Trying to be a Christian... any tips?

[HeroicMinute]

I've just started listening to the Hallowed app. The first thing I've come across is a Routines course, which is great for me as I am horrendous time waster, which probably explains why I haven't spiritually evolved.
I was raised loosely Christian and attended the village church as a child. I think I want to replicate this traditional experience, but with some slightly more intellectual content.
I've been thinking about Christianity for a few years, and have tried a few different churches, but nothing's stuck.
My reasons for not sticking at a church:
-I can't handle a church band, it all seems very nice and worshipful but it makes me cringe a bit. I love a choir.
-I am very opposed to modern identity politics and didn't go back when a vicar started talking about structural racism in the church.
-I stopped going to an evangelical church because the curate was sweet and excited about his Christianity but did lengthy sermons suitable for children with no analysis or intellectual stimulation.
-found a curate at another church a bit creepy.
-found the sermon in a big popular church on 8th October to be a bit antisemitic.

You get the picture; I'm a bit of a PITA and I'm obviously putting up barriers. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a particularly intellectual person but I am curious and I sincerely want to be a Christian. I don't yet believe properly, sometimes I do, well I suppose I usually do, but with varying levels of conviction.
Any tips would be very gratefully received.
Thank you in advance.

Try Grace Baptist, EPCEW or Reformed Churches. Usually thought provoking, stimulating sermons (I wouldn't say super intellectual but towards that direction). The ones I've been to usually just have 1 piano or organ and no band (although admittedly no choirs!). Really friendly, down to earth places without the frills or "hype" vibe of Big Eva churches. Good luck on your journey! Praying for you xx

@Kdtym10

Yes to all those things. But none of that excludes me from being Christian. Empires have sought, often quite some time/centuries after Jesus, to refine his teachings for their own ends. It’s a mistake to think what we now think of as the organised religion(s) of Christianity is the only (or indeed most authentic) way to be a Christian. Often what we now see as Christianity as twisted the Bible. Yes sometimes my interpretation of the Bible is unorthodox, because often the orthodox interpretation is limited by an agenda to support a man made belief system. Often (as above re Satan leaving heaven) religion has obscured the position so that a story many Christians as convinced in the Bible is actually not there.

Yes. I recognise all this. Power play and prejudice is somewhat representative of the human condition. We come across it everywhere, not least if we examine our own motivations on occasions.

it must be remembered that the Bible (both the old and New Testament) was never meant to be read by the average person so simple interpretations aren’t to be expected, one must look at the original language, contemporary culture, other competing religions and linguistic plays and tricks in order to understand it.

The trouble with this solution is that it is somewhat elitist and relies heavily on someone's access to 'the right education'. I believe the Holy Spirit can overcome all obstacles and reach us should we desire this wholeheartedly.

It depends what you want though from Christianity- a nice group of similar minded souls to share a cuppa with, or to reach union with God.

Indeed. See above. 😉

“The trouble with this solution is that it is somewhat elitist and relies heavily on someone's access to 'the right education'. I believe the Holy Spirit can overcome all obstacles and reach us should we desire this wholeheartedly.”

But everyone can access these things, may people just aren’t listening to the Holy Spirit in deciding whether to put The Work in.

Anyone wanting us to form a zoom

But everyone can access these things, may people just aren’t listening to the Holy Spirit in deciding whether to put The Work in.

@Kdtym10, there are many different gifts and God can manifest in and through people in many different ways (more than we can imagine).

so why discount something because it’s esoteric

@Kdtym10,

so why discount something because it’s esoteric

Because it is elitist by definition. Christ is for whosoever will believe on Him.

Maybe if to believe in Christ fully you have to fully understand who Christ is

@Kdtym10,

Maybe if to believe in Christ fully you have to fully understand who Christ is

Maybe to fully understand who Christ you have to believe in Him.

"13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”l (Luke 11: 13-14 NIV)

@Kdtym10

• " Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 *This is what the ancients were commended for. (Hebrews 11:1-2)

So how can you be practicing faith if you need to fully understand in order to believe?

Can you explain what you’re trying to get at here

@Kdtym10

Can you explain what you’re trying to get at here

That you only need to ask God in order to receive (more of) The Holy Spirit (and believe in faith you will receive).

How do you know what to ask God? Presumably he will only grant things that accord with his plan, so you will need to understand what his plan is.

@Kdtym10,

How do you know what to ask God? Presumably he will only grant things that accord with his plan, so you will need to understand what his plan is.

@Kdtym10
It is in God's plan that you receive more of the Holy Spirit as per the scripture I just quoted upthread. It is God's plan that you do His will in thought and deed as peer the Lord's Prayer. So you can pray these prayers in faith that they will be granted. 🙂

And what does the Lord’s Prayer mean? What is God’s Will? What is the Holy Spirit?

And what does the Lord’s Prayer mean? What is God’s Will? What is the Holy Spirit?

@Kdtym10, if you don't know why don't you ask God for revelation of these things? Pray for knowledge and wisdom. 🙂

Oh, I know what they mean to me. What do they mean to you/orthodox Christianity.

For anyone considering Christianity, here’s a link to a brief overview of one of the earliest Christian views on Jesus

@Kdtym10

Oh, I know what they mean to me. What do they mean to you/orthodox Christianity.

I know what they mean to me too. Furthermore I expect my understanding to continuously develop and grow also as I grow in faith.

I'm sure you (think you) know already, with perceptions gained from all your study what they mean within Orthodox Christianity. I could offer you various church definitions but you could look them up yourself and probably already have so I'm not going to supply anymore more head knowledge for you to pick apart. Since the pertinent bit is how you, how we each, respond on encountering God.

Well that’s an interesting response. So from that I would gather you aren’t confident in the meanings that they have for you, or at least in the ultimate meanings for you. If you expect the meanings to change as you change wouldn’t you say that those meanings are internal and personal and esoteric rather than fixed exoteric dogma.

Equally as strange is your reluctance to set out the exoteric beliefs for fear I might “pick those apart” surely if they are that easy to pick apart” they are worthy of some deep questioning over why people believe them

@Kdtym10

Well that’s an interesting response

Pleased to give you food for thought.

So from that I would gather you aren’t confident in the meanings that they have for you, or at least in the ultimate meanings for you. If you expect the meanings to change as you change wouldn’t you say that those meanings are internal and personal and esoteric rather than fixed exoteric dogma.

Depends on your definition of esoteric. 😉 But going with the usual (dictionary) definitions I would say meanings are neither purely esoteric nor exoteric. In seeking unity with God we become an integral part of something much bigger than ourselves. Which is both esoteric and exoteric since our individuality ceases to isolate us from the whole.

Equally as strange is your reluctance to set out the exoteric beliefs for fear I might “pick those apart” surely if they are that easy to pick apart” they are worthy of some deep questioning over why people believe them

Picking apart is to be exercised with caution since in haste you might fail to observe how all the fragments fit together and operate. Vital connections might be destroyed in the picking apart. So in the end all you are left with is broken fragments and fragmented understanding.p

“Picking apart is to be exercised with caution since in haste you might fail to observe how all the fragments fit together and operate. Vital connections might be destroyed in the picking apart. So in the end all you are left with is broken fragments and fragmented understanding.p”

Ah you see, I would view this in the opposite manner. By breaking things down we get to see the constituent parts, when we look at what goes in to make the whole we can see where the same ingredients crop up repeatedly, we can then look into what is necessary and what is flavouring to make things more palatable. If we only ever look at the whole we can’t have any real understanding of what we’re looking at. If we don’t look at the details we can’t understand motivations or truth

@Kdtym10 I am surprised you place such value on study and Gnosis since from a purely esoteric perspective how would what would what other people say / have said over the ages matter over what essentially comes from within?

By breaking things down we get to see the constituent parts, when we look at what goes in to make the whole we can see where the same ingredients crop up repeatedly, we can then look into what is necessary and what is flavouring to make things more palatable. If we only ever look at the whole we can’t have any real understanding of what we’re looking at. If we don’t look at the details we can’t understand motivations or truth

@Kdtym10, you can't do that with something which is living whilst it is still living. All you can do is get closer to it and move with it in order to observe and experience it.

Ira really encouraging to see your post I was going to suggest alpha how are you finding it?

Hillsong and other churches all live stream, holy trinity Brompton is good as well if you prefer more traditional.

I would suggest once you find a church join a small group I go once a week for Bible study and has made a massive difference to me