| Author | Message | ||
| Taybie Registered user Username: Taybie Post Number: 108 Registered: 4-2005 |
I have been MIA for a while - but glory to God, it has been for a good cause. My Mom is doing MUCH better and the little car is holding its own, thank the Lord! I am still searching for a church home...the church I have been fellowshipping with is a very loving church, but I need to be FED. Does anyone understand what I mean? I am not saying that the pastors at this wonderful church aren't blessing my life - they are...I am just not being challenged. Perhaps that is the wrong way to observe or perceive this blessed place, but I feel like I am ahead of where they teach. If that thinking is wrong, then I pray the Lord help me and move me into a full commitment to this section of the body of our Lord. I am still quite surrounded by SDA's. Funny enough, they aviod any discussions of true depth like the plague. Except my best friend's mother. She emailed me recently saying that she wanted to sit down one day and discuss the whole "Adventist thing". She is serious guys!!!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!! She is resigning from her very prestigious post at a prominent SDA Academy! It's amazing what happens when we quiet ourselves in God's will. I have become so much more trusting of Him, once I stopped the thrashing about.  I no longer view SDAs as enemies...the Lord really had to help me see them as people He died for...people that He loved dearly, and with that sight, He took away my need to be right....and I was left with love and concern only. Freedom sure is sweet. Anywho, I just wanted to say hello, Merry CHRIST mas, Blessed New Year and a great big hug to each of you. Love, Love, Love, Shontay | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1236 Registered: 7-2003  |
Shontay, so good to hear from you....I don't think your experiences in church are unusual, as I've been wondering some of the same things in my own church recently. But sometimes God may put us someplace to help others grow. Follow the Lord's leading, that's what I keep telling myself. Hope "other" things are going well for you as well. Email as you need. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3145 Registered: 12-2003  |
Dear Shontay, welcome back! I'm so happy to hear that things are so much more settled for you. I also understand your experience with church. Melissa's advice is good: keep following the Lord's leading. Ask God to direct you. Sometimes becoming involved in a small group Bible study helps the need to be fed. Is such a thing possible at your church? With prayers for you, Colleen | ||
| Taybie Registered user Username: Taybie Post Number: 109 Registered: 4-2005 |
Hi Colleen! I have tried a group in which you can make friends and are supposed to grow more from the connections, but it did not do much less than become a social thing. PERIOD. (Not yelling, just emphasizing) I am HUNGRY for the Word and for connection with other believers. I am going to church tonight. I love the services, but I never felt like this church was home, ya know? Keep me in your prayers, and thank you for praying before I asked. Melissa, "other" things are actually looking mighty bright. Yes, I will email you soon. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2162 Registered: 3-2004  |
Good to have you back Shontay. I understand you as I want a group that studies the Bible as well as being a social group. I am going to volunteer to start a Bible study group with our singles pastor. I need to pray about that. I know I need to study with other Christians. Glad to see you here again. Diana | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1138 Registered: 3-2005 |
Good to hear from you Shontay. There is a genuine hunger for the meat of God's Word to be taught, instead of all the watered down Christianity that there has been a trend toward in the last 20 years, but there are signs, that old fashioned verse by verse Bible teaching is starting to make a comeback, and it might be worthwhile taking a look at some other churches in your area. Stan | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 130 Registered: 3-2005 |
About a church that feeds... there are churches that do verse by verse... our church is not perfect.. in fact people are just plain quirky anywhere I've ever been... not all but some, but the sermon is absolute MEAT.. NOT THE VEGI KIND EITHER... and every week I leave realizing something new of the Lord and the truth of his word. Our pastor actually understands the New Covenant very well. We go to a Christian Missionary and Alliance church(CMA).. ya it's a denomination, but like I said, nothing's perfect cuz people are controlling little varmints. Don't settle for for a good band or lots of cool programs. Keep seeking God and He will direct you. LBD | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 549 Registered: 4-2000  |
Lisa, The CMA church is a solid Evangelical community. Recently, one of our Evangelical Free pastors, left our church to start a church plant for the CMA association of churches. You have found a good church home. Dennis Fischer | ||
| Windmotion Registered user Username: Windmotion Post Number: 253 Registered: 6-2001  |
I think you can go wrong by "judging" a church based on its denomination label or vice versa. I always thought Evangelical Free churches were very relaxed and open, but the one in Seward, NE, (heard of it Dennis?) is rather not. With CMA churches there is also inconsistency. There are several in the area where my parents live (Michigan/Ohio border) and the larger ones tend to be "showier" then the smaller ones. The one my parents attend started out small but has mushroomed b/c of development in the area. The last time I went back to visit I could see it in that church too. But my sister is in Toccoa Falls studying to be a missionary through CMA, so I can't hate on them too much. I had always thought of Methodists as kind of stodgy and traditional, but hey! that is the church God led me to join, and it is not like that at all. Saying that, I'm not going to be a lifelong Methodist either. I feel I joined the church, not the denomination, if that makes any sense. So how to find the right church? (I think there are many good churches but fewer right churches)Pray about it, (obviously) consider denominations and affiliations, then list the things in a church that are important to you and try to talk to the pastor before you go and ask him about the things on your list. That way you can get some of the obvious problems out of the way. Also it doesn't hurt to check out a church's Web site. There was one church we were interested in when we first moved to Seattle, but decided not to go to it after looking at the Web site, because the pastor just looked slick! Cautiously, Hannah | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 134 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hannah, Are you in the Seattle area now? Maybe you told me that once... I agree.. when finding a church call the pastor and ask a host of questions. Lisa | ||
| Ric_b Registered user Username: Ric_b Post Number: 406 Registered: 7-2004  |
Hannah, our experience with Evangelical Free churches in Cincinnati was not good at all. We visited two different ones, after hearing the many great comments here about Evangelical Free churches in general. Frankly I heard more gospel and less legalism in SDA churches. I agree that there can be considerable differences between churches of the same denomination/belief set. For example we attended a small American Baptist Church that we thought was quite grace oriented, but too small to offer the kids anything. Then we tried several larger ABC churches in the area and they were nothing like the first one. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3174 Registered: 12-2003 |
Yep, I agree, Hannah and Rick. You can't judge a church by its denominational label. The pastor(s) and even the vision of the governing board make all the difference. Our pastor, for example, became senior pastor of our church years before he actually became a member of the Evangelical Free Church. It is his own reverence of Jesus and honoring of Scripture that makes our church what it is. Thatóand the fact that the founders of our congregation 25 years ago and the board have consistently prayed that the church would honor God and be a place of integrity and truth. You really do have to visit and ask questions yourself. Not all churches with the same label are alike! Colleen | ||
| Ric_b Registered user Username: Ric_b Post Number: 409 Registered: 7-2004 |
The obvious and tough question here is, if we recognize this within other churches/denominations can we apply the same principles to SDA churches. I have struggled with this question myself after leaving. Not about our own departure, we clearly knew it was time for us to move on. But rather in our relationship with SDAs who know, teach and preach the true Gospel. Since we acknowledge that there are differences within denominational groups, I had to ask myself, does the label on the front matter if an SDA church is correctly teaching the Gospel. I decided that it does matter. Let me explain why. It has to do with my support (time, talent, money, attendance) tacitly accepting the stated doctrines, particularly the doctrines relating to salvation. (Message edited by ric_b on January 09, 2006) | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3178 Registered: 12-2003 |
Rick, that is exactly why Richard and I believe Adventism needs to be exposed. One time, after a women's retreat where I mentioned Adventism, a woman came and asked me what the difference was between Adventism and a legalistic Baptist church, for example. I had never been asked that beforeóbut I realized at that moment that there IS a very big difference: Adventism is founded on a false prophet and deception. The Baptist church actually had the gospel as its "root". In a Baptist church it is possible to hear true salvation. In an Adventist church one could never get a truly clear gospel. There's always a bottom line that leads away from the finished work of Christ--not to mention away from sola scriptura. Colleen | ||
| Lynne Registered user Username: Lynne Post Number: 188 Registered: 10-2005 |
I looked at the Amazing Facts Empowered web site and I remember what the Adventist church told me this "......Evangelism is seen as a process-not just an event." Yes, it was a long brainwashing process, you do not get saved. Now I know what they mean and didn't know any better then. The Seventh-day adventist doctrine is clear on their website and if anyone is preaching anything else, they are being deceptive and should leave. I just don't see any hope in Adventism. | ||
| Lynne Registered user Username: Lynne Post Number: 189 Registered: 10-2005 |
I meant to say WHEN (not what) the Adventist church told me this... | ||
| Loneviking Registered user Username: Loneviking Post Number: 413 Registered: 7-2000 |
The difference between a legalistic Baptist church and an SDA one? You can 'unravel' the legalistic doctrines of the Baptist church and find true, Bible based Christianity. With Adventism, you can't 'unravel' and find the Bible, you find Saint Ellen instead. If (hypothetically) you were to decide to attend an SDA church that is preaching the 'true' gospel---you would be attending on Saturday, wouldn't you? And wouldn't you find that these SDA's who teach a 'true' gosepl are very adamant about Saturday being the day to worship? Doesn't their 'proof' of the Sabbath involve a use of the Old Testament in a way that defies correct hermaneutics? Isn't much of their support from EGW? And does the 'true' New Testament gospel have a dedicated day of worship? Wouldn't you, by your actions, be affirming an untruth as opposed to legalism which is the truth carried too far? You can't associate with any of these cultic groups without having other beliefs and ideas attach themselves to you. They are all tangled up together and they are based on an authority other than the Bible. Once you accept the reasoning of one of their key doctrines, there is no turning back. By accepting the rationale for one of their doctrines, you have just accepted the rationale that underlies every doctrine that they hold. Bill | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3183 Registered: 12-2003 |
So well said, Bill. Colleen | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1163 Registered: 3-2005 |
The only exception to Bill's comments above would be the Seventh-day Baptist church I attended in Riverside. No legalism there, but they believe the Sabbath is important. | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1164 Registered: 3-2005 |
One other Devil's advocate question I would have is this; what about some very Arminian Baptist or Pentecostal churches who clearly teach that you can lose your salvation by some illegal activity that you do. I heard Jimmy Swaggart say on TV, that if you were to die while having a drink of alcohol, then it would be a lie from the pit of hell, to say that that person was saved, even if they claimed to have trusted Christ. If you can lose your salvation by having a drink, then this is no different at all from SDA's Arminian device called the Investigative Judgment. So, to be honest, I am much more comfortable listening to Randy Roberts at the LLU SDA church, than I am some legalistic Baptist or pentecostal teachers. Stan |
