Traditional Baptist church

Pray about it and go where God leads you!

 

To leave a church and then return is NOT church hopping, IMO.

Earlier you've mentioned a number of negatives about the church you are currently attending. Evidently those are strong enough for them to affect your worship of our Lord. If, before, during, and after services your thoughts are turned towards those negatives, then your focus isn't on God.

That said, there isn't a church (assemblies of believers) here on earth that is perfect in all respects. The only perfect church is His True Church. Satan tests everyone of us to see if he can drive a in wedge that affects our worship of our Saviour. Did he do that at your first church? Were his wedges clothing and boredom -- two items that you've mentioned. Are his wedges now all the negatives you've mentioned about your current church?

You'll have to pray and search your heart to answer those questions. Did satan lure you away from the traditional church you were attending? Just as he lured the prodigal son away from his home. Is the Holy Spirit calling you back home? Only you can answer that. The answer will come as you kneel in your prayer closet, when it's God's will for you to know the answer.

You may already know the answer. As you walk with our Lord, take one day at a time. Don't let the fear of what may happen in the future interfere with doing His will today. We aren't promised that we'll have tomorrows. As He grants us more of them, He will also guide us as they arrive. Put your future in His capable hands.

 

I would say try as much as possible to ignore the music and external parts of both churches and ask yourself these questions:

1. Is the Gospel clearly preached here?

2. Where can I find people who I can share my Christian life with, who will help me and challenge me to walk closer to Christ and follow him more faithfully.


Once you have settled these, make them the criteria for whether you need to leave a church again...not whether you get tired of the music. You will get tired of the music in any church you attend!

 

I'd add a 3rd question to 12strings good ones: Can I find a place of ministry? Church is about Bible teaching, fellowship and location. but it is also about serving God and His people in community with each other.

 

Make The Main Thing The Main Thing!

Sister, after reading your posts in this thread and another it sounds to me like you are and will be most comfortable in the fellowship of a group of believers that adheres to the "old" styles or traditional type of worship. I am of that persuasion and thankful that I am content in that regard. BUT....the main thing is that we assemble with other believers for two primary reasons (in my opinion). Those reasons are to (a) be instructed and challenged by the sound preaching/teaching of the Word of God and (b) to enjoy the fellowship and encouragement of other like-minded believers. Overall, it is an act of worship and obedience to God because He desires that we do so (gather in church)(Hebrews 10:25)that we can be feed and spiritually nutured.
As to what you should do...that is between you and the Lord but if you have prayed about where to go and feel more at home and comfortable in the older fashioned smaller type church then you should NOT ignore those perceptions. You will (probably)not grow as much spiritually in a setting where you are not at home or comfortable (as far as church goes). The most important thing is ...how can you best SERVE the Lord wherever you are? Do you go to church to act like a sponge and "soak it in" or do you go to serve the Lord and contribute something to the fellowship you are a part of? It is a valid question. Beyond that...you will always find reasons to be disappointed in the people that you are surrounded by so make up your miind to keep your heart and mind focused on the Lord and His Word and remember that the people around you are just people who are prone to occasional failure (but the Lord NEVER fails).
I can tell you this....The church I attend now is not a perfect church and I am far from being its best member....but My Lord is PERFECT! I see things every week that I don't like but the preaching there is wonderful and I am instructed and fed by it every time I walk in the door. Because of that I can say that I have grown spiritually and I have been a member of this assembly now longer than any other I ever attended previously. In the end you simply have to make a conscious decision to stay put where you are "planted" unless the Lord clearly leads you to move on for valid spiritual reasons. He opens and closes doors many times as He sees fit. Those kind of reasons are usually things like having a field of valid Christian service to go to or possibly marriage or maybe (sadly) some unbiblical compromise in the church or pastor that requires you to move to remain true to God. Bath everything you do in prayer.God Bless You.

Bro.Gregraying:

 

Just My Opinion...

Sister...you can share your first name with us if you want to be something other than a screenname:laugh:...and we won't bite...or stalk you:laugh:.....anyway...in my opinion, your perceptions about dress are valid. We live in a culture (much of which has sadly invaded the church) that says that "to WIN the world, you have to be more LIKE the world". I personally believe that what you win them WITH, you win them to!....and then you have a real problem because usually after that they won't accept any teaching to the contrary...from the Bible...or anywhere else. (It is ONLY the Word of God that REALLY matters anyway though). I am proudly (in a humble kinda way:smilewinkgrin old-fashioned and thankful that God gave me enough plain old respect and common sense to be that way. Beyond that I'll only say that the terrible way many of the youth (and I blame the parents for that) and yes...even some of the more...ahem..."mature" folks dress in church AND in public is at the very least, a distraction that draws attention to themselves, and at the very worst wicked and immodest. God does EXPECT His children to live to a higher standard if for nothing else then for a good testimony for His names sake. Okay...I'll get off the soapbox now. Sorry.....this is just a pet peeve of mine.

Bro.Greg

 

"Traditional" may be the most misused word of 2012.


Independent Fundamental Baptist churches do not represent "traditional" baptists by and large.

The biggest myth along these lines is that because they do not sing contemporary music they are traditional.

But mark this down. Four out of five songs that most of these "traditional" churches sing have been written in the last 50 years.

When they talk about "the old paths" they mean the paths of the 1930's and 40's- if not 60's and 70's!

Baptists are a LOT older than that- and truly traditional churches will lean heavily on history that extends back well beyond the last century.

Don't call yourself a traditional church if the vast majority of what you sing was written by Bill Gaither, Dottie Rambo, and EVEN Fanny Crosby.

THAT'S contemporary music!

 

She may be right. From your posts, it seems to me that's where your heart is.

Far be it from me to try and tell anyone my opinion on where I think they should go to church; read some of my posts, and you'll see why.

But I don't think you can go wrong by following your heart, if your heart is in tune with the Spirit, and I believe yours is.

 

Ditto, Michael's comments, Sister Sandie.

That's why I commented earlier that you may already know the answer to your question. If he can, satan will put doubts and fear of the future in your mind. If your heart is filled with the Holy Spirit, satan can't go there. If your heart is telling you to go "home", listen.

 

Wow, I'm wrestling with this issue as well. I attended a mega-church for a couple of years. The preaching was excellent, very thought provoking. But they had loud music, lots of multi-media, people dressed too casual (IMO) and it was a hassle getting a parking spot.

Now I attend an IFB church with about 50 regular attendees. We have piano music, use hymnals, and people dress a bit nicer. I feel more comfortable there, it's more like the church I was saved in, baptized in, and grew up in. But after a couple of years of this church, I feel like I've heard everything the pastor has to say, there is no challenge for me. It's like the church of my youth, and I'm hearing the same old, same old, all over again. That's good in some ways, but also bad in others. It's easy for me to go to this church, maybe too easy.

But I've noticed my prayer life is getting a bit stale and repetitious. Also, I have two boys, aged 15 and 12 years old and because the church is small there is no youth group. That's a problem for me.

I'm considering moving on. (There are other issues I have with this church as well.) But I've visited so many churches in the previous years I pretty much know what I'm in for elsewhere.

I don't know what to tell you. Your story resonated with me so I thought I'd throw in my experience. I would like to suggest you go there for several more months and see what happens, but...

This is your dilemma in one sentence:

Indeed.

I'll pray for you. Will you pray for me, as well?

 

good points, would also add in the 'atmosphere" of the body, in the sense if more/less strict, more formal/informal in styles and in how christian living is viewed?

 

Perhaps you've grown in maturity enough that it's time for you to "challenge" others. Perhaps it's time for you to start a youth ministry, for example. Perhaps God made it easy for you to attend this church for a reason. Perhaps this consideration to move on is the Holy Spirit prompting you to move up, instead.

Think about it for a moment. You're recognizing multiple problems -- your own and a need (maybe more than one), that exists in your church. You are now in a position to make a choice. Why? Is the Holy Spirit challenging you to step up or step out?

Only you know what's in your heart and what the the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do in the name of our Saviour. I pray that He will guide your footsteps in the direction He wants you to go.