Aimz

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I would pray together with your boyfriend over this and write a heartfelt letter to your church praising it first but then explaining how you feel persecuted by it at the same time. Better to have things open and sooner then never and God will let you know if He wants you to remain or not. A local community is supposed to be welcoming not judgemental.

But persecution will happen and it sanctifies us in holiness so try to embrace it and not be overcome by it!

Hello, I just recently joined on here and I wasn't sure where to go. I grew up in a Christian home but did not go to church, when I met my boyfriend he started bringing me to church with him which is Pentecostal. I loved it there for awhile but I've been there for about a year and a half now and I feel as if I'm constantly being judged. I raise my hands I speak in tongues, etc but no matter what I feel like I'm constantly under scrutiny by the leaders. I love Pentecostal trust me I have never felt so alive before, but tonight at church I went to the altar and I felt his presence like never before and some of the leaders made other leaders listen to me as If I fake everything I do and then continued to talk about how some are not right with the Lord. I'm frustrated because I love Jesus but everyone either thinks I'm crazy, I fake it or just plain don't like me. Should I leave my church? I love Pentecostal, I don't fake a thing but it's getting to the point where I'm losing the touch of God because I'm scared to act on the holy spirit because I don't want to be judged anymore. I know the saying goes if you feel judged the need to be at the altar too but the problem is the people I feel are judging me are the ones doing so. I came home from church tonight and cried. I have no idea what to do. I'm not looking for an argument here on what's right and wrong and if you believe in the gifts. I just want advice on what to do
 
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I've attended a Four Square Church for many years. They teach that spiritual gifts are very much alive and practice them. Assemblies of God does as well and others. I do not speak in tongues. I had a girlfriend who led me to the Lord who did. I didn't understand what she was saying, nor did she. It is a prayer language and edifying to you only unless someone in your congregation has the gift of interpretation of tongues. It is a deep prayer in which the Holy Spirit is in communion with you, but is a foreign language to others. It sometimes makes others uncomfortable. Imagine sitting thriugh a Chinese sermon, what will you get out if it?
Can you interpret what you are saying? Because if you can, or find some else who can, then it can be beneficial to others if what you are saying is edifying or possibly prophetic.
I have often had others pray for me in tongues and I didn't understand, nor did anyone interpret so it wasn't edifying for me at the moment. Spiritually prayers are always beneficial, but usually it is more for your edification. (Read 1 Cor. 12)
That said, when you have a problem with someone, the Bible tells us to confront that person first, if they don't listen, maybe if you shared with others and they support you, have them speak to her and if the problem isn't resolved then speak to an elder, then the Pastor. This youth pastor's wife apparently doesn't interpret tongues, maybe she doesn't speak in tongues either. It could be her insecurity and fear that your gift is real and she has yet to realize hers? We are sinners. People still get envious and jealous.
If none of this works, find another church.
See I was led to believe that you don't speak in tongues in church without an interpreter because it will confuse others. Yet she was telling me get louder get louder. It's my personal prayer languge I use so I am not very loud with it in a church service. This is what kinda bothered me as well.
 
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Blade

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HI.. I pray no one here is TELLING you what you should do as in leaving. So.. some of your thoughts are not from God but the enemy. Fact.. everyone is not judging you nor thinking your this your that :). So FLIP that thought. Well satan can not tell you the truth. WHO would want you to LEAVE a Church bounce around when you said your self how you felt Gods presence there? Satan. So if its thoughts like.. "he judging you because" or some random thought like that. DONT listen to it. Satan can not tell the truth. God will not say that to us. It does not help you nor them in anyway and brings not peace. So some of this.. does it bring peace? Then never give those thoughts air time so to speak

And.. we walk by faith not feelings. So no matter what they LOOK LIKE.. don't take it personally. Unless they come out and say something. No matter what it looks like.. see the GOOD in them. Your not there for them.. your there for God. We return GOOD for evil. Not that there doing evil lol. But.. if were being mistreated.. how can we bless them? Yeah.. we LOVE BACK! You have a GOD IN YOU! He WILL ALWAYS protect you! Your not alone....and from just what you said seems to me the enemy is playing with you.
 
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HI.. I pray no one here is TELLING you what you should do as in leaving. So.. some of your thoughts are not from God but the enemy. Fact.. everyone is not judging you nor thinking your this your that :). So FLIP that thought. Well satan can not tell you the truth. WHO would want you to LEAVE a Church bounce around when you said your self how you felt Gods presence there? Satan. So if its thoughts like.. "he judging you because" or some random thought like that. DONT listen to it. Satan can not tell the truth. God will not say that to us. It does not help you nor them in anyway and brings not peace. So some of this.. does it bring peace? Then never give those thoughts air time so to speak

And.. we walk by faith not feelings. So no matter what they LOOK LIKE.. don't take it personally. Unless they come out and say something. No matter what it looks like.. see the GOOD in them. Your not there for them.. your there for God. We return GOOD for evil. Not that there doing evil lol. But.. if were being mistreated.. how can we bless them? Yeah.. we LOVE BACK! You have a GOD IN YOU! He WILL ALWAYS protect you! Your not alone....and from just what you said seems to me the enemy is playing with you.
I put my faith in God fully and I understand Satan is the oppressor, what I am having difficulty with is yes I understand Satan can put thoughts in my mind, but I FELT God's presence and then I heard my church members say I was faking. I think part of it is because I fell away from Christ awhile back when I was going through a lot. But it wasn't like I was running around the room going crazy or anything I just had an ecounter with the Lord and I was judged, yet they try to force people to go to the altar when they don't feel like it. I'm not trying to judge are all but this is how the leaders of my youth are acting. On the other side on Sundays when we have service I'm fine because our pastor pastor not youth pastor preaches. It's something with our youth that's going in not the entire church that's why I'm having trouble deciding.
 
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Stormy

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At some point you need to decide whether you wish to do what's pleasing to man or what has been ordained by God as your role in the word! If what you do is what God has told you to do, then how can you possibly allow man to alter its course
Sing, shout, talk in tongues, and rejoice! He is with you and so am I
 
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GirdYourLoins

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I've just read a few more comments since my first reply. I stand by what I said. This is a youth pastors wife from what you said and as you have a youth pastor I am guessing you have a senior pastor. This is who you need to speak to, or if that is completely not possible another person or pastor in a position of leadership. Ask them for advice. Tell them that you are uncomfortable about approaching the woman directly but you may leave the church if it goes unaddressed and you know others have left the church. It may well be that they already know something is wrong and if not they need to know as it is affecting their church. Go with your boyfriend for support if you can.

Having read more comments I am wondering if the Jezebel spirit is at work in this woman. There was a lot of teaching on this throughout the worldwide church a few years ago in the church but it I havent heard anything on it for years. I have faced this spirit both within the church and outside the church. This spirit seeks out places where God is at work and tries to undermine and destroy them for its own perceived spiritual strength. It may start off quietly trying to undermine anything that does not feed it but if allowed to grow unchecked will eventually destroy the church you are in.

Many churches have closed and pastors careers ended by this spirit and it always takes years for the church to recover, if it ever does. I hope it is not that spirit but alarm bells are ringing. It is a spirit that seeks power, authority and recognition for itself. This spirit looks to seduce the flesh while masquerading as being of God. Tell the senior pastor when you speak to them that you posted about what happened on a forum and this was raised as a possibility. I'd be happy for you to show them this reply and tell them you are only doing what someone recommended.
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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Hello, I just recently joined on here and I wasn't sure where to go. I grew up in a Christian home but did not go to church, when I met my boyfriend he started bringing me to church with him which is Pentecostal. I loved it there for awhile but I've been there for about a year and a half now and I feel as if I'm constantly being judged. I raise my hands I speak in tongues, etc but no matter what I feel like I'm constantly under scrutiny by the leaders. I love Pentecostal trust me I have never felt so alive before, but tonight at church I went to the altar and I felt his presence like never before and some of the leaders made other leaders listen to me as If I fake everything I do and then continued to talk about how some are not right with the Lord. I'm frustrated because I love Jesus but everyone either thinks I'm crazy, I fake it or just plain don't like me. Should I leave my church? I love Pentecostal, I don't fake a thing but it's getting to the point where I'm losing the touch of God because I'm scared to act on the holy spirit because I don't want to be judged anymore. I know the saying goes if you feel judged the need to be at the altar too but the problem is the people I feel are judging me are the ones doing so. I came home from church tonight and cried. I have no idea what to do. I'm not looking for an argument here on what's right and wrong and if you believe in the gifts. I just want advice on what to do
Are the leaders causing you to feel that your being scrutinized about your participation in worship to God? In what way do they express themselves in their observations? Is it approval or disapproval. If there is nothing to disprove of I wouldn't pay them any mind. The only other alternative is to find another place to worship.
 
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Are the leaders causing you to feel that your being scrutinized about your participation in worship to God? In what way do they express themselves in their observations? Is it approval or disapproval. If there is nothing to disprove of I wouldn't pay them any mind. The only other alternative is to find another place to worship.
Well my boyfriend and I have given up going to church there all together. After the incident with the leaders, ANOTHER pastor within the church came up to my boyfriend and slapped him on his derriere in front of the entire congregation. Highly inappropriate. He's fed up and I hate to say it, I haven't went to a youth service since the incident with me. I only go on Sundays when I can.
 
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jiminpa

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Unless you truly are in intentional sin, 1 word. Run! Just leave, immediately, if not sooner. Get out! Don't look back. Your relationship with God is most important, and that will not prosper in a holier-than-thou on the outside, dead on the inside church. You will never live up to superficial requirements and walk with God, so you will have to choose one or the other, and the sooner you choose God over trying to live up the better. Sadly, most churches with "Pentecostal" in the name are more legalistic than Spiritual. It's a shame too. I know some who have good hearts, but are so caught up in unbiblical requirements (what to wear, how to appear), that they get lost in them and don't even notice that God's love has become unwelcome.
 
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lismore

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I loved it there for awhile but I've been there for about a year and a half now and I feel as if I'm constantly being judged.

I have a couple of relatives who are like that, God love them, nothing and nobody is ever good enough. They need deep inner healing from the HS but can only get it when they seek for it.

As a personal encouragement to you, 1 Samuel 16:7. Man looks on the outer appearance but the Lord looks on the heart. God Bless :)
 
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StillGods

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Well my boyfriend and I have given up going to church there all together. After the incident with the leaders, ANOTHER pastor within the church came up to my boyfriend and slapped him on his derriere in front of the entire congregation. Highly inappropriate. He's fed up and I hate to say it, I haven't went to a youth service since the incident with me. I only go on Sundays when I can.

That is truly bizarre and totally inappropriate behavior from a pastor! well from anyone in a church actually... great choice to not go there anymore!
 
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