Churches, so many kinds, which sort do you attend?

I love the fact that you do not wish to "bash" fellow believers. Gossip is an ugly sin, that we can all fall prey to, and yet you have nobely chosen to take the higher ground and not disclose such personal "questions" regarding a faith. My husband grew up Catholic, went to Catholic school, etc al. Your comments remind me much of him several years ago. I would like to encourage you to do something. With as much graceiousness as you have already displayed, I would like to remind you that God and the Church are two separate things. God is God, devine, Holy, Amazing, Creator, Redeemer Sovereign Lord and King of all.. The church is the bride of Christ... Filled with sinners, being prepared for the wedding feast of the lamb... The bride is full of sinners being sanctified... The bride is believers, true believers, repentant followers of Christ. It is often diffiult to spot her, for she is hidden by so many passerby, folks who don't know the Lord, folks who do church to do church; well meaning folk often who have totally disconnected sunday worship from their lives. One day the bride will be without spot or blemish, but till then she limps along. God, is not limping, Look to His word. There are answers to your questions... your problem probably has nothing to do with God, but rather mans religious ideas about God. My husband would get so annoyed with me for speaking to him of the God of the Bible....so mad, that he picked up the book to read it himself... He has never been the same. He read it prayerfully, asking God to reveal to him the truth. What is truth? Truth is fidelity to the original.... Religion has a habit of trying to get a foot in that door. Go to the original... thanks so much for your honest responce. I believe the Word of God, is literal truth, God did that in me, He did that in my husband.... I hope that God calls you to Himself. May the Lord bless you with Truth, with Hope with answers to your questions.... for more stuff besides chatting with a born again mommy and wife, check out http://www.answersingenesis.org http://www.rzim.org Both of these ministries have been an enormous blessing in finding answers to our questions

I am excited to hear what God is doing in your life! Sound like He is calling you to Himself... My husband had this experience as well, and was, as Jesus explained to Nicodemus, born again.... I pray you seek God in His Word ! That you take Him at His word, and not let people tell you what He is saying. He's God, He said what He said, He means what He said, If HE meant something different, He'd have said it different. Read through it all, all 66 books, prayerfully, seek out your Savior, He wrote you a book... He sent you His son, I pray you run to Him... not some "religion" but just to HIM... not to who people tell you He is, not to who you want Him to be (that would be idolatry), but to WHO HE REVEALED HIMSELF TO BE.... take God at HIS word... be blessed! thank you for sharing! I am so blessed by your response!

Thank you for your advice. Don't get me wrong, I've read the bible, or at least, some of its text and I believe in them. I just practice my faith differently...I see God as a friend I can lean on and not judge, jury, and executioner. Sorry, I guess I may have experienced the Church the wrong way considering I feel that my faith to God is instilled by fear rather than be inspirational. It's quite ironic, I used to be a rector and very active staffer for my high school's monthly retreats called "Days with the Lord." I just found myself being called by my faith differently than other, more traditional Catholics. I miss those days, honestly. I was surrounded by people that you never knew would give a damn about you and then I remember, maybe that was God's way of telling me He is always there for me. In effect, I return the favor by doing the same to the people around me. At least I know to myself that it is a choice I made rather than something I do just to avoid the fires of hell. I feel more at home with my faith this way. But who knows? Maybe the calling from my faith would eventually lead me back to being a practicing Catholic. I still keep an open mind towards religion. :)

And how do video games relate to bible and life.?? I am curious, is this a topical study of the Bible or rather do you actually study the Bible? By this what I am asking is this, Does your pastor have stuff to teach you, and does he back that with the Bible, and verses to convict you and encourage you... or Does your pastor have something from the Bible to teach you, (like one of the books) and use life experience to back it up... there is a big difference, which would you say your church is? why did you pick this church? because it is fun? What does one "need" from church? Thanks so much for commenting... I am only asking follow up questions because I find your commnet so interesting, I really want to know... Please don't take offence. I really am wondering, in a nice way, not meanly.... thanks!

But why... Why are you a Christian? why are you a Catholic what do you think faith is... I am really interested... Are some Catholic churches not Pure? What does it mean to be a Christian? When did you become a Christian? How does one become a Christian....

But WHY are you Roman Catholic? Is it because that was how you were raised? Were you converted? Why do you go to the church you go to? Why do you go to a Catholic church? ( I am just curious )

thank you so much for sharing your experience in finding a church.. So do I understand you when I say, you chose because it "felt" right? Your church sounds like a "mega church" is it? I so enjoy your open answers to posts. Thank you ever so much. It sounds like you have grown a lot in 4 years.

Yes, it felt right, like I've never felt before. I'm not sure what a "mega church" is. Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church is where Spring Arbor University started - a christian university, their right next door to each other now but because of out growing university classroom space the church is used for many classes during the week also. There are also a number of retirement homes in the neighborhood of the church and school and have become home to many retired pastoral staff and missionaries. The church does a lot for the community too, offering activities that a lot of non-church goers attend such as the annual rummage sale that attracts 1000s and last year raised over $32,000 for the mission field. Trunk-or-Treat in the fall is an alternative to trick or treating and I've seen over 3,000 people come through in a matter of a few hours. One pastor put it this way, "Some of these people would never go to church but at least we got them to the parking lot, that's a step."

LOL before you ask our church has all those things you listed and then some. One of my favorites is "Men in Action" this group of men meets weekly to pray and the rest of the week if you need a man to help whether it's fixing something around the house, car repair, or moving they are there. We've also started a new mission field in partnership with a local auto repair shop. One Saturday a month anyone can bring their car in and they will check it out and do minor repairs. I got my oil changed, fluids all filled, and they fixed a problem I've been having with starting. It's not just for church members though and I know this is going to be a great way for others to learn of the church.