A place to snark and vent about CoC doctrine and/or our experiences in the CoC. This is a place for SUPPORT and AGREEMENT only, not a place to tell someone their experience and feelings are wrong, or why we disagree with them.
I have been on this site for a week now and I look at it every night. I have been a member of the church for 36 years. I am a recovering alcoholic. I went to AA about 8 or 10 years ago and did the 12 steps. I had a problem getting a relationship with God, because well, you already know. I would see these ladies that were recovering and just blossoming and they went to vibrant very accepting no judgment churches. My thinking was that's great y'all, but in my mind "y'all are headed to hell in a hand basket." Well, at my worst, almost a couple of years ago, Went to treatment and found Celebrate Recovery. So I wanted what they had, joy and peace, and no condemnation. Fell right in with them. Had actually fell in with some great people while in AA 7 years ago and told a "friend" that I thought that denominational churches were ok. Well, I was preached a hell fire and brimstone sermon and I took the walk of shame. Anyway, now I am still at the very same church but am so very different in my walk. I have a personal relationship with Jesus. My old preacher said that's found nowhere in the Bible. personal relationship.
Anyway, I'm trying to read this Gospel Advocate Foundations book and it's God's precious word. But we have used it all of my 38 years of being a member there. Y'all, it's so dry and boring. God's word is not boring, but the members will pick a verse apart and speculate...... and I just want to say........ STOP!!!!! I have tried to get them to change the book, but with no success. I guess I just want to vent. There isn't an easy solution to this. I feel so guilty if I go somewhere else........ My husband doesn't want to go anywhere else...... or he may...... he just doesn't want to go to a big church...... Heck, I may go to the Baptist church down the road. I don't know.. Live life on the edge
Lisalanell wrote:I have been on this site for a week now and I look at it every night. I have been a member of the church for 36 years. I am a recovering alcoholic. I went to AA about 8 or 10 years ago and did the 12 steps. I had a problem getting a relationship with God, because well, you already know. I would see these ladies that were recovering and just blossoming and they went to vibrant very accepting no judgment churches. My thinking was that's great y'all, but in my mind "y'all are headed to hell in a hand basket." Well, at my worst, almost a couple of years ago, Went to treatment and found Celebrate Recovery. So I wanted what they had, joy and peace, and no condemnation. Fell right in with them. Had actually fell in with some great people while in AA 7 years ago and told a "friend" that I thought that denominational churches were ok. Well, I was preached a hell fire and brimstone sermon and I took the walk of shame. Anyway, now I am still at the very same church but am so very different in my walk. I have a personal relationship with Jesus. My old preacher said that's found nowhere in the Bible. personal relationship.
Anyway, I'm trying to read this Gospel Advocate Foundations book and it's God's precious word. But we have used it all of my 38 years of being a member there. Y'all, it's so dry and boring. God's word is not boring, but the members will pick a verse apart and speculate...... and I just want to say........ STOP!!!!! I have tried to get them to change the book, but with no success. I guess I just want to vent. There isn't an easy solution to this. I feel so guilty if I go somewhere else........ My husband doesn't want to go anywhere else...... or he may...... he just doesn't want to go to a big church...... Heck, I may go to the Baptist church down the road. I don't know.. Live life on the edge
Lisalinell,
I'm sorry for your frustration, but I would like to say that it sounds like you're ready to move on and your spiritual journey awaits you....It would seem to me that legalistic judgmentalism has glared its nasty eyes at you, yet you have moved on to a place (with your personal relationship with Jesus) that no one else in that church would share....Have you spoken with your husband about your personal thoughts?? Perhaps he would be in agreement with you, at least in some ways, and would support the two of you going somewhere else where the grace of God is preached, where a relationship with God is found and nurtured, and where condemnation, esp. self-condemnation is shunned.....Do you know anyone who goes to other churches in your area where salvation by God's grace is embraced and lived?
He is in agreement. He was baptist as a youth. He began changing too as we went to CR. So I am going to pray about it tonight. I never prayed before but now I do. It was more for show. I appreciate your response. We went to a more liberal church of Christ. It was too big for him. I loved it. God will show me. I will be thinking bout people who I may know that I can talk to who go to the church down the road.
Lisalanell wrote:He is in agreement. He was baptist as a youth. He began changing too as we went to CR. So I am going to pray about it tonight. I never prayed before but now I do. It was more for show. I appreciate your response. We went to a more liberal church of Christ. It was too big for him. I loved it. God will show me. I will be thinking bout people who I may know that I can talk to who go to the church down the road.
I find people of good will out in the world. You may find Christians too. They are in many different churches. Keep trying until you find the right place. Ask God for help. You might be surprised. Celebrate Recovery can be helpful. The problem with big churches is that you need to find the spot where you fit. It could be a class or study. They have smaller groups with in the larger.
Here some Churches number in the thousands. Also money is not as big of a problem in larger Churches. I thought God was poor while in the CoC.
