The Church of Scotland is a spiritual desert

[searchingsearching]

NC for this.

I started attending my local CoS after going through a bit of a difficult time. I enjoyed being able to disconnect from the business of my life, and taking time to pray felt and still feels important but, almost two years down the line, I don’t feel any closer to God or even have an inkling as to why I should want to.

The sermons are long winded and go off in all sorts of tangents without ever getting to the point. Not helped by the minister who seems to try to cram in as many jokes and silly songs as is possible. Maybe it’s just this particular church but there’s just such a lack of depth and substance. Everything is so surface level and childish but the rest of the congregation seem quite happy with it. To me, church should feel sacred and be meaningful.

We’ve been encouraged to attend something called the alpha course so I had a look online and watched the first three installments on YouTube and can safely say I have no interest in it. It was a very sleek but cringy production that felt very Americanised with again, very little substance.

Does anyone else feel like this? Or is it just me? Perhaps a different denomination would suit me better or maybe it’s not Christianity I’m looking for at all.

Great!

Or the RC church. Mass will not be dumbed down.

@searchingsearching sorry for delayed reply, (I haven't read all the new stuff on the thread either!) but yes I did miss the bit about avoiding Presbyterian. Might be worth bearing the ones I mentioned in mind just for a try if you don't find what you're looking for as you'd certainly get depth of teaching in those! Anyway hope you find what you're looking for

It sounds like the Catholic church would be better for you. I was a Christian for 30 years before the church of England killed my spirit. The Baptists weren't much better.
I'm now a pagan. My best friend is a celibate Catholic deacon (male). He says the Catholic church has given him everything he missed.

Yes, of course it teaches prayer, fasting and confession. But, just to be clear, none of those in themselves absolve sin.

To go back to your original post, you wrote: 'I don’t feel any closer to God', which makes me think that you have some desire to know Him (I don't know your heart). Prayer, fasting and confession, as an unbeliever won't bring you closer to God. Repentance and believing the Gospel are what God commands you to do in order that you be reconciled to Him. THAT is how you can not only feel closer but how you can be completely reconciled to God. As @LeaningOnTheEverlastingArms wrote in her first post, it's about knowing God, not about a church. What use is a building full of people who do not KNOW God? I'd rather meet with a group of three that do, where the Spirit of God is.

I really recommend you look into the veracity of the Bible, what the early Church fathers believed about the inerrancy of Scripture, how the dead sea scrolls confirmed the harmony of the manuscripts, etc,. if you want I could DM you pics of the history of this teaching down through church history (if images can be sent on DMs). I cannot stress enough how important it is that belief in the Word of God as the inerrant, God-inspired, God-breathed Word of the Living God is. If you don't hold to that, then I think it is extremely important to point out that you (not only won't have God as the guide of what you believe or practice) can believe whatever you want, which is against what God teaches. If you get me? Without holding to Scripture, you would have no rule to direct you, you could believe whatever takes your fancy. It might sound good, but not worth it when we are talking about your eternal soul.

One of your problems with the CoS is as you said a lack of depth and substance. But without holding fast to Scripture as the infallible, inerrant Word of God, how can any church/doctrine/belief system have any trustworthy substance if it is just human belief and not God-directed. I am in no way having a go at you, and I am not the best writer (as is obvious lol), but from having studied church history, historical theology and cults, I know this to be the bedrock of doctrine. I cannot stress how important it is. Read even Psalm 119 and what the Psalmist's opinion on the law/the Word is - it is referenced in every single verse of that Psalm. He holds it in the highest regard.

Try a different church. I prefer tradition and don’t get anything out of ‘modern worship’ with pop style music and ‘worship leaders’ trying to be hip. I attended a high Anglican Church and now a Roman Catholic Church due to moving. Both of those offered the type of spiritual atmosphere that seems to speak to me. You could also looking into doing the RCIA course at your local Catholic Church, if you’d find some formal teaching and group discussion helpful. There is no pressure to convert and you can use this as a way to explore your faith.

Except it’s a hotbed for paedophiles and is the most misogynistic institution ever invented.

@Springchickenhatching Ive reported your post as hate speech

Hate speech? It’s the truth. You only have to read a small fraction of all the reports about what has happened over the years . The Catholic Church is also fundamentally anti women.

@Springchickenhatching You are only on the thread to pick a fight

No I that’s not true. I’m sorry if I’ve caused offence

First let me say I’m not a Roman Catholic nor do I adhere to the teachings of that church. However, I find this comment by @Springchickenhatching deeply offensive.
I note that she later apologises for causing offence, which I accept. Unfortunately her comment can only be deleted by @MNHQ and they appear to be content to let it stand on this thread. That’s regrettable.

Hello. I just wanted to pop back on this thread briefly to say thank you to everyone who replied. I think I’m getting there. Very slowly, but I feel at least I’m heading towards the right path.

The main issue with out CoS is that they're closing many. We are due to close in 2027 therefore have not been allowed to call a new minister. We have a retired one and our services last a total of 40 minutes - a couple of prayers and readings, a 10 minute sermon and 4 hymns that nobody ever knows. It's not the best but no other option.

They’re closing because attendance is so low that they can’t afford to keep them open @RaraRachael. Something’s went badly wrong.

Our congregation has grown due to other local closures but there are still very few people under 60. If you read back you’ll see my gripes with my church but typical service lasts for about an hour, largely due to being peppered with awful jokes and songs the minister has written himself to the tune of Bob The Builder or some such nonsense. The sermon is wishy washy and incoherent for the most part, however to my surprise the services have been much better the last few weeks so hopefully it continues in that vein. I have made enquiries with an Orthodox Church, though.

I read a comment recently that said ‘when the church strives to mirror the world, it has nothing to offer those seeking more than the world’ and it pretty much sums up my feelings.

What would you change?

Are you referring to the Ignatian spiritual exercises?

Of so, you couldn't be more wrong.

OP interesting that the services have been better recently.
Maybe the minister reads MN
recognised your description and decided to pull his socks up.
maybe.

If you have atheist tendencies maybe this would suit more?https://www.spaghettimonster.org/
Not a member myself, I am a strict adherent to the Church of the Poisoned Mind.

He’s quite elderly so I’d be surprised @alexdgr8 but I suppose stranger things have happened 😂.

I don’t have atheist tendencies @Theyreeatingthedogs and I find any reference to ‘the flying spaghetti monster’ utterly cringe.

I think it's just that particular church rather than a general rule for Scotland! But I would avoid any church that pushes the Alpha course.

The only church near us that's thriving is a "community church" held in a school hall. It has loads of kids and people of all ages, but is very much happy clappy and anyone can stand up and speak. Not my cup of tea so if all churches end up going down this road, I'm out.

“…and anyone can stand up and speak. Not my cup of tea so if all churches end up going down this road, I'm out.“

Just as a side note - what you’re describing sounds very like the Biblical pattern for a church meeting!
(See 1 Corinthians 14 :1-26-33. )

I’ve only found church to operate like this in house churches. Sadly it’s not often found in Western churches, which tend to function in a more auditorium style, where control lies with the clergy, with limited participation from the “ordinary people”.

Church where everyone is welcome to participate, as led by the Holy Spirit, is more common in parts of the world where churches tend to (or need to) meet in homes and where they are thriving.

"I was a militant atheist for years..."

Ah, my bad!

I appreciate there are probably better churches than mine @RatedDoingMagic but given the rate of closures of CoS churches, I’m inclined to believe that there are serious issues at play across the board.

One single mention of atheism amongst several posts actively and honestly seeking God, and you thought a link to that embarrassing website was in any way appropriate? I’m mortified for you @Theyreeatingthedogs.