Question about churches/Denominations

[BubbleFlower]

I attend a Lutheran Church with my boyfriend. It is very formal, and there are not any young people around our age. (We are in our 20s) I would like to suggest for him a different church. We live in a big city, so I am sure there is something of that kind. Can you suggest for me some churches, or denominations that are a bit informal and at the same time welcoming to young people who are very new to the faith, or perhaps in the process of becoming Christians ?

Thank you,

 

[Brother-Paul]

Greetings @BubbleFlower

First things first, the Church is not the building, nor is it the denomination, the Church, the ekkesia is the born again believers that come together anywhere in Jesus Name. When two or three come together in my name I am there in the midst of them. Born Again believers worldwide, regardless of age, sex, country, language are the one true church, the only one that will get to Heaven.

Now in every denomination there are saved souls and lost souls, only the saved souls are the church. The misunderstanding was created by the Roman Catholic Church, when they called the building the church using the word kuriakon, which is not a word found in the Bible.

There are several ways to find a place of worship in a city or town, you may have an advice centre, you will have a government building, town hall or similar, these will have lists of places of worship. The best way is by word of mouth if you know others that attend places of worship, but beware each will tell you where they go is the best place since sliced bread, understandably.

If you do not know anyone would could guide you, check out the local lists as mentioned, then look at any information they say about the places of worship, you will also be able to check many of these online once you know about then.

Pray with each other, talk with each other, you may even go to several places before you find one best suited to each of you.

It is good to have fellowship with others, but it is also quite important to have mixed aged groups, it is a healthier fellowship and you should make friends, your own ages and others also.

I am sure you having gone to a Lutheran place of worship you would not be comfortable in the Roman Catholic Church, you will see lots of discussions on here regarding there warped beliefs, etc.

We join you and your boyfriend in prayer, that God will guide your hearts and minds and guide you to a place of worship suitable for the two of you, one where you will be comfortable in. A Gospel believing, Jesus centred, The Word believing, place of worship. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen

Are you both born again @BubbleFlower ?

In His Love

 

[BubbleFlower]

Greetings @BubbleFlower

First things first, the Church is not the building, nor is it the denomination, the Church, the ekkesia is the born again believers that come together anywhere in Jesus Name. When two or three come together in my name I am there in the midst of them. Born Again believers worldwide, regardless of age, sex, country, language are the one true church, the only one that will get to Heaven.

Now in every denomination there are saved souls and lost souls, only the saved souls are the church. The misunderstanding was created by the Roman Catholic Church, when they called the building the church using the word kuriakon, which is not a word found in the Bible.

There are several ways to find a place of worship in a city or town, you may have an advice centre, you will have a government building, town hall or similar, these will have lists of places of worship. The best way is by word of mouth if you know others that attend places of worship, but beware each will tell you where they go is the best place since sliced bread, understandably.

If you do not know anyone would could guide you, check out the local lists as mentioned, then look at any information they say about the places of worship, you will also be able to check many of these online once you know about then.

Pray with each other, talk with each other, you may even go to several places before you find one best suited to each of you.

It is good to have fellowship with others, but it is also quite important to have mixed aged groups, it is a healthier fellowship and you should make friends, your own ages and others also.

I am sure you having gone to a Lutheran place of worship you would not be comfortable in the Roman Catholic Church, you will see lots of discussions on here regarding there warped beliefs, etc.

We join you and your boyfriend in prayer, that God will guide your hearts and minds and guide you to a place of worship suitable for the two of you, one where you will be comfortable in. A Gospel believing, Jesus centred, The Word believing, place of worship. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen

Are you both born again @BubbleFlower ?

In His Love

Thank you so much. That is interesting and good to know.

Not sure what you mean by born again. I am only born once. I am not a Christian if you read my other posts. My thoughts about Christianity are not very pleasing to those who believe, and I do not enjoy debating anything. I happened to believe faith is personal. If it works for you then I am happy! I do not think I can pray with my bf. I never prayed in my life, but thank you for praying for us and for your kindness.

 

[Brother-Paul]

Hello @BubbleFlower

Many believe if they go to church they will go to Heaven, some believe it so because their country is classed as a Christian country, some because the Queen is the head of the Anglican Church (UK), others because the pope is the head of the RCC. None of these things will save you, none of these will get you to heaven.

Start by reading the following scripture, take things a step at a time, carefully read what Jesus says. He is talking to Nichodemus in the first part, but what Jesus says is for everyone. To give you a clear picture, Nichodemus was one of the top leaders of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Ruling Council, Nichodemus was a highly respected man, he was also teacher of Israel to the Jews. Let us not forget also Jesus was a Jew.

This is what Jesus says... not how many times he mentions 'born-again' then notice what is said in the remaining verses.

John 3:1-21 (NKJV) <- NKJV refers to New King James version/translation Bible
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."


Jesus is the Light of the World, we can only come to God through Him, All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Him.

Pray to God our Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, ask Him to reveal The Truth in His Word to You.

Many people read verses and not sections, as a result they read, out of context and miss The Truth, that is why here you have 21 verses. Pray and read, take your time, then come back with any questions you may have, then we can explain further. Scripture is always digested best in small bites. (but not single verses)

Allow me to explain then I will leave you to take in the concept Jesus taught us, We Must be Born-Again.

There are many verses that say

Call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved
Believe on the Lord and you will be saved

Even John 3:16 above says...
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Had you not read the verses before John 3:16, or only heard the verses saying call or believe you may easily think you are saved.

May the Good Lord Bless you sister, God loves a searching heart, if your heart is not searching you are spiritually dead.

Jesus Loves you, and your boy friend @BubbleFlower we do too.

We will wait for any questions you may have, then can share the wonderful Word of God with you, The Truth is in the Word.

 

[Br. Bear]

Jesus Loves you, and your boy friend @BubbleFlower we do too.

yes
and somewhere we need to vulnerable enough to listen to the Love
[there is nothing more beautiful and full of beauty and if we want to be beautiful people we have to fill from within ]


Bless you ....><>

 

[BubbleFlower]

You absolutely have NO idea. I am anything, but spiritually dead!

That is why I do not accept Atheism. It is false! I just know I have a spiritual nature and a soul. I had an experience, but it is nothing like what Christians say when you become this "born again." It was very painful and dark. I was so very young when I tried to drown myself after losing my sister to leukemia. I was in a spiritual world passing through stories and metaphorical things. Every details of these stories were so horrific, painful, and torturing me. It actually made me an excellent artist today, and more than that. It made me who I am and how I think. You should see my gallery. It shocks people often. Haha some even tell me my art is evil or disgusting, only because I am often creating things related to our instinct.

I am not like this because this happened to me. No. I tried to understand what happened, and since then I became interested in understanding the human mind. It is the reason why I chose psychology to be my field. I love it. I learned one thing. Darkness is empowering, creative, and a liberating force. It is actually God. I mean our mind is beautiful. It can create hell and heaven. My sister gave me this gift. You can say that I see in the darkness. So yeah when I hear these things about how I should come to "the light." I laugh, because you have no idea.

Love is fine. I love my bf, and those who I care about. I do not love everyone or everything. Hate is also necessary when you hate those who deserve it. I also hate the blinding light. Light can be blinding you from seeing our primitive and astral forms.

Even a beautiful thing like a flower can be poisonous or make you bleed

 

[Brother-Paul]

You absolutely have NO idea. I am anything, but spiritually dead!

Dear sister,

Scripture tells us if Christ is not in us, we are spiritually dead, it is not I myself that says this. You can have a spirit in you, scripture confirms many of these, but if you are not born again, you do not have Christ's Spirit in you.

That is why I do not accept Atheism. It is false! I just know I have a spiritual nature and a soul. I had an experience, but it is nothing like what Christians say when you become this "born again."

You can have a spirit nature but to be alive in Christ you need the spirit of the risen Lord in you. In the scripture I quoted you earlier Jesus explains we must we Born Again, we must be born of spirit and water, He also says to us we should not be surprised, we must be born of God.

It was very painful and dark. I was so very young when I tried to drown myself after losing my sister to leukemia. I was in a spiritual world passing through stories and metaphorical things.

I am sorry to hear of your pain and loss, it is so hard, I can understand how you got to the stage you did, it is good that you can now talk about it. Bless you.

Every details of these stories were so horrific, painful, and torturing me. It actually made me an excellent artist today, and more than that. It made me who I am and how I think. You should see my gallery. It shocks people often. Haha some even tell me my art is evil or disgusting, only because I am often creating things related to our instinct.

You have done very well with what you went through, you really have. Out of this you found a talent God has given to you, you should use this to His Glory.

I am not like this because this happened to me. No. I tried to understand what happened, and since then I became interested in understanding the human mind. It is the reason why I chose psychology to be my field. I love it. I learned one thing. Darkness is empowering, creative, and a liberating force. It is actually God. I mean our mind is beautiful. It can create hell and heaven. My sister gave me this gift. You can say that I see in the darkness. So yeah when I hear these things about how I should come to "the light." I laugh, because you have no idea.

You need to come to Jesus, He is the only one who can save you. There is nothing I can do, nothing we can do except guide you to Jesus, to the cross he died on, to the place he shed is blood for you, for me, for us all, so that through Him we may receive eternal life.

You are right @BubbleFlower I have no idea, but I know Jesus is Lord, I know He is the only one that can save us from our sins, I know life is better with Him than without Him, without Him we are nought. Without Him we are in Sin, without Him we can never be free from sin, without Him I am spiritually dead, without Him we are all spiritually dead.

Love is fine. I love my bf, and those who I care about. I do not love everyone or everything. Hate is also necessary when you hate those who deserve it. I also hate the blinding light. Light can be blinding you from seeing our primitive and astral forms.

Love is fine, but which love are you referring to? The love of your boyfriend, is different to the love of a parent or child, is different to the love of a pet, the love of your job. The present world, particularly the western world is very relaxed with the word 'Love' it covers a multitude of situations.

The Bible tells us of at least seven different types of love, the greatest of all being agape love, Divine Love. The Love God has for us, that He let His One and Only Son die on the cross for 'our' sins.

Jesus loves you @BubbleFlower we do too.

 

[saginon]

I attend a Lutheran Church with my boyfriend. It is very formal, and there are not any young people around our age. (We are in our 20s) I would like to suggest for him a different church. We live in a big city, so I am sure there is something of that kind. Can you suggest for me some churches, or denominations that are a bit informal and at the same time welcoming to young people who are very new to the faith, or perhaps in the process of becoming Christians ?

Thank you,

Any of the denominational churches are full of older folks. That's because they're still doing things the way they did them 100 + years ago. Any of the non-denominational churches or ones labeled 'Christians' churches should be good. Get a list made of those type churches and visit as many as you can. I would be leery of 'Next Level' churches, Hillsong churches, or any of the Pentecostal churches pushing tongues speaking.

You're doing the right thing and keep searching.

 

[saginon]

You absolutely have NO idea. I am anything, but spiritually dead!

That is why I do not accept Atheism. It is false! I just know I have a spiritual nature and a soul. I had an experience, but it is nothing like what Christians say when you become this "born again." It was very painful and dark. I was so very young when I tried to drown myself after losing my sister to leukemia. I was in a spiritual world passing through stories and metaphorical things. Every details of these stories were so horrific, painful, and torturing me. It actually made me an excellent artist today, and more than that. It made me who I am and how I think. You should see my gallery. It shocks people often. Haha some even tell me my art is evil or disgusting, only because I am often creating things related to our instinct.

I am not like this because this happened to me. No. I tried to understand what happened, and since then I became interested in understanding the human mind. It is the reason why I chose psychology to be my field. I love it. I learned one thing. Darkness is empowering, creative, and a liberating force. It is actually God. I mean our mind is beautiful. It can create hell and heaven. My sister gave me this gift. You can say that I see in the darkness. So yeah when I hear these things about how I should come to "the light." I laugh, because you have no idea.

Love is fine. I love my bf, and those who I care about. I do not love everyone or everything. Hate is also necessary when you hate those who deserve it. I also hate the blinding light. Light can be blinding you from seeing our primitive and astral forms.

Even a beautiful thing like a flower can be poisonous or make you bleed :smile:

Some believers here do what I call, "coming on too strong" and it discourages people. I know exactly what you mean about darkness, it makes us better and stronger people. Darkness processed properly gives us light and understanding during troublesome times. There are dozens of examples like that in the bible. When we find our way through it, we become a better person. Paul says each one of us "should examine our own work," - and that's what you're doing. Don't let well meaning Christians discourage you. Keep searching and moving forward and the darkness will continue to brighten up.

As long as there is breath in the body, nobody is spiritually dead. Brother Paul is taking this out of context.

 

[A. Christian]

You absolutely have NO idea. I am anything, but spiritually dead!

That is why I do not accept Atheism. It is false! I just know I have a spiritual nature and a soul. I had an experience, but it is nothing like what Christians say when you become this "born again." It was very painful and dark. I was so very young when I tried to drown myself after losing my sister to leukemia. I was in a spiritual world passing through stories and metaphorical things. Every details of these stories were so horrific, painful, and torturing me. It actually made me an excellent artist today, and more than that. It made me who I am and how I think. You should see my gallery. It shocks people often. Haha some even tell me my art is evil or disgusting, only because I am often creating things related to our instinct.

I am not like this because this happened to me. No. I tried to understand what happened, and since then I became interested in understanding the human mind. It is the reason why I chose psychology to be my field. I love it. I learned one thing. Darkness is empowering, creative, and a liberating force. It is actually God. I mean our mind is beautiful. It can create hell and heaven. My sister gave me this gift. You can say that I see in the darkness. So yeah when I hear these things about how I should come to "the light." I laugh, because you have no idea.

Love is fine. I love my bf, and those who I care about. I do not love everyone or everything. Hate is also necessary when you hate those who deserve it. I also hate the blinding light. Light can be blinding you from seeing our primitive and astral forms.

Even a beautiful thing like a flower can be poisonous or make you bleed :smile:

Interesting. You know I've also made psychology my main field of study. Anyways my question is simple do you feel as if you are complete? Or are you looking for something that you can't find, something that would make life...

 

[BubbleFlower]

Brother-Paul,

I talked about my spiritual experience because what seems to be hell for believers was actually healing me. Do not you get it? You actually need to go through hell to become something better. The light can be deceptive. This discussion leads nowhere. You will not convert me and I will not . You speak a lot about Jesus shedding his "blood" for me. Why should not I honor my ancestral blood, instead? That makes more sense to me. I come from both Germanic & French origins. Asking me to believe in this Nazarene is like me going to India, and telling the Indians to believe the Vanaheimr and Ragnarök. If I tell a Hindu only Fenrisúlfr, the son of Loki, will save you, they will laugh at me, because that is not part of their cultural heritage. Jesus is probably a brown Middle Eastern man with black hair, not this attractive good-looking man that Christians make out of him today in our culture. You also say only Jesus saves us from sins. What is sin? Is sex a sin? Christianity forbids sex with your partner unless you married them. That is so ridiculous, because marriage is only a ritual/ceremony. I could go to the forest or the desert and have a friend perform a marriage ceremony for me and my bf. What makes it right? Governments? Yet you said before Christianity is not about rituals and rules. Then, prove to me why sex is a sin, unless you perform a silly religious ceremony. I heard believers must be celibate until the day they die, if they do not marry. That is just against nature itself. All religions have war against sex. It is really the greatest idea of controlling the masses.

I also believe in divine Love. We have a lot in common. That is because we both believe in God. However, I speak about the God within, the way a philosopher or a psychologist understands it, not a God outside of me. My boyfriend will not make me a believer by kissing me either haha. We need to co-exist.


Saginon,

It is OK. It is just what he believes. I can respect that. Right, We cannot have light without darkness. I do not push the darkness away. I agree with part of what Brother-Paul said, though. Most people are walking dead in this world. Zombies are very real in my opinion. Most people do not want to be spiritually awake. Most people care about materialistic things and entertainment. I actually hate this society but I have to deal with it.

A. Christian,

I have a long way before I can say I am complete, but I feel I did a huge part of my self-actualization, because I allowed instinct to guide me at a very young age. My path is different from Christians. It is looking and searching inwardly for guidance and answers, but I am open-minded. I am fine with going to church with my loved ones. I do not mind if they believe differently. If that works for them, and make them who they are, then I should encourage them more. Most Christians in general are lovely people.

 

[Brother-Paul]

Brother-Paul,

I talked about my spiritual experience because what seems to be hell for believers was actually healing me. Do not you get it? You actually need to go through hell to become something better.

There is so much I could say here, with due respect you have not a clue of what I have been through in life, many on here know part, did I come out better, thanks to and all credit to Jesus yes. My experiences help me help others but as with all things in life, the recipient has to be wanting to listen. To come to God you have to have an open heart, even if at this time they are only cracks allowing in a little light to enter.

God loves a searching heart. He also love you.

The light can be deceptive. This discussion leads nowhere. You will not convert me and I will not .

There is not one man on this earth that can convert another, God calls us we do not call Him, salvation only comes through Jesus.

It is a common statement from those who are not yet saved, 'you can't convert me'.

Dear sister I would not try convert you, man cannot do what only God can perform, but I will pray for you and share The Word of God with you, The Truth in the Word, it is then down to you whether you listen to The Word and talk with God in prayer, through Jesus Christ, who is the intercessor of all prayers, and no one comes to the Father except through Him.

You speak a lot about Jesus shedding his "blood" for me. Why should not I honor my ancestral blood, instead? That makes more sense to me. I come from both Germanic & French origins. Asking me to believe in this Nazarene is like me going to India, and telling the Indians to believe the Vanaheimr and Ragnarök. If I tell a Hindu only Fenrisúlfr, the son of Loki, will save you, they will laugh at me, because that is not part of their cultural heritage.

All I am sharing with you is The Truth in The Word, sin has a price, for the believer who is saved, born again, Christ shed His Blood for my sins, scripture explains it clearly, Jesus paid the price we should pay, so that by coming to Him and being saved, our sins are forgiven, our slate wiped clean the second we accept Him into our heart. As mention there is always a price to pay for sin, if we do not accept God's Free Gift of Salvation though Jesus we are left to pay the price for our sins, scripture says, the wages of sin is death. Everyone has the same choice, I rejected as you are doing now, but in time God brought me to my knees. Thank God He did!

Jesus is probably a brown Middle Eastern man with black hair, not this attractive good-looking man that Christians make out of him today in our culture.

Brilliant sister, Jesus was a Jew, he would be the colour of people from that part of the world, probably with brown eyes also. It is the Roman Catholic Church with Jesus on the cross above the alter that have a western looking man with fair hair, (in this part of the world), it is the films that portray Jesus as you say, you are correct.

You also say only Jesus saves us from sins. What is sin? Is sex a sin? Christianity forbids sex with your partner unless you married them. That is so ridiculous, because marriage is only a ritual/ceremony. I could go to the forest or the desert and have a friend perform a marriage ceremony for me and my bf. What makes it right? Governments? Yet you said before Christianity is not about rituals and rules. Then, prove to me why sex is a sin, unless you perform a silly religious ceremony. I heard believers must be celibate until the day they die, if they do not marry. That is just against nature itself. All religions have war against sex. It is really the greatest idea of controlling the masses.

To keep the reply as short and as simple as possible I add, as confirmed in scripture

SIN IS: Doing everything that God says is unacceptable.
SIN IS: Going against His will.

 

[A. Christian]

I would like to point out that even though there were marriage ceremonies and celebrations in the bible that marriage biblically is not about those things. Look at Isaac and Rebekah the end of genesis 24. The marriage that God started with Adam and Eve is a vow between them and the God who created them. So you do not need a ceremony or any paper from the government for marriage to happen. But you do need the vow. For a person to give someone their body, without also irrevocably giving them their entire being, it cheapens and demeans both the body and the rest of the persons being. I say this because the bible likens salvation to a marriage with Christ. He has already given us everything he has, everything he is, his entire being is offered to us, and all we have to do is surrender to this love and we can have a relationship.

I offer to you that this relationship with God that is freely offered to us even though we are undeserving is the only thing that will make us complete. Even Satre an atheist says that man was created with a God shape whole inside of us.

 

[BubbleFlower]

We have been talking about attending a Vineyard Church. Honestly, It looks fun. Maybe we can make some friends, but I am hesitant. I am not sure if I should let them know I do not believe. I do not know if that is also OK with them. Yeah, there were many young people like us, but I do not think he understood what I meant by finding informal church. I am looking for unorthodox church where we can discuss/share/learn spiritual things. I was not looking for music and worship groups or even people preaching.

 

[A. Christian]

We have been talking about attending a Vineyard Church. Honestly, It looks fun. Maybe we can make some friends, but I am hesitant. I am not sure if I should let them know I do not believe. I do not know if that is also OK with them. Yeah, there were many young people like us, but I do not think he understood what I meant by finding informal church. I am looking for unorthodox church where we can discuss/share/learn spiritual things. I was not looking for music and worship groups or even people preaching.

I do not know what a vineyard church is. Nor do I know what people preaching is for that matter. How does people preaching differ from regular preaching?

As far as letting them know thta ypu are not a believer, by all means tell them you do not want them to accept you on false premises because it will not be you that they will be accepting in that case. If they are decent and accepts you then please dont get offended if they continue to try and share the thing that is most important to them.

Can I ask which spiritual things you are interested in learning?

 

[BubbleFlower]

There is so much I could say here, with due respect you have not a clue of what I have been through in life, many on here know part, did I come out better, thanks to and all credit to Jesus yes. My experiences help me help others but as with all things in life, the recipient has to be wanting to listen. To come to God you have to have an open heart, even if at this time they are only cracks allowing in a little light to enter.

God loves a searching heart. He also love you.




There is not one man on this earth that can convert another, God calls us we do not call Him, salvation only comes through Jesus.

It is a common statement from those who are not yet saved, 'you can't convert me'.

Dear sister I would not try convert you, man cannot do what only God can perform, but I will pray for you and share The Word of God with you, The Truth in the Word, it is then down to you whether you listen to The Word and talk with God in prayer, through Jesus Christ, who is the intercessor of all prayers, and no one comes to the Father except through Him.



All I am sharing with you is The Truth in The Word, sin has a price, for the believer who is saved, born again, Christ shed His Blood for my sins, scripture explains it clearly, Jesus paid the price we should pay, so that by coming to Him and being saved, our sins are forgiven, our slate wiped clean the second we accept Him into our heart. As mention there is always a price to pay for sin, if we do not accept God's Free Gift of Salvation though Jesus we are left to pay the price for our sins, scripture says, the wages of sin is death. Everyone has the same choice, I rejected as you are doing now, but in time God brought me to my knees. Thank God He did!




Brilliant sister, Jesus was a Jew, he would be the colour of people from that part of the world, probably with brown eyes also. It is the Roman Catholic Church with Jesus on the cross above the alter that have a western looking man with fair hair, (in this part of the world), it is the films that portray Jesus as you say, you are correct.



To keep the reply as short and as simple as possible I add, as confirmed in scripture

SIN IS: Doing everything that God says is unacceptable.
SIN IS: Going against His will.

Brother Paul,

When was the last time you read your bible?

There are genocides, wars, death, murder in the bible, and you only speak about love. Sorry, but it is not pink and love all the time. Do not you have a hell and demons for people like me, and all the "creepy things." so you can put fear in the heart of those who do not believe ? You cannot have love without hate, ever. It is there in the bible. Romans 9:13: So it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

You also cannot have light without darkness. It is common sense really, but Christians do not want to acknowledge our primal instincts. Suppression is the path of most Christians, until they face a real situation, when they have to activate this reptilian part. What will happen then? They will either break down completely, or commit the most horrific crimes, because they have never learned how to balance the darker aspects of them. They deny these things all the time and it is annoying. Look at these priests and the child sexual abuse cases. That will sum it up. Do not tell me those were the evil Catholics. You Protestants are not the good people. So many of those evangelicals use the bible and "God" to gain wealth. It is so obvious. Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

I am not searching for God. I never questioned if he was NOT there. God dwells within me already. I also think I am closer to Jesus than most Christians are. Most Christians prefer to quote Paul or someone else than the things Jesus said. They always tell me that is the word of God. No, it is the word of his disciples, or Paul. What Paul said in the bible is not what Jesus said. They are different persons, period. Even the devil spoke in your bible. Therefore, if you think every word there is the word of God, then the devil is God, too.

 

[BubbleFlower]

I do not know what a vineyard church is. Nor do I know what people preaching is for that matter. How does people preaching differ from regular preaching?

As far as letting them know thta ypu are not a believer, by all means tell them you do not want them to accept you on false premises because it will not be you that they will be accepting in that case. If they are decent and accepts you then please dont get offended if they continue to try and share the thing that is most important to them.

Can I ask which spiritual things you are interested in learning?

I do not know much about it, but this church was full of guitars, music, and young people. They looked so happy. I dunno... Jesus parties....lol?

My bf said his ex used to attend these Vineyard churches, but she was putting only a mask according to what I heard. No. I do not get offended, but I am not going to debate things in a house of God so to speak. Also not sure if this will start things later. I prefer not to tell them, but if I had to tell them, I won't lie about what I actually believe. The priest in the Lutheran church was not happy with my bf. This is why I am wondering.

I for the most part want to be closer to my bf, and it is not possible for me to go to his family church anymore. We had some troubles with his mother and the priest. I asked him to change the church.

Spiritual things are more of telling your experiences, rather than preaching the bible. I am thinking about meditations, metaphysical things, and words of wisdom. It is more about "Know yourself."

 

[A. Christian]

I do not know much about it, but this church was full of guitars, music, and young people. They looked so happy. I dunno... Jesus parties....lol?

My bf said his ex used to attend these Vineyard churches, but she was putting only a mask according to what I heard. No. I do not get offended, but I am not going to debate things in a house of God so to speak. Also not sure if this will start things later. I prefer not to tell them, but if I had to tell them, I won't lie about what I actually believe. The priest in the Lutheran church was not happy with my bf. This is why I am wondering.

I for the most part want to be closer to my bf, and it is not possible for me to go to his family church anymore. We had some troubles with his mother and the priest. I asked him to change the church.

Can I ask if you would ever consider having a relationship with Jesus?

 

[BubbleFlower]

Can I ask if you would ever consider having a relationship with Jesus?

I think Jesus is a great spiritual teacher. Sometimes, I feel I am closer to Jesus than some Christians are.

I am not sure how to answer that question. I think I want to be closer to my bf, and if that means a relationship with Jesus, then yes, but I do not think that is genuine faith.

Can you have a relationship with Jesus (or be Christ-like) without believing in the doctrines of heaven, hell, and sin? I think I can. Jesus said the truth will make you free. It is his moral teachings, not the salvation doctrine, but that is just my my opinion.

 

[A. Christian]

I think Jesus is a great spiritual teacher. Sometimes, I feel I am closer to Jesus than some Christians are.

I am not sure how to answer that question. I think I want to be closer to my bf, and if that means a relationship with Jesus, then yes, but I do not think that is genuine faith.

Can you have a relationship with Jesus (or be Christ-like) without believing in the doctrines of heaven, hell, and sin? I think I can. Jesus said the truth will make you free. It is his moral teachings, not the salvation doctrine, but that is just my my opinion.

I think that it is often very easy to confuse what salvation, christianity and being in a relationship with God really are. Most people think that being a good person is the goal or requirement. But honestly being a good person just doesn't factor into what the foundation of christianity is. If you would like to learn some basic of the christian faith without nonessential additions, I would recommend reading mere christianity by c.s. lewis.