Introductory Thread For Newbies & Lurkers

Just found this part of the Forum, and how many years? Anyway:

Name: Scott Mansbridge
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Location: Mapua, NZ or at sea in AU
Marital Status: Married

Christian Denomination: No real fit, only Christ Jesus.

Church attendance: The Church of the Solitary (at sea much of the time), but have an involvement with a gang ministry known as Peacemakers.

Political Views: All over the show.

Occupation: Maritime Deck Officer

Interests: Boats, Bikes and Bible. I have 4 kids and a couple of dogs and am enjoying the online thing.

Hi I'm new.

Name: Alisa Bea
Age: 30
Gender: F
Location: Qld Australia
Marital Status: Happily single
Christian Denomination: To be decided. I'm doing my research. I'm soon to be baptised. Born-again.
Church attendance: To be decided. I'm doing my research.
Political Views: Liberal usually saves the money and Labour usually spends it. Simmered down, they operate for the same side. I trust the other side.
Occupation: Hotel Supervisor and Theology student at university.
Interests: Theology. Also researching freemasonry and occults to understand the hidden hand shaping the world.

Here I'm hoping to discuss and consider opinions about theology, exegesis, ecclesiology, etymology, trinitarianism, eschatology, etc. As well as share advice and stories with new friends.

You're welcome to check out my channel Alisa Bea Audiobooks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHp_D_yq1iFka4RMahXszsQ/featured

Name: Philip
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Location: Newcastle
Marital Status: Married

Christian Denomination: Anglican

Church attendance: Frequent

Political Views: Somewhere in the middle - conservative with social conscience

Occupation: Retired

Interests: theology, history, reading, photography, websites, graphics

Not exactly a newbie or lurker, but baptised Presbyterian as an infant, became Christian in the real sense at age 28 (still Presbyterian then), and now Catholic. My father was Catholic, married an Anglican in a Presbyterian Church (probably nobody else would back in those partisan days, despite the fact that just 15 to 10 years before Catholics and Protestants fought and died together defending the nation in World War II).

So I suppose they were obligated to have me baptised Presbyterian. It wasn't as though I came from some centuries old family lineage dating back to Oliver Cromwell or John Knox.

Partisan stupidity I call it.

And before we get into any arguments about the Catholic / Protestant divide, I think I'm right where God wants me to be.

Name: G M
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Location: Melbourne (Heathmont)
Marital Status: Married

Christian Denomination: Christened in Uniting Church of Australia in 1978 when I was 7. Family never went to church though, and after my first marriage to a Roman Catholic, began to explore other things starting with Scientology (which is a bs religion), Spiritualism, Buddhism, Hinduism, then Islam, before giving up and becoming an atheist and declaring all religion evil.
January last year, and army mate was posting stuff account Chuck Missler and prophecies which I ridiculed him for, so he challenged me to watch them. I couldn't watch them for even 5 minutes, so I browsed online for something better and came across the Alpha Series on YouTube. I got hooked and remembered that a church I used to drive past a lot (Crossway Baptist) held the Alpha course, so I attended one Sunday to see when the next course was, and was hooked on the service (Hillsong songs) and the sermon which was very relevant to me.
I got baptised properly with full conviction in believing Jesus, and can now say I'm a Baptist.

Church attendance: Every Sunday

Political Views: Secular (centre of the political spectrum) but Liberal otherwise.

Occupation: Ex army technician, now work for Alfred hospital.

Interests: Fishing, kayaking, sups.

My biggest challenge at the moment is accepting the trinity. Hard to grasp, but definitely believe in Jesus the son, and God the father.

Alisa Bea Audiobooks said:

Hi I'm new.

Name: Alisa Bea
Age: 30
Gender: F
Location: Qld Australia
Marital Status: Happily single
Christian Denomination: To be decided. I'm doing my research. I'm soon to be baptised. Born-again.
Church attendance: To be decided. I'm doing my research.
Political Views: Liberal usually saves the money and Labour usually spends it. Simmered down, they operate for the same side. I trust the other side.
Occupation: Hotel Supervisor and Theology student at university.
Interests: Theology. Also researching freemasonry and occults to understand the hidden hand shaping the world.

Here I'm hoping to discuss and consider opinions about theology, exegesis, ecclesiology, etymology, trinitarianism, eschatology, etc. As well as share advice and stories with new friends.

You're welcome to check out my channel Alisa Bea Audiobooks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHp_D_yq1iFka4RMahXszsQ/featured

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Still doing audiobooks? I can't seem to find any.

Name: Eugene Ferreira
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Location: Waikanae, NZ
Marital Status: Married

Christian Denomination: Born and bred Pentecostal.

Church attendance: I've moved to NZ from South Africa about 3 years ago. Finding a suitable church is a problem since I struggle to be comfortable in all the charismatic churches and there doesn't seem to be a true Pentecostal church around

Political Views: Conservative left, I guess.

Occupation: IT Analyst

Interests: Serving God with joy, gaming, model boats, trains and aircraft, fishing

Name: Jane Nicolle
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Location: NSW Australia
Marital Status: Single

Christian Denomination: Born and raised Anglican, back slidden for a very long time. Tried anglican church again but left once they started referring to the Holy Spirit as "she". Discovered a local Oneness Pentecostal Church, got born again, and haven't looked back

Church attendance: Doing home church now thanks to a certain pandemic, but we're makin' it work

Political Views: Conservative

Occupation: Civil drafter

Interests: Horses and singing

tgg said:

And Family First - anyone who thinks they are worth voting for is clinically insane. They have to be the biggest jokes in the history of Australian politics.

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As I write this I (2022) I don't think they're even still around, but I have to say that anyone who would vote for a party that is to the left of the Liberal Party must have rocks in their head.

Yaaten said:

As I write this I (2022) I don't think they're even still around, but I have to say that anyone who would vote for a party that is to the left of the Liberal Party must have rocks in their head.

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Given how far right the Liberal Party has drifted, that is a big space you are writing off.

Philip_B said:

Given how far right the Liberal Party has drifted, that is a big space you are writing off.

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The Liberal Party has drifted right? I really do think you made a mistake here, and meant 'left'.

Yaaten said:

The Liberal Party has drifted right? I really do think you made a mistake here, and meant 'left'.

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No, I don't think so. The liberal (lefter) edge of the party has gone teal. Mind you the Greens have gone so far left that they have fallen off the edge of the spectrum.

Name: Shawn
Age: 55
Gender: Male
Location: Bearbrass
Marital Status: Married

Christian Denomination: Sprinkled Catholic, raised Methodist, sent to Presbyterian Sunday school, moved to Church of Christ, married in Lutheran church to an AOG wife by AOG pastor, have attend Christian Brethren and have been attended Baptist church for over 20 years. However I hold the view that, I am a Christian only, that divisions exists but being proud of being to a division is contrary to 1 Cor 1.

Church attendance: Weekly

Political Views: Conservative

Occupation: IT Manager

Interests: Cycling, Reading