tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post2316612093983989848..comments2024-03-10T10:40:32.319-07:00Comments on Pyromaniacs: Open(ish) forum: Why are you where you are, churchwise?Phil Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00649092052031518426noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-47408244051688321652009-11-09T06:58:56.446-08:002009-11-09T06:58:56.446-08:00Coming to this a little late but this is when I am...Coming to this a little late but this is when I am catching up!<br />Why are you in the denomination you're in? or<br />Why are you in an independent (i.e. non-denominational) church?<br />-I grew up in independent baptist fundamentalism. <br />How did you find the church you attend?<br /><br />-When we moved I solicited several pastors I know of in the general area and God used them to lead us to this church. The big thing is this: when we moved, locating a church was priority 1 and then we started looking for houses and jobs.<br /><br />What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?<br />-After meeting the pastor and talking with him we were convinced that this church was where God wanted us to minister even though there were some "rough edges" here that we would prefer not to be scraping against!<br /><br />Why do you stay?<br />-We stay because our ministry is ongoing and we cannot leave until the Great Shepherd leads us away.<br /><br />Under what circumstances would you leave?<br />-First, let me say this is an excellent question and one I think everyone should really hash out early on. Write it down and follow your own advice. I will not leave because my feelings are hurt or my felt needs are not being met. 1) Moving away (the obvious answer) 2) Doctrinal deviation: in our church the danger is that if the pastor leaves the church may shift toward hyper-fundamentalism and try to find a new pastor to preach to the choir on those topics. 3) Clear leading from God to another place of ministry. (The word "clear" meaning the opposite of "feelings, sense satisfaction"!)Jon from Bucksporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01263042828697185129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-77170150060537824722009-10-30T11:43:00.766-07:002009-10-30T11:43:00.766-07:00Left a "non-denominational" self titled ...Left a "non-denominational" self titled "Bible church" that also is now into (and wasn't when we started) spiritual formation. We left because we found it to be more and more involved in this stuff, it's not biblical, and all efforts to change it or confront it has done nothing. We are attending a Baptist church with reformation leanings....maybe Calvinist pastors. We're attending but not yet members because we're testing the waters to see what it's all about. We had attended another non-denominational church for a short time after leaving the old church, but it was in embryonic stages of the old church. We could see how it could go one way or the other, and didn't want to take a chance. <br /><br />We attend the church we're attending (and have for about a year) because they are a verse by verse church. The pastor preaches from the bible each week, not over themes. He uses scripture to back up scripture. I am not as interested in how many points he is on the Calvin thing as I am in his view of scripture...though I am a novice on this Calvin/Arminian thing. This church does mention the negatives of other churches sometimes, but doesn't focus on attacking others. Rather, it focuses on scritpure and on Christ. I have also seen service for others in the church. Sure, there is a missions program, but there's the "serve the body" first mentality...at least it's how I see it. It's not a selfish thing, but a "take care of our brothers and sisters" and also follow the great commission. Preaching is intentional in terms of teaching the body from little children to adults. Not much entertainment, mostly preaching, worship, service...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-86311401355692161052009-10-29T08:04:20.707-07:002009-10-29T08:04:20.707-07:00>Why are you in the denomination you're in?...>Why are you in the denomination you're in?<br />Southern Baptist because the BF&M is consistent with God's Word.<br /><br />>How did you find the church you attend?<br />They asked me to lead worship there.<br /><br />>What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?<br />I am a teacher by the grace of God and He puts me in places where I can grow and He gets glory.<br /><br />>Why do you stay?<br />There is still a great need for spiritual "meat".<br /><br />>Under what circumstances would you leave?<br />Unbiblical leadership, God's call, or my own epic fail (Lord, save me!).Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00145908266327848774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-7739822212008664052009-10-28T12:05:31.366-07:002009-10-28T12:05:31.366-07:00Why are you in an independent (i.e. non-denominati...<b>Why are you in an independent (i.e. non-denominational) church?</b> Because my church isn't part of a denomination, to be honest. If I had to start over again and my current church didn't exist, I'd probably seek out a Southern Baptist Church if possible.<br /><br /><b>How did you find the church you attend?</b> Google. Interestingly enough, I missed a church or two which would have been a better fit doctrinally at the time, and were closer... and I think the Lord must have sovereignty even over Google. I'm glad we tried this church. We were going to shop around a bunch of churches within sixty miles of our house, and after we visited this one (the first), decided that there was no reason to move on if this one was acceptable.<br /><br /><b>What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?</b> Doctrines of grace, plurality of elders, baptistic theology, and (to be honest) a leaning more toward cessationism than toward charismaticism. (Although that lean adjusts its angle every so often.) It basically fulfilled the requirements, and we felt it would be wrong to keep shopping.<br /><br /><b>Why do you stay?</b> We stay because this is our family, we are part of this church. Church is a commitment, almost on the level of adoption or marriage with us. I find that most of the things that may irk me from time to time are signs of my own need for further sanctification.<br /><br /><b>Under what circumstances would you leave?</b> If we couldn't stay without dividing the church, and that dividing factor wasn't actually the Gospel itself, then we'd have to leave. I suppose if we found that we had to move away, that would count too. But we actually moved just to be closer to the church. And, I think that if it ever got to the point where I couldn't possibly protect my family or help them grow in Christ as part of that church, I'd consider moving, but not before some attempts to repair the damage.Charles Seboldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08198636431187051339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-79607810718612263662009-10-28T04:57:49.282-07:002009-10-28T04:57:49.282-07:00Why am I in the denomination I am in?
Because when...Why am I in the denomination I am in?<br />Because when I was saved by God's grace and choosing, I looked for a biblical sound church that taught the truths of the Bible. I searched and found Mills Road Baptist Church, and found that this church was a good church home.<br /><br />How did you find the church you attend?<br />I looked for churches that not only taught reformed theology, but lived in the truths thereof. I looked through means of the web and found Mills Road.<br /><br />What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?<br />Biblical expositional and exegetical teaching, good fellowship, a heart for truth, and sound doctrine. Great coffee on Sunday morning also helped.:D<br /><br />Why do you stay?<br />Because truth will keep you drawn to where it is. I stay because the word is incredible and sound, the worship of God is sincere, and the saints are living this valuable way through all they do. The leadership is biblical sound and the doctrine is as well.<br /><br />Under what circumstances would you leave?<br />If I move to another city, or the church ceases teaching truth. No other reasons.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-25570318756051059702009-10-27T22:34:59.163-07:002009-10-27T22:34:59.163-07:00Why are you in the denomination you're in?
N...<b>Why are you in the denomination you're in?</b> <br /><br />Not really a denomination person, but we've been in the GARBC for a year and have found it a good fit with our theological leanings. Bonus points for their avoidance of trendiness and ecumenicalism. <br /><br /><b>How did you find the church you attend?</b><br /><br />We had been attending a mega-church since our oldest ds was born (17 years). In the last two years we were there, the usual seeker sensitive-ness was ramping up (Beatles impersonators, fog machines, different services for every demographic, etc.), with a side of emergent in the youth group. It got to the point where we wouldn't allow our kids to go to any youth events where there would be teaching. Bowling or the amusement parks were OK - Sunday school was out. Unfortunately, we found that in a mega-church, trying to affect change is kind of like spitting in the wind. Well, way worse. <br /><br />Changing churches when your kids are 15 and 17 is risky business. Our kids agreed that we needed to leave, but being homeschooled, most of their friends were at church - this wasn't going to be easy. We prayed for a miracle. <br /><br />I started researching churches. I looked at websites and ads in the newspaper. 90% could be ruled out by a peek at the website - either doctrinal issues or, the dreaded, "Loving God - Loving People" which to me has come to be the secret code word for "seeker sensitive". Anything with a sex series, Porn Sunday, or "The Office" sermon series was also eliminated. <br /><br />Out of hundreds of churches in our area, that left us....like....one. I found a website that said its youth ministry "teaches the Bible aggressively, verse by verse." It was music to my ears!<br /><br /><b>What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?</b><br /><br />The first week I visited, I cried when I heard expository preaching. It was the most beautiful thing to hear the Word preached so clearly and authoritatively! The organ music and karaoke soundtracks, not so much : ) Our younger son jumped right in - thrilled to finally be allowed to go to Sunday school and be part of a youth group. Our 17-year-old was NOT going to make friends there, not going to get involved, going to put in his time until he graduates and then move on. Fast forward one year and now 18-year-old son is a leader in the youth group, went on the summer mission trip and counts the kids in the youth group among his closest friends. We are attached because God led us there and attached us with solid teaching for our entire family and a wonderful youth group that has helped our kids make the transition. <br /><br /><br /><b>Why do you stay?</b><br /><br />We have a pastor who is wise and carefully handles the Word and shepherds the flock. There is so much at this church of 500 that is Biblical that was missing at the mega-church, especially ecclesiologically (is that a word?)<br /><br /><b>Under what circumstances would you leave?</b><br /><br />We're not members yet, so we don't have a say in decision-making. I expect that to change in the near future. If so, I suppose we would leave if we ended up in the same situation that we left previously, with many tears and much mourning (I'll spare y'all the whole wretched story - oversharing!).Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700962695127146890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-64595969322866279592009-10-27T22:02:20.660-07:002009-10-27T22:02:20.660-07:00Our church is independent, teaches the doctrines o...Our church is independent, teaches the doctrines of grace, baptizes believers, is dispensational, and gospel-centered.<br /><br />My husband and I are members of our church, having learned of it through reading articles on the internet that the pastor writes about issues critical to the church. <br /><br />We went to our first service there about two and a half years ago, and were so amazed at the solid expository preaching that honored the gospel and the sufficiency of Scripture. <br /><br />We have learned so much, mostly that we have so much to learn!<br /><br />We love that the elders really believe that the Bible will equip us, and that they teach the Bible instead of books. Our children are taught the Bible stories, theology, and how to memorize and apply Scripture.<br /><br />We love that the teaching has produced so many people who go out and evangelize on the streets.<br /><br />We are constantly blessed by God through this church. It is a great honor to partner with our bretheren there for the sake of the gospel. <br /><br />I suppose the only way we would leave is if we were shown the door.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-67548131816040579422009-10-27T18:06:22.424-07:002009-10-27T18:06:22.424-07:00I have generally gravitated toward non-denominatio...I have generally gravitated toward non-denominational churches because a) I was raised in that tradition/lack thereof b)I think it makes it easier to teach what the the bible teaches them rather than feel bound to a denominational statement<br /><br />I found my current church through a guy who I was meeting up with for accountability in college<br /><br />I started going because I was in college and needed some older men to pattern my life after. At that point most of my Christian interactions were peer to peer. This church offered that based on solid teaching from the pulpit.<br /><br />I stayed because they became my family.<br /><br />I have attended 4 churches, and left three, the first two because I moved/my situation changed and distance kept me from becoming involved, the third because I was lazy and it was too easy for me to escape accountability. That said, other than moving away or being called for a church plant or something like that, the only way I foresee leaving this church is if the majority of the leadership became entangled in some sin or go doctrinally crazy.KRGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05385989611915711891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-89054379588801156322009-10-27T17:27:43.183-07:002009-10-27T17:27:43.183-07:001. Why are you in the denomination you're in?
...<b>1. Why are you in the denomination you're in?</b><br /><br />The denomination does not matter to me, only faithfulness to the Word of God. The denomination of the body my family has joined are the most faithful in the area. They love Christ.<br /><br /><b>2. How did you find the church you attend?</b><br /><br />I found this church after comparing and checking on all the churches in our area.<br /><br /><b>3. What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?</b><br /><br />Now there’s a long story. I was pastor of a small country EFCA church and everyone eventually left and we could not afford to keep the doors open on our own. The church called me to pastor the flock five years ago and one by one they decided they did not really want to hear the Word of God preached verse by verse. The bleeding really started when I began the book of Romans. I don’t think I made it past chapter 1 verse 18. After that my family not only wanted, but needed to be part of a body where Christ was exalted and people weren’t just looking for their ears to be tickled.<br /><br /><b>4. Why do you stay?</b><br /><br />Our church is our family.<br /><br /><b>5. Under what circumstances would you leave?</b><br /><br />You don’t leave family.David Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17709270641017787218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-60162747523062602772009-10-27T17:18:07.339-07:002009-10-27T17:18:07.339-07:00Why are you in an independent church?
Because our...<b>Why are you in an independent church</b>?<br /><br />Because our church happens to be independent ;-)<br />(Our church was originally a Reformed church-plant, but is not affiliated. The pastor is “on loan” from the PCA, and the congregation is somewhat of a mixed bag, theologically.)<br /><br /><br /><b>How did you find the church you attend</b>?<br /><br />We visited many churches, as well as researching them ahead of time on the internet, when possible. Our church is actually further away (geographically) than we had intended to look, but by happy “accident” we decided to visit it because we were invited to my sister’s (nearby) for lunch.<br /><br /><br /><b>What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend</b>?<br /><br />1. Our pastor preaches right out of the Bible. Every. Single. Sunday. <br />He’s usually an expository preacher (going through Luke right now) but occasionally varies that by preaching on a relevant topic, such as baptism if someone is being baptized.<br />We had no idea how starved for meat we had become, and his Biblical preaching as well as the Biblical teaching of the elders in Sunday School fell like rain on parched ground.<br /><br />2. The church really is a family. And – hallelujah – our kids were welcomed and treated like they belong right there in church. I blogged about it. (Shameless plug.) Most of the activities are for all ages, the monthly pot-luck and game night being a big hit with my boys :0)<br /><br />3. Everyone participates. The pastor and a p/t janitor and p/t bookkeeper are the only paid staff. This is a church that worships, works, and socializes together as participators, not spectators.<br /><br />4. They’re friendly. We were invited to people’s homes for lunch. And that didn’t “wear off” after we’d been coming awhile. And, even though we’d only been coming a little while, when I had minor surgery they brought us meals.<br /><br />5. There’s time to socialize together and help each other because the church isn’t program-driven. The bulleting isn’t full of committee meetings and activities all week long. People actually have time to invite us over, or come to our house for a meal or just to “hang out”.<br /><br /><br /><b>Why do we stay</b>?<br /><br />See above.<br /><br /><br /><b>Under what circumstances would we leave</b>?<br /><br />Hmmmm… if the church stopped being a church?<br /><br />I suppose if gas prices and geography made it prohibitive for us to participate with the church body, then we would consider looking for another church, closer to home…Herding Grasshoppershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15668974245505544238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-64098640689965775022009-10-27T16:56:29.993-07:002009-10-27T16:56:29.993-07:00At a large PCA in CS, CO.
My wife and I don't...At a large PCA in CS, CO.<br /><br />My wife and I don't like large, or overly regulated services, but it was about four blocks away when we first moved to town. We tried the other smaller PCA's in town, but it didn't feel right to drive past the close one each time we went to church.<br /><br />We stayed for the following:<br /><br />1) Expositional Preaching<br />2) Excellent Small Groups<br /><br />We prefer Presbyterian church government because it seems to align best to what we see in the NT. Elders (both teaching [pastors] and ruling [laymen]) give direction and shepherd. I just don't see the NT church functioning as a democracy, so I prefer the more republic type structure. Likewise, I like having a central accountability structure, like Paul going back to Jerusalem to make sure he's got his facts straight. I certainly don't like the Catholic's Papa structure, where is that in the NT?<br /><br />I would have to pull my family out if the church ever abandoned the clear command in Scripture concerning the role of women in the church. Since the only way to do this is to reject a Grammatical/Historical hermaneutic, and that doesn't happen quickly, there could be a long period of warning signs preceding this kind of move.Christopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03771135392766317129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-53837853579645661402009-10-27T16:47:03.744-07:002009-10-27T16:47:03.744-07:00> "Why are you in the denomination you'...> "Why are you in the denomination you're in?"<br /><br />Evangelical and credobaptist.<br /><br />> How did you find the church you attend?<br /><br />1. By the sovereign plan of God.<br /><br />2. It has a large Korean-language ministry and mixed language services, and several people recommended the church to my wife, when we were both non-churchgoing non-believers.<br /><br />> What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?<br /><br />Coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and being baptized there, thanks to the Holy Spirit working through biblical preaching.<br /><br />> Why do you stay?<br /><br />1. Because we have been blessed with God-fearing elders who by the grace of God have carefully steered their 40-year old church plant as it has turned into a centre for Christian teaching, worship, fellowship, discipleship, service, evangelism, and missions.<br /><br />2. As a corollary of 1, strong biblical preaching week after week, combining exegesis and convicting application.<br /><br />> Under what circumstances would you leave?<br /><br />God willing, only if we moved out of the metropolitan area. And even in the latter case, I would probably continue to associate myself with the church family in some capacity.Stefan Ewinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05530690016594029847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-29603308387191330012009-10-27T16:43:22.752-07:002009-10-27T16:43:22.752-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Stefan Ewinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05530690016594029847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-88444558035383018402009-10-27T16:41:27.114-07:002009-10-27T16:41:27.114-07:001. I honestly have no idea if my church has a den...1. I honestly have no idea if my church has a denomination or not. But that doesn't matter to me really.<br /><br />2. A classmate invited me to the Thanksgiving concert many years ago. And I went for a few months then left because I wasn't saved (actually a practicing Pagan/Witch). Then went back exactly 3 years ago when I was 7 months pregnant because I wanted my son to be "raised in the church" and that was the only church I could think of (not that there weren't hundreds of others around). And got saved 2 weeks later, dedicated the baby 5 months later and baptized one year later.<br /><br />3 & 4. Well, I originally stuck around because I had friends there and at that point (immediately after getting saved/having a baby), that was the most important thing. I was attending the singles group and the teaching was so personal and convicting down to the core. I had never seen a pastor so passionate and pleading with us to also be passionately obedient to God. A while later, I moved to a general fellowship group and began to grow even more under that pastor's teaching which was more like the main pastor's teaching without taking years to go through a book. I have seen myself go from milk, to baby food, to meat through my church's dedication to expositional teaching. And along the way, I've found new friends and sweet fellowship (mostly with seminary families. Even moved in with one family for a while, which was an absolutely incredible experience - not only to see a godly family at work day-in, day-out, but to have all that student's knowledge right there for the asking!) So I'm staying because of the expository-yet-not-dry teaching and the wonderful, non-clique-ish fellowship.<br /><br />5. I wouldn't hesitate to leave....if I moved; if the church turned seeker-sensitive; if I felt that it was relying on gimmicks and flash to get people to come; and to borrow another's comment "if the elders jumped off a theological cliff". On the other hand, I would bring up the issue in prayer if my fellowship group ever disbanded and if Clayton Erb ever left (just kidding, but that would be a sad day).Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07907232516924907165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-8901696900833004282009-10-27T16:36:28.952-07:002009-10-27T16:36:28.952-07:00Because I'm the Pastor! :)Because I'm the Pastor! :)Reforming Baptisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14846318789174330210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-25686494839073973992009-10-27T15:59:13.564-07:002009-10-27T15:59:13.564-07:00This is timely, since I celebrated my 20th anniver...This is timely, since I celebrated my 20th anniversary at my church this past Sunday.<br /><br />1. Southern Baptist - I was saved as a result of the ministry of a Southern Baptist church, and Southern Baptists underwrote my Seminary education.<br /><br />2. God providentially directed both us and our church following my graduation from Seminary in may of 1989.<br /><br />3. God's calling.<br /><br />4. Death, or God's direction elsewhere.Jerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10596065269535476259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-57187913624976664312009-10-27T15:59:01.394-07:002009-10-27T15:59:01.394-07:00I'll give this a shot from my perspective as a...I'll give this a shot from my perspective as a pastor. <br /><br />I am where I am for several reasons:<br /><br />1. This church isn't KJVO or overly in love with KJV<br />2. This church has a plurality of elders<br />3. This church has a history of reformed or reformed leaning pastors and theology<br />4. This church practices believers baptism by immersionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-18209405131579143922009-10-27T15:09:47.320-07:002009-10-27T15:09:47.320-07:001) Doctrine is biblical and worship is God-honorin...1) Doctrine is biblical and worship is God-honoring<br /><br />2) I web searched "Reformed Baptist, St. Louis" two or three clicks later found New Community Church.<br /><br />3) Christ and God exalting teaching. Connected with brothers and sisters in Christ and experienced Christian love for one another.<br /><br />4) My church is biblical and I am able to serve.<br /><br />5) Elders strayed into error. I moved.Beyond Zaphonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266286651193081315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-10889575050342741602009-10-27T14:20:09.245-07:002009-10-27T14:20:09.245-07:00My circumstance kind of starts with the last quest...My circumstance kind of starts with the last question as I just left my church of two and a half years. It was marketed as a non-denominational community church, but really had ties to Assemblies of God behind the curtains. It tended to be seeker sensitive with partnerships with Willow Creek and Saddleback, with lots of contemporary music and topical sermons. Casual dress was the norm, with people even wearing sports jerseys (including the pastors) at times.<br /><br />We decided we had enough and left to find a church that was more traditional. We wanted expository preaching, hymns being sung, and a place that seemed more formal and reverent. So far, we started with an independent Baptist church because we saw their evangelistic efforts and heard some of their preaching on podcast. We knew the stigmas that are attributed to the Baptist churches, but we knew that they would, at least, take the Bible seriously on Sundays and throughout the week.<br /><br />So, we've been there for only two weeks now, and we'll see where it goes.<br /><br />--<br />ChristianChristianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04099711179566970489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-86035499942261253282009-10-27T13:27:07.760-07:002009-10-27T13:27:07.760-07:00We are in a CREC church where I am one of two past...We are in a CREC church where I am one of two pastors…<br /><br />We ended up here by good providence (is there any other kind?) when I and one other elder left our SBC church for various reasons, most of which Frank Turk would accept as legitimate reasons to leave a local body, and formed Providence Community Church (now Providence Church) in Pensacola, FL.<br /><br />We began as a baptistic Church that allowed for paedobaptists (by conviction and actual baptism) to join as full members. We held to the 1689 LBCF with the large exception in the area of ordinances. This put us in an odd place denominationally. We were not Baptists (may God bless them) and we were not Presbyterian (again, blessings) and neither group wanted us for confessional reasons. We could have gone with a broader, looser group like FIRE, but we were really looking for more accountability and cover for us and our congregation.<br /><br />We held a family conference and one of the speakers was Gregg Strawbridge, a minister in the CREC. He preached at our worship service and visited with our families. While with us he mentioned that we might find a home in the CREC. <br /><br />We investigated and to make a long story short, we did find a home in the CREC and in the process of our investigation moved from a baptistic understanding of Scripture and Church life to a Covenantal one. We adopted the 1646 WCF as our confession about a year after petitioning for membership in the CREC and we have an exception to that confession too, allowing credobaptists (by conviction and practice) to join Providence. <br /><br />We are pleased as rum punch to be there too…<br /><br /><i>Under what circumstances would we leave?</i> I guess if Doug Wilson started to wear a pointy hat, that would do it. <a href="http://www.credenda.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67:vestments&catid=98:church&Itemid=122" rel="nofollow"> <b>But he won’t </b></a><br /><br />Al sendsAlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02659402617723892967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-11319921108189118222009-10-27T13:23:36.407-07:002009-10-27T13:23:36.407-07:00left our previous church (22 years ago) when it b...left our previous church (22 years ago) when it became apparent that while we might be able to sift through the garbage, our 6 yr old son might not be able to. While I may not agree with everything about our church (too much rock n' roll worship), the solid teaching of the Word, the church government, the loving discipline when needed, strong missions and a commitment to evangelism are all reasons we stay. Only heresy from the pulpit would cause us to consider leaving and that only after exhausting all efforts to bring change. We have a high view of the church and can't understand the concept of church hopping. I think there is too much of a consumer mentality these days "what's in it for me?"Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17555837659912510385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-52161061442434123742009-10-27T13:00:34.015-07:002009-10-27T13:00:34.015-07:00Why are you in the denomination you're in?
...<i>Why are you in the denomination you're in?</i> <br /><br /> Long story short, because the church I attend is part of that denomination. I joined a local body of believers, not a denomination per se. <br /><br /> <br /><i>How did you find the church you attend?</i> <br /><br />By the grace of God. A preacher’s kid myself, and then one of the "de-churched", I was converted just last year (long story) and found myself on the doorstep of a little country Baptist church, an infant starving for the milk of the word. As I drank, I grew, but I could never talk to my pastor about any of it at any length, and as the Scriptures opened up to me and I grew into the doctrines of Grace, I was desperate to be able to talk with someone of some maturity. At church I was starving and I was lonely. I remember begging my pastor for discipleship, and begging God for pastoral leadership and godly fellowship with women who knew God, loved Him, and sought to glorify Him. Hoping to have fellowship and be nourished maybe just once a month while staying at my old church and working/praying for a revival there, I did a web search for Reformed Baptist churches in my area, found one 40 miles away, emailed the pastor who put me in touch with little bitty Primitive Baptist church just down the road from me where the pastor (Elder) and a few of the members were coming full flower into the doctrines of Grace.<br /><br /><i>What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?</i><br /><br />Oh, my. From my 1st visit, Christ was exalted from A to Z. It was clear that they intended to do everything according to the commands of Christ in the Scripture and the church was being actively moved in that direction. I drank deeply, richly from that fountain. The differences between that and the teachings and fruits of the congregation I had been attending were stark. After about six weeks of prayer and wrestling with this, and apprising my pastor of my concerns, my old church was struck by lighting and burned to the ground. The following services and business meetings were just cold and empty and all about man. I went home from that meeting settled, done. I moved my membership the following Sunday and have not looked back. <br /><br /><i>Why do you stay?</i><br /><br />For the same reasons I joined – and the fruits of that. It's a tiny congregation, but the growth in several people just over the past several months has been obvious. Right now in Sunday School we're in Boice's Expositional Commentary on the Epistles of John and hardly a Sunday goes by that somebody isn't bursting into tears from the sheer beauty of the truth in the text. Our leadership agrees with the 9Marks, so the Scripture is exposited in every message, in context with the rest of the counsel of God. There have been a number of services where the only thing keeping me from falling on my face in worship is the physical distance between the pews. We have a small core group that prays together weekly for the church and individual spiritual needs and for revival/awakening, for the hungering and thirsting after righteousness, to be broken, to die to self, to be renewed in Christ – and He’s answering these prayers. Even as we now face some battlegrounds in the church and bear one another up through them, seeking to be conformed to the image of the same Christ who washed Judas’ feet. I am with people who love to be washed in the water of the word and who have a passion for the lost. Individual evangelistic efforts are encouraged and supported and prayed for. It is a body that is growing not so much in number, but most certainly in Christ. Increasingly, we function the way a New Testament church is intended to function. There are battles against some old ingrained heretical traditions in the denomination, but they’re taken up case by case, with the Gospel and under the full armor of God. <br /><br /><i>Under what circumstances would you leave?</i> <br /><br />Theoretically, I guess the whole place could apostatize, or I could. But by the grace of God, I pray that we continue to grow in His grace until His return.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604068110452745043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-60084422579854175492009-10-27T13:00:11.683-07:002009-10-27T13:00:11.683-07:00The church where our family are members is doctrin...The church where our family are members is doctrinally sound, 3 miles from our home, has one of the most loving "spirits" of any church I have ever attended, opportunities to identify and exercise spiritual gifts are emphasized, is respected and has a 100+ year track record (I'll stop there). It is a member of the GARBC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-42540633316761094522009-10-27T12:50:59.773-07:002009-10-27T12:50:59.773-07:00Why are you in the denomination you're in?
I ...Why are you in the denomination you're in?<br /><br />I was raised in the Plymouth Brethren and house church setting. As an adult, I met with a group that grew out of the house church movement. Due to issues in the church, we stopped meeting and sat at home for seven years. Now, I'm a member of a small, independent, reformed Baptist church. I agree with the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.<br /><br />How did you find the church you attend?<br /><br />Due to a family crisis, I knew I needed to meet with a local church. I had no idea what reformed was at the time. Someone suggested that I read Spurgeon which led me to spurgeon. org. Given that Spurgeon was reformed Baptist, I tried to find a reformed Baptist church.<br /><br />spurgeon.org --> farese.com --> my current church (5 minutes down the road)<br /><br />What specifically led you to attach yourself to the church you attend?<br /><br />I was drawn by the Christ-centered, scripturally sound preaching and the genuine love of the brothers and sisters.<br /><br />Why do you stay?<br /><br />To obey God by committing to a local church and because I need to be spiritually fed. Also, this church is my spiritual family.<br /><br />Under what circumstances would you leave?<br /><br />If I moved or died.Persishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17686511618515789601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-68947891818840320402009-10-27T12:45:12.341-07:002009-10-27T12:45:12.341-07:00Hey, Dan! Your Bible Burgh buddy from Pittsburgh ...Hey, Dan! Your Bible Burgh buddy from Pittsburgh . . . this would make a GREAT interview! ;-)<br /><br />We JUST joined a Baptist church in July . . . AND NOT because its Baptist. I am a non-denom guy at heart. BUT . . . we joined because the preacher is about the only expository, 45 minute sermon preacher in the whole area. A mid-30's "John MacArthur" if you ask me!<br /><br />AND . . . after 150-160 years of existence, they are FINALLY instituting a Bbiblical Eldership!<br /><br />It is under American Baptist but they have dropped out of the Nat'l. group, still affiliated with the state.<br /><br />In the six years the preacher has been there, Sunday School has gone from about 15-20 to about 125-130. to me that stat is MUCH more important and "telling" than the membership number.<br /><br />Since we have only been there three months, I think we probably ought to stay a little while! :-)Mike the Bible Burgh Hosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14942060464333223554noreply@blogger.com