Returning to church?

[dizzymama]

Hi all, I've never posted on this particular discussion board before, but kind of stumbled on it today and wondered if I could just unload . I have gone to church all my life (I have Christian parents)but a few years ago myself and DH had a really bad experience with the leadership at our church. Without going in to it all (don't want to bore everyone) was left feeling that nobody really cared and that most Christians were complete hypocrits, left the church (which sort of disbanded after all these events anyway) and tried several other places but never really settled anywhere. Now haven't been to church for nearly a year. Very much feel that, especially as baby is on the way, I would like to return as I miss the support and love we used to feel 'in the good old days'! I would also like to be going again when baby arrives so he/she can be dedicated. The problem is, we're running out of churches to try in our area and what if Christians really are all hot air??!! I'm very confused about the whole thing as you can probably tell....sorry to waffle

wish I had more time....!

whatever went on in your own church sounds bad, if it had to disband in the end. but remember, in a christian context, we are all fallen and men often mess things up, but god doesn't change. where do you live? I may be able to recommend some churches. Also, some churches don't insist that you attend to have your child dedicated. you talk about 'christians' as if you don't consider yourself to be one. Maybe you should look at your relationship with god and the whole faith issue, then take it from there. After all, it would be strange to attend a church if you didn't actually believe what they were preaching, so to speak. I left my old church feeling let down with the leadership, stayed away for 5 years, got up to all sorts in the meantime and ended up really fucked up. However, what got me back wasn't the people there (although once I'd joined a church it helped that some of the people I met were mature christians, and all were well meaning)it was the deep longing to be back in that place of relationship with god, needing to acknowledge him in my life again and get serious about it all. After all, if you do believe in god, it's pretty weird to live your life as if he wasn't around most of the time, if you know what I mean, which was definately what I'd been doing. Hope this helps!

Manna

Sounds quite famiiar! I suppose I do talk about christians as if it doesn't include me, I suppose what I mean is I don't feel like I'm like that! I am interested in a proper relationship with God and that is what is calling me back to church, it's more a case of the people (christians if you like), or my past experiences with them, are putting me off. I'm around the Wyre Forest area - easiest way to explain it! Not far from Bromsgrove either.

dizzymama. This sound very familiar to me. We were in the same situation about 5 or 6 years ago. The same sort of thing happened at our old church and a lot of people left very hurt by things that had happened. Our old church folded too. I think the fact that there are 3 of us with the same experience so far just here shows that it is not unusual for people to foul up Gods congregation.

That said, manna is right, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He doesn't foul up.

We tried to find a new church near by but nowhere felt right and we were pretty cynacle (sp?) but were having a baby and wanted (like you) to be part of a fellowship. We eventually moved house out of London and started going to the church I had gone to as a teenager and started to mend our hurt and be part of Gods Family.

It is difficult to find where you need to be. Pray. Ask God to guide you to where you are mant to be. It will be a place where He can heal your hurts and draw you close again.

Bless you

bump

Sometimes it just takes a while for past hurts to heal, and sometimes it just takes a while to find the church God's got in mind for you!! When we got married we moved away from the church I'd grown up in (which was big, lively and quite affluent) to a small one on a council estate that met in a school hall.It was very different and we thought about leaving a number of times.But we stayed and after 10 years God really blessed the church and brought it alive. We still had nothing in terms of woprship groups, or a building or even large numbers (and our leader was in his 80s!!)but we felt that we were where God wanted us. Then 7 years ago we moved house and started going to a large church that "Had everything"- brill worship group,lots of very involved people, a proper building... after 6 years we still felt new, even though we are involved with the youth and the kids, my eldest sings in the music group, But there seems to be no community there. I've recently started going to another local church too, a small one, and feel that I belong there even though my DH doesn't, quite hard really as I've got my feet in 2 camps atm. Ooops sorry for rambling on- got sidetracked!!!!

I agree with Cadbury that God will have a place where he wants you to be and you should keep asking him to show you the way. I also believe that there will be something you are supposed to learn from the experiences you have been through which will lead to something better.