Changed Churches

[Eric]

My wife and I changed churches recently. We'd been going to a church of Christ since 2002. It's the church I got saved in. As time progressed, the church got really cliquish and we didn't fit in anymore. Also, the classes just weren't doing anything for us, which is scary because I was on the education committee.

It seemed that most of the changes happened in 2007. Our youth minister fell very badly. He's serving time in jail. Obviously, that shook things up a lot. Later that year, the church replaced him with a very mature Marriage & Family minister. He's a wonderful man. You can just feel the love and humility coming from him. But for whatever reason, when he and his wife arrived at the church, everything changed. We tried to stick it out, until we realized that our 5 year old, Joshua, got sick EVERY TIME we went to that church. We still don't know why. Did somebody abuse him when we weren't looking? Is there some weird spiritual activity there that he's sensitive to? He still asks about the former youth minister's daughters. He was only 2 when it happened, but 2 days before it happened, he said they seemed sad. How was he sensitive to that?

Anyway, we've been taking the kids to an AWANA program at a Baptist church for a couple of years. We decided in January to see what worshiping with them is like. So far, so good. The boys both have friends there, which they didn't have at the other church even though there were far more children.

I love the worship there. I've said for years that the church of Christ we went to only knew about 12-20 songs, and I've been annoyed since at least 2003 with the lack of variety in worship music. We've made 4 Sundays at the Baptist church, and haven't repeated a single song twice. Wow. I kept asking the song leaders at the church of Christ why they sang the same songs over and over again. The closest I got to an understandable answer is that it's "too hard" to learn a new song. Whaw? Some of our song leaders were related to music in a professional capacity, so I never understood that one. Maybe the CONGREGATION was resistant to learning new songs? I guess...

Anyway, it was a hard decision, but we're glad we did it. We've been talking about leaving that church for years. We finally did it. I guess at some point we'll actually have to sit down with the pastors and elders and tell them we've left and why. I loved and respected the leadership, but we were tired of not feeling like we belonged there. I also like not having to hide that I believe in the Rapture. The church of Christ tends to be either Preterist or postmillenial. I just kept my mouth shut there about end times subjects.

[Javanut]

I'm glad that you found a new church home. Most Baptist I know are pretrib premill and very committed to the Scriptures. We had two people saved in service this morning and the sermon wasn't even on salvation per se but rather listening when God speaks and doing what He says. It's so good to be in a church that emphasizes salvation and the bible.

This semester I'm taking a Beth Moore course on Daniel - that girl can preach now I tell ya!! She's also very good on academics - studies her commentaries and theology. Takes after me... Also been listening to John MacArthur. He's also pretty tight on salvation and Scripture.

Here's hoping you got out of the cubicle both in your job and in your church life!!

[Eric]

Thanks. I hate my cubicle.

So far we're happy at the Baptist church. My wife wants to give it more time before we decide whether or not to join.

My wife did a Beth Moore study in a women's class at our old church. I never really looked at it. I heard her voice is annoying but her teaching is good.

[Javanut]

It's not as annoying as all that. She does however through in a "we're all sisters studying this together" bit when we know darn well, she's the one who put in 100's of hrs of study

[WhiteCoat]

Many Churches of Christ (Instrumental) are going the way of liberalism. What used to be a sound Bible based non-denomination is on the fad driven band wagon.

[Eric]

That one has pretty solid doctrine. It was fairly conservative. But it started developing cliques. Some of the women were rude to my wife. We finally got tired of dealing with it.

[Irene]

The important thing about being iin the right church is to be where the Word is solidly preached and where God shows up.
If we don't know how to love one another, and encourage one another and we tear each other down, how can God show up?
So if your wife was not treated with love by others in your fellowship, and she felt isolated you have made the right decision moving.

[Javanut]

Amen Irene - it all begins and ends with love