Dear Mr. Smith,
I've gone to an A/G or Interdenominational church all of my life. The health and wealth gospel sounded so good when I didn't need it...it tickled my ears and gave me a real secure feeling for the future in case I ever needed health or help out of money problems. A lot of things happened in 2005 that changed my life forever. My dad had a stroke at 69 and became completely demented and is now in a nursing home. My mom almost died because of it (she had a severe case of pancreatitis and is now a diabetic). Both of them, like me, quoted the Word, "tithed" and so on, but it didn't work like "they" promised.
I've always been grounded in the Word (my parents are from Germany and were always on-fire Pentecostals). Then the "faith" message diluted their "fire" and we've been in no-man's land ever since. We still love the Lord, but are so angry about 20 years of being led astray and led down a dead-end road. Our faith has suffered because bitterness is now attached to it.
Thank you so much for your web-site. I've needed someone else to agree with my "heretic" conclusions about the current day church. My question to you is what to do about finding a church. I'd quit going if it weren't for my young children (4). But I just can't stomach to the tithing preaching anymore. I feel all it is is a way for an unambiticious person to make a living off of the rest of us who actually work for a living. I actually have to leave the sanctuary when the "tithing" sermon comes.
I don't want to forsake the fellowship with other believers. Any suggestions? Also, do you think I'd have any luck bringing the info on your web-site to the attention of my pastor? I doubt it...they always have their "pat" theological answers, aimed to stump the "laymen."
Yours truly,
Ruth
Dear Ruth:
No, you will not have success in converting your pastor. Neither would I have success at such an impossible task. People ask me about "where to go to church" almost on a daily basis. They know that their church and all other churches that they know of, do not teach the truth (worse: they teach lies and heresy). And so they think that maybe I know of a church a few blocks from where their from or a few miles from their home that does teach all of the truths of God. Sorry, there is not such thing that I am aware of.
If there were churches scattered through BABYLON THE GREAT WHORE, then there would be no need for God to admonish those whom He is choosing, to "COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE" (Rev. 18:4). Are we to just come out of her spiritually, but remain good social friends with them on a weekly basis?
Church is not now and never was, a physical building to congregate in to worship God. Could all the hundreds of thousands of Israelites congregate inside the tiny little tabernacle in the wilderness? Could ALL JUDEA congregate in the tiny Temple in Jeruslem every sabbath? The synagogues became corrupted and the churches today are corrupted. So where do you want to go? If you want fellowship why not foin a social club and keep the false religion out of your fellowship.
Jesus taught us that we are to worship God in spirit and in truth, not in this mountain or in Jerusalem, or in a building, or another other "place" that is corrupted. I can't tell people what to do. If "christian fellowship" means more to them than "godly worship," then I guess they just have to keep looking.
Being a follower of Jesus Christ was never designed to be a "feel good religion" as many christian churches promise if you join their particular tents on living a worldly life for Jesus. I trully never miss, "CHURCH"! I "go to church" every time I open my Bible."
God be with you,
Ray
