Help me get motivated to go back to church

A church is more than a place to sit for an hour on Sunday and be indoctrinated. It's also a community. Ideally, a community of people who -- though maybe more boring that the general populace -- are also less likely to rob a bank, steal a car or sell dope to your kids.

So think of your daughter. Keeping kids busy is a good thing. Look for a church that may have a strong youth group for when she is older and plenty of activities, soccer, choir, etc.

Lots of church youth groups do fun things -- like trips to go rafting and to amusement parks, etc. and (granted the kids aren't perfect) I would rather have him hanging around these kids than some others I know.

And maybe you will help teach a class or work with kids and maybe you will find friends and suddenly get more involved than you realize.

 

I always feel "cleansed" after I go - great feeling.

I agree it's important to find the right church, though.

I like services that are uplifting and/or make you think.

 

Amen Lugnuts totally agree

 

George Carlin described religion like a lift in your shoe. If it makes you feel better, fine. Just don't make me wear your shoes.

My personal preference is for a small, neighborhood church. One where you know pretty much everybody. It's a more intimate setting, which is right for me, because I believe one's faith is an intimate relationship between themselves and God.

There's a mega-church which I often refer to as Six Flags Over Jesus or the Jesus Dome. It seats like 10,000 people. I've attended that church's Easter Pageant and a couple other events there and everytime I get the feeling that I'm just one in the crowd, blening into the background. Somehow, I don't think heaven -- despite the millions of souls there -- would be like that.

But, there are thousands of people that find that church appealing. I'm not going to tell them how they should express their faith, just as I wouldn't force them to wear my shoes.

busdriver, it sounds like you need to do some church shopping. Visit all kinds of churches until you find the one that "fits" right.

 

I went to a wedding over the weekend where the service was a half-hour. That's my kind of church!

 

Guess I forgot to say I have found a church and sorry got on a soap box their for a min. but I now attend a nondenom. and love it. even though I am a sinner and (Oh please forgive me; I do enjoy the sins I have committed) but I can fell free to be the person I need to be to open my self up to Him. And have learned that when it comes to me being able to pray I am a worrier and bring it down with the best of them. Even though I do still that for as long as I"ve been going I still feel like I am just a baby in His walk and world, so I feel that I have what You call a child like faith still and never want it to change. However I also feel that when You loose that feeling You have lost Him but I would never try to push Him down someones thought I feel that it is wrong, So if I have come across that way I am sorry But I will say I love Him and the "building" aspect of it to.

 

And whatever you do, don't go to Zimbabwe and try to nail lifts on the soles of the natives...

 

I just want to add a tidbit of wisdom that my childhood minister once said when asked why he never preached the "hellfire" sermons: If you get them to God through fear, the only way to keep them saved is through fear. That isn't what God is about and you can't keep that fear in them over the long run.

Why is why I agree with AlleyAllen. I don't want a church which harps on my faults, makes me feel like an awful human being for succumbing to the sin that human nature inevitably leads to me to and tries to scare me into love. If I wanted all of that, I'd find a wife. (I keed, I keed).

 

Actually, you're probably not kidding. The wife analogy is actually a very good one. And you're right, fear should never be the reason why you have faith.

When I was in boot camp and going through some rough times, gospel services on the base actually did wonders for me and I felt uplifted and joyed. There was energy and love in the services and no guilt.

I just haven't been able to find that since then, and after being asked by umpteen million people to attend their church, I've just stopped listening.

 

Yes, you understand what I'm talking about then! I loved the church I was married in, and I haven't come close to finding anything like it. It's really disheartening.

 

Churches do a lot of good things, folks.

In fact, we'd be sort of screwed without them. We better hope they don't go away.

Please keep in mind this country was founded on the concept of religious freedom -- something to be proud of.

Some of these posts are taking on the tone of condemning religion... folks are saying churches are filled with judgemental people ?? Aren't you being a tad judgemental of churches ??