Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

Hey guys. I haven't posted anything on the new board and it's been awhile since I've even visited the old board. I grew up in the COC for 35 years. I come from a long line of COCers. I've been out of the COC for a few years now. I have been going to a baptist church. I'm still not completely sure exactly what I believe the Bible teaches. I know more than anything I want to go to Heaven. I still have people trying to get me to come back to "The Church" . Sometimes it's a tough struggle.

Hang in there and welcome back!

Welcome back! You will be unsure on some things and that's because the coc is good at twisting scripture backed with fear.

Glad to see you back.

Good to see you.

It's tough to look far and wide beyond traditional interpretations of scripture, but I do hope you'll continue doing so.

Thank you all for the encouragement

Glad you are back -

We often recommend a cooling off period after leaving a coc and before deciding to attend somewhere else - this gives you a chance to shake off some of the misguided teachings from the coc and gives you a chance to take a clearer look at what you actually DO believe or want from a church. A church isn't the guardian of Truth so much as it is a community of like-minded people who help each other (in all sorts of ways).

My cousin (who used to post here often) regularly recommended a book called Handbook of Denominations in the US (used to be Mead, now it's Atwood). This is a great place to start, because I guarantee that your coc taught you that all the denominations were wrong, and three-quarters of what the coc says that 'the denominations' teach is equally wrong about that.

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Denomina ... ted+states

so do your 'due diligence' and actually find OUT what 'the denominations' believe about salient topics in Christianity -and while you are at it, I would recommend you find out what CHRISTIANITY actually teaches - because what the coc says Christianity is all about is just as wrong as their advice about 'the denominations'.

You may find that you are happy with your Baptist church - or not. But at least you will know where the Baptist church stands, and why, and the history of how it got that way, a whole lot better than probably 98% of every coc member in the country.

The coc teaches, very strongly, that it is vitally important to be factually accurately CORRECT about absolutely everything - the coc teaches that you have to be absolutely correct in your BELIEF or you risk your chance of heaven.

I'm not going to get into the idea of heaven (although I think the coc is totally off on THAT as well), but I CAN tell you that 'normal Christianity' does NOT teach that it is absolutely vital to absolutely completely accurate and correct in your BELIEF about absolutely everything, in order to 'get there', and you will not actually find that teaching in the NT. In fact, the NT is remarkably opaque about the details, and focuses much more on the 'big picture'.

That should, I hope, relieve some anxiety and reduce the apparent urgency you are feeling about being 'right'.

Also, if you haven't already browsed the articles on the main portal to this discussion site, I recommend that, too!

http://www.ex-churchofchrist.com/

Oh - not all of that was directed precisely at you, personally, truthseeker - but is general stuff for any new(ish) person on the board. Use what is useful and ignore the rest, by all means!

I agree that it is hard to find a church that fits me well. I am comfortable with some aspects of one church and then like something else from another church.

That was helpful information Agricola. I will check out the articles.

agricola wrote:Oh - not all of that was directed precisely at you, personally, truthseeker - but is general stuff for any new(ish) person on the board. Use what is useful and ignore the rest, by all means!

I really appreciate all the information. I can use lots of it. thanks for the post!