- Jun 12, 2023
- 124
- 53
- 33
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Single
Hi there, I guess you could say I'm a new Christian, I'm definitely new to church, and am having trouble figuring out what exactly church is supposed to be about and what I'm supposed to actually do there. To put it bluntly, what's the point?
Coming into it my expectation was...
1) Hear a sermon to teach God's word
2) Interact with and integrate into a community of people who support each other personally and in their faith
3) Participate in charitable works in the community
What I've experienced so far...
1) Check, but then again that could just as well be accomplished on the radio
2) Everybody kind of seems 'in their bubble', i.e. they show up when the service starts, when the service ends they leave and maybe on the way out chat with the same people they always chat to. For example, my ~3rd time at a church, and 1st time in maybe 2 years... during the service there was someone who walked outside, sat against the building, and started crying. My first instinct was 'hey shouldn't someone go talk to that guy?', there were people standing and chatting right next to him, but nobody gave him a glance, so I went and talked to him. When the service ended, overwhelmed by the whole experience, I became that guy. I was outside for 20 minutes or so as 100+ people walked by without a glance or at most a 'drive-by' handshake (as in they didn't even stop walking). There was a really nice older lady who did stop and we had a really good exchange, but I haven't seen her since or had any other meaningful interaction with anyone. Am I supposed to go before the service starts to interact with people? I've tried staying after but it seems everyone just wants to leave.
3) I asked if they needed any help doing things at the church or in any of their community works. It appears I've gotten the ol' runaround in regards to that. Go talk to this guy > go talk to this other guy > he'll pass your info along to that guy and that guy jr. Haven't heard anything back.
Coming into it my expectation was...
1) Hear a sermon to teach God's word
2) Interact with and integrate into a community of people who support each other personally and in their faith
3) Participate in charitable works in the community
What I've experienced so far...
1) Check, but then again that could just as well be accomplished on the radio
2) Everybody kind of seems 'in their bubble', i.e. they show up when the service starts, when the service ends they leave and maybe on the way out chat with the same people they always chat to. For example, my ~3rd time at a church, and 1st time in maybe 2 years... during the service there was someone who walked outside, sat against the building, and started crying. My first instinct was 'hey shouldn't someone go talk to that guy?', there were people standing and chatting right next to him, but nobody gave him a glance, so I went and talked to him. When the service ended, overwhelmed by the whole experience, I became that guy. I was outside for 20 minutes or so as 100+ people walked by without a glance or at most a 'drive-by' handshake (as in they didn't even stop walking). There was a really nice older lady who did stop and we had a really good exchange, but I haven't seen her since or had any other meaningful interaction with anyone. Am I supposed to go before the service starts to interact with people? I've tried staying after but it seems everyone just wants to leave.
3) I asked if they needed any help doing things at the church or in any of their community works. It appears I've gotten the ol' runaround in regards to that. Go talk to this guy > go talk to this other guy > he'll pass your info along to that guy and that guy jr. Haven't heard anything back.