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Philosophy/religion

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Evangelical Christianity and being 'Born again'

38 replies

Sellingyesterdaysnews · 09/09/2016 22:49

I am a Christian and have been developing my faith this last year. I was looking for a church where I felt comfortable , inspired, ideally have good fellowship and where I feel above all the worship suits me. I am a very private person and like to pray and worship quietly in church but enjoy the feeling of being lifted up by the sermon and the Bible study.
I began visiting a C of E Parish church which was very nice, but small congregation, and the prayers and responses very formulaic. I tried a local Evangelical church where I have been going the last few months.
Last Sunday there was a sermon on Pontius Pilate and the crowds being not on Jesus' side and the reasons this may have been. This then led into a part of the sermon about salvation through Christ. The Pastor kept calling out then who wanted to be with Jesus and who would be left to one side in eternal damnation .
then there was a communion but they brought the bread and wine round to us, and didn't bless it like they do in C of E church does anyone know why this is? And the vicar kept saying, if you are with Jesus and have accepted Jesus into your life , take the bread and wine...I can't tell all of it of course, but it's quite a small church room and it's as if everyone was watching me. I thought for a moment the vicar would call me up.. He does quite a lot of calling out and clapping ...to the front and ask me if I had Jesus in my life.
Now I don't think I am lacking in my faith but I find this style excruciating and also not sure why there has to be a Born again experience.. Isn't it enough to believe Jesus is our saviour ? That he is the redeemer.
Is this just a style issue I have with the church? I am not sure I want to go back and may return to C of E , wondered if any Christians have any thoughts on this.

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Sellingyesterdaysnews · 12/09/2016 20:25

Yes that is a nice analogy Natty. I think I had light coloured curtains blowing in the breeze and often there would be a gust and the curtains would balloon up filling the room with light .. :)

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poshme · 13/09/2016 23:24

I came on to say exactly what natty said!
For me- curtain opening moment, for my DH it was gradual sun coming up.

I couldn't be happy in a church where I HAD to declare publicly what I believed.
Hope you find a church home.

Sellingyesterdaysnews · 14/09/2016 19:47

I don't know if he was thinking of calling me out.. Or just watching to see if I took communion etc I just felt a bit uncomfortable under scrutiny.
Conversely if he had asked me quietly I would have been fine with it.
I think I liked the C in W church best..beautiful service . Will see how it goes this Sunday .

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LarrytheCucumber · 16/09/2016 09:51

selling I have been a Christian since I was a teenager. I went to a meeting with a friend where a similar thing happened to me. The speaker looked at me and asked people to stand up if they were saved. I stood up and he actually said 'Well I must have got that wrong then.' My friend was a regular at the group and was pretty certain I was the only newcomer. I haven't been back.
I don't think many people would be happy being put on the spot like that in a small group.

Sellingyesterdaysnews · 18/09/2016 19:27

I went to a traditional service again today C of E , a different one to last week which I was too late for. It was nice. I felt comfortable , although not challenged at all. The church is very big so you are much more anonymous. If I continued there I would like to join the choir and bible study group.

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LarrytheCucumber · 19/09/2016 07:22

Glad you had a good experience yesterday.

NattyTile · 20/09/2016 08:43

That sounds nice. choir and bible study sound good too - and small group stuff can be great for getting down into the nitty gritty in a safe space, rather than public shaming.

akkakk · 20/09/2016 09:04

the reason for the expression born-again is because the Bible / Jesus are clear that entry to the Kingdom of Heaven is not through how you are born (huge issues in the day with Jews assuming that they were born into the Kingdom of Heaven), but through making a deliberate and personal choice to be born again into God's Kingdom...

The reason for the distinction now is that we live in a country where the word Christian has lots of meanings, and in particular an assumption that you are a Christian if you are not anything else - partly the fault of an established Church which is built into society... However the Bible is very clear, you can not be born a Christian - it is a choice, so the terminology is used to distinguish those who make the choice v. those who make an inaccurate assumption that they are already a Christian and need take no personal responsibility for accepting Jesus' death / salvation.

So, I would agree with others, it is not a term I would use about myself by default, but equally it is a term I am comfortable with...

The issue about feeling comfortable is a difficult one - in your original comment you say I am a very private person and like to pray and worship quietly in church but enjoy the feeling of being lifted up by the sermon and the Bible study. This is an area the Church has struggled with over the years - understanding when someone's character means that they find certain approaches easier (e.g. introvert preferring one style of worship, extrovert another) versus some people who say the same as a defence mechanism against having to actually commit as Christians.

I think for me it is very clear - Christ doesn't require us all to worship him / God in the same way, and there is certainly no prescribed form of Church / being a Christian, so you are not wrong in what makes you comfortable... however equally, we are called as Christians to do various things which may not sit comfortably with you - to be outward in our expressions of worship / evangelism / etc. is one simple example and we do have an issue in this country of not being very free in worship, of finding reasons and barriers to avoid having to actually worship God - using our attendance at Church as an excuse to not actually have to engage in a daily relationship with Christ... Looking at Asian & African churches currently gives a very good illustration of where God is being allowed to work - perhaps if we had a culture which embraced God as a part of our daily life rather than just put in a box at 10am on a Sunday where we sing a few songs and say a few prayers and listen to a homily - then we would see God working more in our society which perhaps might not be a bad thing... (certainly a personal challenge...)

For each of us it is a very personal journey, but I think it is worth exploring why you feel uncomfortable, and how that sits in your personal journey with God - something that is unique to you - so not right or wrong, but perhaps opens lots of good and challenging questions?

Sellingyesterdaysnews · 20/09/2016 21:46

I think the C of E church is as Christian as the evangelical church, although I know what you mean about some people who seem to go to church as a tradition rather than having a commitment and personal relationship with God .. More so in C of E than the evangelical churches which you have to make a conscious decision/ statement to go to I think.

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akkakk · 21/09/2016 07:30

Agreed, to be fair the Church itself isn't what is / isn't Christian... it is the people within who make that personal decision... the C of E is more likely to attract those who come for the ritual rather than due to a personal conviction...

Sellingyesterdaysnews · 21/09/2016 19:36

Yes, but then there are people like me who are committed but do not want to stand up and shout out .

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Sellingyesterdaysnews · 13/10/2016 22:29

Akkak : I think I feel uncomfortable because some of the more expressive styles strike me as too ' out there' .. Possibly a bit fake and reminiscent of American pastors performing miracles etc for money and exorcising evil sprits etc . To me it's going a bit along that path of extreme 'expression' which appears a bit crazy and manipulative.

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streaky69 · 28/10/2016 09:40

I'm a recent visitor to Catholicism, I'm currently going through the process prior to baptism next Easter. I enjoy mass and love being in church but the messages etc are not necessarily uplifting enough for me. So I listen to podcasts of Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer, they give great teachings to supplement my Catholic growth.

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