intoduction

[ciaomamma]

Hi all, I'm new here and hoping I can find some help and direction.
I have been having a hard time finding a church to fellowship with.
I was born and raised catholic, we went through the motions, sunday church wednesday kids bible study, the baptism and holidays but we never discussed the bible or the deeper meaning of anything really. I then classified myself as a non believer or atheist, then I was saved. At 29 years old during the hardest challenge of my life the lord was there for me, it was like a switch went off and I believed, truly with my whole heart.
So for the last year and a half I've been praying, reading the bible and making changes.
I do find myself no agreeing with many basic catholic fundamentals which leads me to wonder if maybe I should look into other denominations. Mainly I don't agree with the priesthood and church hierarchy.
I'm not sure what the point of my post is now... just confused about everything right now.

 

[LilLamb219]

You can try looking into the Lutheran church (I go to a LCMS church but WELS is good too) because you will feel very comfortable there already being accustomed to a liturgical worship setting.

 

[timf]

I was in a similar situation when I was 30 I read through the Bible for the first time. I went about as far as I could with TV preachers and knew I needed better instruction. I found a small independent Bible church where I learned to use a concordance and other Bible study tools.

It is so much easier today with tools like esword (free Bible study tools for the computer)

If you are looking for a church I would suggest small (where you won't get lost in the crowd). But most importantly, I would suggest a denomination that believes the Bible is true. This is not as common as you might think. In Lutheran circles the LCMS, WELS, and Brethren believe the Bible is true, but most Lutherans do not.

Most denominations carry their own doctrinal distinctives and some wear better than others. You may want to focus on the relational side of Christianity such that in whatever church you go to you find an older wiser Christian woman that clearly shows the light and love of Jesus in her life and ask her to help you learn to know Jesus as well as she does.

Here is a link about why there are problems with churches;

Christian Pioneer - What is the right church

 

[thesunisout]

Hi all, I'm new here and hoping I can find some help and direction.
I have been having a hard time finding a church to fellowship with.
I was born and raised catholic, we went through the motions, sunday church wednesday kids bible study, the baptism and holidays but we never discussed the bible or the deeper meaning of anything really. I then classified myself as a non believer or atheist, then I was saved. At 29 years old during the hardest challenge of my life the lord was there for me, it was like a switch went off and I believed, truly with my whole heart.
So for the last year and a half I've been praying, reading the bible and making changes.
I do find myself no agreeing with many basic catholic fundamentals which leads me to wonder if maybe I should look into other denominations. Mainly I don't agree with the priesthood and church hierarchy.
I'm not sure what the point of my post is now... just confused about everything right now.

Pray that the Lord would guide you into the church He wants you to be in. He will let you know if you seek His will on the matter. In general, you want a church that believes the bible and preaches on Jesus Christ.

Praise God that you found a relationship with Jesus..while your experience may be confusing, you will be able to help people who you know are in similar circumstances of having a religion and not a relationship with Christ. Trust God to guide you each and every day, and seek His will in all things. Join a bible study and get involved in your local community. God bless.

 

[LilLamb219]

But most importantly, I would suggest a denomination that believes the Bible is true. This is not as common as you might think. In Lutheran circles the LCMS, WELS, and Brethren believe the Bible is true, but most Lutherans do not.

Which Lutherans don't believe the bible to be true might I ask?

The ELCA which is the largest Lutheran Synod in the USA believes the bible to be true (but gives allowances for some things like Jonah to be only stories). For the most part, they do believe the bible to be true though. This is from their website:

The Bible is the norm for faith and life -- the true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.

Now, if you're talking about European Lutherans, well, those are a different breed with some exceptions.

 

[timf]

The ELCA which is the largest Lutheran Synod in the USA believes the bible to be true (but gives allowances for some things like Jonah to be only stories)

Once you decide that parts of the Bible are just stories, like Jonah or creation, you set yourself up as the determinator of what parts of the Bible you are willing to consider and which parts you do not like. The Christian who cannot depend on the Bible is crippled at the start.

The LCMS had a crisis played out in the 70s at Concordia and just barely came back to the position the Bible is true. The ELCA followed the path that the Bible was useful but not literal and therefore there is nothing to impede the acceptance of homosexuality, abortion, socialism, evolution, etc.

Once you lose the Bible as an anchor, there is nothing to stop you following Europe.

 

[asiyreh]

Hi Ciao, I used to be a Catholic too, I attend an Seventh day adventist Church now.

Christianity is a bit of a graduation process and the various denominations are a reflection of that. I would say university level Church would be mmm possibly a reformed baptist church.

Hard for some people to grasp however and you may feel more comfortable in a church such as our sister is suggesting here above. Careful not to get caught up in all the pomp and ceremony however. You faith is a relationship with the living God not anything else.

But anyway enjoy your Christian experience it's a growing thing. Try a church if you outgrow it don't be afraid to move on, to many people get stuck in the belief system of one denomination.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind Says the Lord.

Enjoy sister, tis a great thing to have been chosen by Christ is it not?