressive version of what I had here.

*The Roman Catholic Church (w/ a Jesuit Priest) for 4 yrs. Yes, given my background, it was as weird an experience as you can imagine.

*Then I went back to the whole Pentecostal thing (this time Assemblies of God) for about 2 yrs.

*Then I was part of a large Vineyard megachurch for about 3 yrs.

*Then I met my sweetie, who was a lifelong Lutheran (ELCA) and I began attending there. I got along with the ELCA a lot better than the MS. I was an ELCA Lutheran for 4 yrs. I was actually *almost* ordained in the ELCA, but they don't ordain people like me...

*Anyways, after all of that, I find myself in the UCC, the United Church of Christ, for almost 3 yrs now.

*My wife and I currently attend an evangelical/charismatic church that is trans-denominationally affiliated with both the UCC and the Disciples of Christ. It's a great blending of contemporary music, evangelical praise songs, charismatic preaching... we sing together, we pray together, we share common meals together... we vote together for lefties like Obama, we march in Pride events together... one big happy family.