I really like the church we are in now. It's the first church we went to since it's the same denomination we were members of and we knew right away it was the place we wanted to make our home church. We love the music, the people, and our pastor and his family. The one thing that would be a downer is we dont' have a SS class that fits us but we're working on that! I love how churches have small groups that meet outside of church. I think that would be wonderful to have.

Now the church that we were members of before (and the church I grew up in) was a great church and we had a fabulous pastor that was with us there for 8 yrs until he felt called to go somewhere else. A new pastor came in and things were alright for awhile but it all started to go downhill. He didn't perform his job duties and lied to the congregation. The financial situation turned serious. Many people left the chruch, including my parents and my sister's family, that had been there for many years. The final straw for my mom was when I was pregnant with Kyndra I had a severe episode of bleeding that left me in the hospital for a week. The previous pastor of the church (who we still have close contact with) stayed up and prayed the whole night that the bleeding started and called every day that I was in the hospital. We never heard a word from the pastor of the church until word got to him that my mom was upset and that was after I was already discharged and at home.

I don't think you're ever gonna find a church where you're happy with everything that goes on. Things will come up or happen that you don't agree with. You may not like a particular part of the church. Things like that are gonna happen when you have humans running things.

I like the church we go to.  Sometimes I wish the message was a little better but I figure we all have our "off" days.  It's a small church in a small community. 

I do sometimes wish for some of the things that are offered in bigger churches.  Then I stop and think, hey, why not ask if we can implement those things in our own church. 

It's comforting to know the people we worship with.  I like that we know each other and that's the benefit of a small church.

 

 

I don't want to feel obligated to join the church. That is what turned me away from my current church at first. I asked my Aunt (who also attends my church) what the statistics are for joined and not joined and it's about 50% give or take. So I feel better about going and not being a member.

Jessica,

we have been on a "church journey" for most of our christian life.  we went from one church that was getting to "seeker sensitive" to a very legalistic church. then to a church that was heavy into "Emergent church" thinking.  We are currently in a "assembly" that does not have a paid pastor,just elders that take turns preaching. they really dig into the bible verse by verse.  i use to think this is what i wanted.  sometimes though, doing it that way, you lack the application of scripture to life today.  and to be honest, it gets alittle boring!  yes, i said boring!  we have been studying in ecclesiastes and for 1 hour discussed weather or not solomon got drunk or just drank!  i mean really!  does it matter!  i guess i miss the sermons that have some life application to them.  so we visited a church this last weekend and the pastor had a sermon that was very much something you could grow and learn from. he is a very funny preacher,but is known by some to be a little to "easy" on the preaching.  maybe more focused on getting the church to chuckel during his sermon then maybe he should be.i really enjoyed it, but admit,the sermon might lack alittle "meat" I asked my 9yo what the sermon was about and he told me very clearly what was preached.  my 6 yo told me he thought the preacher joked too much and needed to teach more so mom and dad could learn.  my husband really enjoyed it and i think in that atmosphere, he would really benifit. i guess I struggle with the seriousness of scripture and our obedience to it and this "lighter" side that this preacher took. like i said, i enjoyed it....but are we sapose to be entertained at church?is it ok to be entertained if you are still learning?  this is something i'v questioned for a while and would love some feedback!  thanks!

Can you believe, I just found this............you posted in last December? lol

We are finding ourselves in an interesting situation currently.  We always attend the church {we were married at] in Ocean City from May- September.  They are only open during summer months.  It's a vacationers church.

So we had been doing a little research in our area to see which church fit us.  Then.......it became VERY difficult to take Emily to church.  {so we put the search on hold}. 

Our neighbors attend a local church not too far from our house.........so we checked it out & decided that we would switch off weekends.  One weekend, I would go with Ashley {13}....the next weekend, Tom would take her.  Whoever didn't go.......stayed home with Emily.

We really MISS attending church "together"..........and that is impossible at this church because they don't have a nursery.  It looks like they have lots of child rooms set up, just nobody to volunteer.

So ..........ooooga boooga, we are still searching.   Please pray for us!

I think I'm reviving a reeeally old discussion

It showed up on your sidebar and I just wanted to say - I LOVE my church!!!  I kind of liked it when we joined, but didn't feel totally like I belonged.  So I totally threw myself into the middle of everything until it felt totally like home to me.  Then our rector left and we went through a huge transition, during which I was very unhappy, but I stuck it out and waited for the new guy and am so glad I did.  There were still some shortcomings, having to do with young childrens ministries, so I chaired a new committee for childrens ministries, and now I think my church is perfect. 

I think our relationship with out church is very much like a relationship with another person - it requires work on BOTH sides.  I feel sad when I hear people leave a church because they think it's not good enough, rather than making it better (I'm not talking about a church that doesn't "fit" with your family, but more like if it's missing something that maybe you could help with).  It requires an investment and taking a leap of faith and committing yourself to a group of people, for better or worse. 

I'm not saying I would never leave a church, but I do feel very committed to our church and don't see us ever leaving unless we move.  This is the church my children were born into and I love the idea of them getting married in it and bringing their grandchildren to the same Sunday School classrooms that I teach in now.