I Need to Vent...

[Seagull]

Good morning world. I need to vent a little about an issue that has upset me and I hope I can
get some feedback also on what direction I should go.
Not too long ago, I moved my family from Florida to my hometown in Oregon.
We decided we wanted a change and wanted to be closer to family.
When we arrived at my old hometown and I went about the task of finding a church for us to attend.
I sent email to a few of the churches in town, telling them about my Mormon past and that we had special needs children.
Some of the churches replied, others didn't. But one stood out among the few replies I received.
The minister of the church said, "because of your experience with the LDS church and your children with special needs, perhaps
my church is not right for you and your family, there are other churches in the area".
To be honest, I was hurt, angry, confused.
This experience has turned me off to attending any church.
My question, is attending a church that important?
I know the Bible says to be with other believers and I did enjoy attending church when I lived in Florida, but the reply from that local church
has really made me rethink things..

[Desperaux]

I am also discouraged by how you have been responded to by the local churches there! How insensitive! One good thing for you to know in this is that the churches that are led by empire-builders stand out to be the ones who are not welcoming!

Why does your LDS past figure into this that you feel you must inform people? If you have Jesus Christ and have abandoned that affiliation and placed it under the blood, then Jesus sure doesn't hold it against you!

Attending church is extremely important. There is a command in scripture that warns us to not forsake it. That is what the meaty epistles were instructing---churches. Jesus established the method in which we fellowship and learn, and not only that, but we also minister to others there. We are to be effective believers in and to the Body before we minister to the world.

When we moved and were placed in a position of needing a new local church, all we did was ask God to lead us to one of His choosing. We only went to one other church for one visit and knew it wasn't for us, and the next week, the Lord showed us where to go. It was absolutely a God thing! He is very interested in you getting planted where you will bloom spiritually---you and your entire family. Let Him show you. Don't move until he says so.

One thing, however: Be willing to travel if necessary. The best churches are worth taking the time out to get there and to spend productive time there other than days of worship.

The benefits are eternal, for you and your children. What a glorious gift you give your children to make sure they are planted in a good house of God!

[jgilberAZ]

The minister of the church said, "because of your experience with the LDS church and your children with special needs, perhaps
my church is not right for you and your family, there are other churches in the area".

Good grief.

It's not HIS church to begin with.

[episkopos]

Don't look for a service to attend, look for disciples...if that is really what you are about.

[Hunter121]

WHAT! That makes me mad, I cant believe some people have the nerve to turn someone away from the LORDS church. Let me tell you something, if they said that, then you got lucky on knowing what church to not attend.

But still this should not discourage you in finding the right church, I say keep sending emails and just attend the church the holy spirit leads you to the most.

[Reynolds357]

Good morning world. I need to vent a little about an issue that has upset me and I hope I can
get some feedback also on what direction I should go.
Not too long ago, I moved my family from Florida to my hometown in Oregon.
We decided we wanted a change and wanted to be closer to family.
When we arrived at my old hometown and I went about the task of finding a church for us to attend.
I sent email to a few of the churches in town, telling them about my Mormon past and that we had special needs children.
Some of the churches replied, others didn't. But one stood out among the few replies I received.
The minister of the church said, "because of your experience with the LDS church and your children with special needs, perhaps
my church is not right for you and your family, there are other churches in the area".
To be honest, I was hurt, angry, confused.
This experience has turned me off to attending any church.
My question, is attending a church that important?
I know the Bible says to be with other believers and I did enjoy attending church when I lived in Florida, but the reply from that local church
has really made me rethink things..

I would consider it a blessing that you only had to deal with them through e-mail. Just because a building has a steeple over it does not mean there are not jack asses in it. Many churches are wrong for me. You found one that is wrong for you. Dont let it bother you. If you went to a McDonalds that gave you rude service, would you form a negative opinion of every restaurant in the world?

[-SEEKING-]

I would consider it a blessing that you only had to deal with them through e-mail. Just because a building has a steeple over it does not mean there are not jack asses in it. Many churches are wrong for me. You found one that is wrong for you. Dont let it bother you. If you went to a McDonalds that gave you rude service, would you form a negative opinion of every restaurant in the world?

Exactly.

[Seagull]

Good grief.

It's not HIS church to begin with.

I agree, but I have found that mindset quite often in my search for a church.

[Seagull]

I would consider it a blessing that you only had to deal with them through e-mail. Just because a building has a steeple over it does not mean there are not jack asses in it. Many churches are wrong for me. You found one that is wrong for you. Dont let it bother you. If you went to a McDonalds that gave you rude service, would you form a negative opinion of every restaurant in the world?

I agree. If I got bad service, I'd just go to another place to get a cheese burger.

[shepherdsword]

I would consider it a blessing that you only had to deal with them through e-mail. Just because a building has a steeple over it does not mean there are not jack asses in it. Many churches are wrong for me. You found one that is wrong for you. Dont let it bother you. If you went to a McDonalds that gave you rude service, would you form a negative opinion of every restaurant in the world?

That's the one of the problems with the church today,if we are in sin or don't like the truth we can always go down the street the next little divided sect of the body. Most of us have no clue what the "church" even is. To our American mindset it appears that the "church" is a place where we go once or twice a week to get spiritually "feed". If we don't get proper "service" we can just go to the next little feeding station. It seems we fail to realize that we are there to give our portion as well and that should be much more than a few bucks in the offering plate. A true demonstration of God's love,power and wisdom can many times convict the leadership and cause a change in their heart.This statement isn't directed at you or anyone else personally but I think your remark opens a door to speak my heart on this issue.


Seagull,I council you to pray for those "pastors" who rejected you because of your situation,they have in fact,rejected Jesus himself and the Lord will say unto them"depart from me you workers of iniquity,if you did it not unto the least of my brethren you did it not unto me" if they don't repent. I ask that you forgive them and pray they do.

*note* If you were in the Memphis,Tn area I would welcome you to my assembly with open arms.

[Ta-An]

I'd say...appreciate their honesty... face-to-face rejection I think is far worse than having been told so via e-mail, now at least neither party knows what the other one looks like and thus you can't bear a grudge in your heart if you should see them in the street.

Forgive them, accept that you are important and loved by God and do not fall prey to rejection.... guard your heart

[nimblewillsgrace]

Try being the church before finding a church to go to and see what happens.

[Seagull]

Try being the church before finding a church to go to and see what happens.

Hmmm a very Zen-like statement. I guess this means that I should reach out to others as Christ did, before I find a group of believers to associate with.
Very interesting.

[SeekingWisdom]

Don't look for a service to attend, look for disciples...if that is really what you are about.

Try being the church before finding a church to go to and see what happens.

Quoted for emphasis. Thank you posters.

[Reynolds357]

That's the one of the problems with the church today,if we are in sin or don't like the truth we can always go down the street the next little divided sect of the body. Most of us have no clue what the "church" even is. To our American mindset it appears that the "church" is a place where we go once or twice a week to get spiritually "feed". If we don't get proper "service" we can just go to the next little feeding station. It seems we fail to realize that we are there to give our portion as well and that should be much more than a few bucks in the offering plate. A true demonstration of God's love,power and wisdom can many times convict the leadership and cause a change in their heart.This statement isn't directed at you or anyone else personally but I think your remark opens a door to speak my heart on this issue.


Seagull,I council you to pray for those "pastors" who rejected you because of your situation,they have in fact,rejected Jesus himself and the Lord will say unto them"depart from me you workers of iniquity,if you did it not unto the least of my brethren you did it not unto me" if they don't repent. I ask that you forgive them and pray they do.

*note* If you were in the Memphis,Tn area I would welcome you to my assembly with open arms.

You added 2 + 2 and came up with 5 on that one. We were discussing a particular incident. The reason I dislike so many churches I have visited over the years has nothing to do with the pastor preaching the Word and convicting me of sin. The reason I dislike the vast amount of them is because the pastor preaches a watered down version of the Word that is 99% for entertainment value. I like to have my toes stomped on.