-
What has been your past experience in local church attendance? Explain the positive and the negative.
-
I’ve been really blessed to be a part of some awesome churches and I’ve been a regular attender since childhood. I’ve had only limited negative experiences such as leadership scandals but my positive experiences have been relationships, great teaching, people getting saved, me learning and serving. I’m very grateful for the church I attend now which as a solid biblical base and a strong community focus. Both are part of my core.
-
Local church attendance is tricky to observe. Some are there to check a box off their Christian to-do-list or to be seen. Some are not there because they are helping their neighbors, God’s commandment. Others are genuinely happy to be in fellowship and are taking needed comfort from the prior week’s warfare. I feel like, whatever the reason for being, or not being, there is hope for all to come closer to God. Just keep praying for all.
-
I wont name, names but there was one church I went to and it felt like he was yelling at you because you are a sinner and that you did not worship every minute that you were going to burn in H5!!. He just gave off the wrong vibes and I did not like it. Just something else I could not pinpoint on why. M intitution is usually right, so I did not go again. I did not go to church again until 2022. I think having bad experience in churches makes you turn away. My best friend asked her Pastor to come to her house and pray with her due to her breast cancer diagnoses. He got to her house and he asked her what was his purpose there and why did she need him. She got so upset because he already knew what she was going through. All she wanted was his support as a Pastor and to pray with her. I don’t think she really went back either except every now and then to her son’s church plus he just became Pastor and she is a proud momma! My now Church, our Pastor is AMAZING. She doesn’t just preach but she teaches the word. Again, I learned we are all sinners. We do something every day that is a sin but we learn to ask God for forgiveness. My Pastor has taught me a lot and makes me feel comfortable to walk in God’s house to worship. Now, do not get me wrong, I do worship multiple times a day and if I sin, I will ask for forgiveness right then and there, or at night when I pray. She has helped me overcome so man obstacles in life including depression. I never knew the lady but met her 1 time when her and a her friend came to my husband’s car because I was having a HUGE mental breakdown and did not want to be here. If it wasn’t for those 2 ladies and my husband, well we probably would not be speaking. They brought me closer to God and now everything is in God’s hands and he has helped me to overcome that darkness.
-
I really struggled for a time to find a church I could attend. I attended some churches and completely found it to have unsound doctrines. However, I’ve come across churches that were preaching the Gospel quite earnestly and I felt God’s Spirit flowing there.
-
Church has been a regular part of my life and routine ever since I was young and the pattern was modeled by my parents. Not just to be attenders, but to fully engage and participate fully in the church… through worship, growing in faith, fellowship, giving back and serving. We have modeled this for our four children and now as adults, they are actively engaged with their own faiths through involvement in the church. Praise God!