questions for the new christians

[copticorthodoxy]

i want to ask the new the christians , how you choose the christian denomination which you want to join and why ?

 

[snoochface]

I don't know if I can be considered new anymore - I'll have been a Christian for two years this April. I think that's still pretty new.

Anyway, I specifically did not want to be a denominational Christian. I grew up in a denomination which, I now believe, just made up rules and requirements that were outside of the Bible. This amounts in my opinion to "adding to or taking away from" the word of God.

Once I became a Christian, I wanted no part of man-made religions that made up their own rules as they went along. I just want to be a Bible-believing, Bible-following, Jesus-loving Christian. You don't need to belong to a denomination for that.

That said, the church we currently attend is denominational. We chose it because of their teachings and beliefs. They do not believe or teach anything that is outside the word of God, and we get some great Bible learning there.

It is a Southern Baptist church, but I think you have to choose the church you go to individually, by its beliefs and teachings, and compare them closely with what the Bible teaches rather than choosing by what denomination they are in general. They can be very different even inside denominations.

I often have to remind a member of our Home Fellowship Group that we are not Southern Baptist.

 

[VictorianAngel84]

I grew up in a Luthern church, went to a Pentecostal church, moved on to a Southern Baptist church, and then met my husband who was Church of the Brethren. I started working at Wal-Mart and a guy came through my line with a ton of water. Some how we got to talking about his church and their ministries and such, so hubby and I started going to his church. After being there for several months I realized I had never truly given my heart to Christ, so I accepted Him on January 13th of this year (hence the user id). Both hubby and I love our pastor and feel he is truly a man of God so we continue to go and learn about Jesus.

 

[nattsie]

what does denomination mean?

 

[mslpanthers12]

I've been a Christian for around a year, and I honestly don't like the idea of different denominations, and I want us all the be in one body of Christ. I ended up going between a Baptist and Nondenominational church

 

[snoochface]

what does denomination mean?

A denomination is the specific religion of the Christian churches. For example, Southern Baptists, Catholics, Methodists, etc. are all various denominations of Christianity.

Being non-denominational means that you do not belong to or consider yourself to be a member of any particular organized religion.

 

[Ragedy]

I was taken to a Baptist church as a child with my grandparents. As a child I was scared to death of the Lord. I only thought He sent you to Hell and did not realize the awesome things that he does. So I decided when I was old enough to make the choice, that religion was not for me. Then a coworker of my husband kept on his case about attending his church. He attends Calvary Chapel and it is a nondemoniational church. We study the word of the Lord and go through the books with our Pastor. My husband and I recieved the Lord again this year and were then baptized on Jan. 29th. What a difference going to a church that teaches the fabulous things that the Lord does for us everyday instead of only learning what He truly does not do out of spite. He really wants all of us to be with Him in heaven and not just the "perfect" ones.

 

[GaelSong]

I can't say Im a new believer but I have visited and worshiped at many denominations. I was raised Anglican, go to the SA but am strongly attracted to the Catholic church! Go figure. Im a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

 

[nattsie]

Is church of england one?
My mum always says that we are 'church of england'.

 

[snoochface]

Is church of england one?
My mum always says that we are 'church of england'.

Yes, I believe that is the same as the Anglican church. It is one of the Christian denominations, and very similar to Episcopalians (no clue how to spell that...) in America.

 

[arunma]

Actually, I joined the Baptist church, two and a half years ago, almost by accident. After I became a believer, I was searching for a church to attend. My parents weren't believers, and I'd never been to church in my life (except for the time I went to a church service while visiting a Christian college in my senior year of high school). So I had no idea about the differences between teh various denominations; I didn't even know the difference between a Roman Catholic and a Pentecostal! In this time of ignorance, God had mercy on me. It just so happened that a believer who lived in my residence hall heard that I was looking for a church, and invited me to attend her Baptist church. And now, here I am! I was baptized in this church, and I'm now actively involved here.

Of course I've visited other denominations since then, but I am quite content where God has placed me.

 

[JPPT1974]

I can't say Im a new believer but I have visited and worshiped at many denominations. I was raised Anglican, go to the SA but am strongly attracted to the Catholic church! Go figure. Im a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

Praying that you will find the right church for you my friend
Good luck!

 

[millerrod]

the more i grow the more understanding God gives me the more i think i am Catholic ????????????

 

[snoochface]

the more i grow the more understanding God gives me the more i think i am Catholic ????????????

If you don't mind my asking, why do you think that?

 

[millerrod]

since i turned to Christ i have been VERY carefull to study the Bible with an open mind free of mans interpertation, its just been me and the Holy Spirit, i used a bible free of foot notes so that the Spirit would guide me not man. i have been to several diferent churches only to find error in the basic teaching, a pastor standing on the pulpit talking trash of another body of the church [ always the Catholic church ] time and time again this has happened. i knew this was a huge example how not to be and went completly against Love you neighbor and about half of the characteristics of Love found in 1 Cor13:4-7 so for the last few years i have just been studying deeper and deeper to see where the truth lies, which doctrine is right, what i have found is that EVERYTHING that i had heard that the Catholic church had wrong, is actually the truth, BIBLE TRUTH, man has pounded it into my head they have it wrong but the Holy Spirit has shown me they are very right. i think many misunderstand the symbolizm they use. because it takes a clear understanding of the Bible to see how they use the symbolizm that they do.

 

[478879]

When I first went to college, a Jesuit school, I started meeting with a priest, but illness forced me to quit school, so I focused on getting better. I am set to began RCIA classes in the fall at my present school. I grew up Methodist, but after going to mass, it just personally felt right for me.
This

 

[478879]

When I first went to college, a Jesuit school, I started meeting with a priest, but illness forced me to quit school, so I focused on getting better. I am set to began RCIA classes in the fall at my present school. I grew up Methodist, but after going to mass, it just personally felt right for me. But as a kid, I didn't go to church, just some sunday school and vacation bible school in the summers.
This is gonna sound crazy, but in November, I was pulled over by a cop for speeding. I had finally cleared my license of all points. So the cop went back to the car to write the ticket, and I just started to panic, praying to God "No God, no. My insurance is going to go up and I will have to work more and my grades are going to suffer, and I don't want to leave school again!!!"
The cop came back, tells me he's gonna give me a break (I was caught doing 84 in a 65) he gave me a ticket for failure to obey a traffic sign (he said the traffic sign I didn't obey would be the speed limit sign). The ticket was $100 less than the speeding ticket would be, and it carried no points!! (so, my insurance didn't go up!). I drove home in shock. Everyone tells me how lucky I got, that they had never heard of a cop doing such a thing. So two weeks later, I had my heart crushed again by an ex-boyfriend, and I decided that I needed God's help, I couldn't live without Him. I felt that the obvious answered prayer with the ticket was a sign from God that I should count on Him. I have been praying everyday since. (Oh and during the heartbreak, the most supportive friend, a devout Christian, would say the most comforting things, and she started teaching me about God.)

 

[lady4theallmighty]

I chose a non-denominational church because of the belief that our God is an all loving god and I doesn't necessarily adhere to the legalism of other religions. I spent many years in turmoil looking for something to believe in, always feeling like something was missing. I had a hard time even celebrating Christmas because I felt like a hypocrite. Nothing has ever felt so right for me and my life has completely changed.

 

[JPPT1974]

As a child, I celebrated Christmas for all of the wrong reasons as well
But now I celebrate it for the right reasons!

 

[xxbubbly_bethxx]

I've only been a Christian for around 5 months so guess I'm new!

I sort of fell into a non-denominational church! I was looking for Alpha courses which were in my area and found 2, after a series of emails I ended up at 1 church & Im still there now, loving it! I think it just helps to keep things simple being able to call yourself a 'Christian' rather than a specific denomination. We're all one body, why cut it into pieces?

Having said that, I am part of a choir at an Anglican Cathedral so Im not completely denomination free! And Im at a Catholic college! I know that sounds odd but most people at both of those places aren't even Christians let alone strongly denominational so it works! xxx