New to the Group

[erin]

Hello to all,

I'm new to this group but have struggled for years with the ideas of the church of Christ. I've recently started going to a new church that in my opinion is more based on what we're called to do as Christians which is love. I've shared this feeling and our decision along with a 60 page proclamation of faith based on biblical study with my family, but they are no longer speaking to me (for the past 6 months) and I have also recently begun to recieve letters from family friends about how I'm upsetting my family by going to a "non-scriptural" church.

I recognize and try to keep in mind that to my family, all of this is being done out of 100% conviction and love for me and concern for my soul, but it is extremely hard to be patient with this and to remain loving and peaceful from my side anyway. I have expressed my pain to them and my beliefs and I'm doing my best now to try to move on in a positive direction spiritually, with or without them.

Luckily I have a wonderful support group in my church which is at least half made up of former COC members, but none of them seem to be experiencing family issues to the extent that I am and that's why I wanted to see this group.

I love my family and I love many people who are still in the coc and don't hold anything against them, because I understand what it's like to be in their mindset. I think many people have great motivations and I believe we're beginning to see movements within the churches of Christ toward more open minded loving feelings, or at least in places like Nashville or possibly other cities, but the overall mindset I grew up with is just wrong in my opinion and I can't continue going against my conscience and what the bible seems to say in order to make my family happy.

I'm still a christian and in fact my faith has never been stronger because the bible seems to make so much more sense outside the context of the traditional coc understanding.

I'm looking forward to meeting you all and growing from shared experiences and finding direction in how to move forward in a positive way and not feeling guilty for hurting the people I love while doing what I think is right.

[Dodger]

Welcome! You're not alone. It's hard to make someone who's stuck in that mindset understand where you're coming from, but hang in there! Read some of the other experiences on the board and ask questions. You're among friends here

[agricola]

Welcome to the ex-board; please feel free to read widely and often.

[GMan]

Welcome!

[bnot]

Welcome! The coc mindset is so elite, often times there is no reasoning with them.

[cathym]

Welcome! I'm still trying to find the right time to tell my parents and other family, but I'm much happier at the Disciples church I've been attending for the past few months. My dad is a retired CoC preacher, and is going to have a cow, so I figure while my mom is recovering from abdominal surgery, my grandfather just got out of the hospital, my cousin is going through chemo, and my aunt (who lives with my grandparents and helps them out) also just had surgery...probably not the right time to drop this news.

[HighLiter871]

There are SO many stories on these boards about families in bitter conflict over non-allegiance to this sect. A friend of mine married a CoC girl several years ago, and went with her to services a time or two. When they started "dis-fellowshipping" somebody from the pulpit, he thought it was some kind of elaborate joke or hoax. To this day, he refers to it as "the nutty church."

And he's right.

[Moogy]

Welcome! Glad to have you.