Please keep me in prayer. Today the Lord spoke to me at the end of our church service that he needs me somewhere else. I've gone to my present church for five years, and have been greatly blessed there. I don't know where the Lord wants me to go now.
By the way, I live in the Charlotte, North Carolina area in case anybody has any suggestions.
Brother,
remember you are "part" of the Church. And you need to align yourself with others brothers and sisters in a local fellowship.
God will show you were to go. Earnestly pray.
Amen. When I do finally leave, I will probably take only one Sunday off from the church in order to pray and seek direction from the Lord.
Brother KJ,
A similar thing happened to me recently. Last September I began to feel like I would be moving churches. I had been at the same church since I got saved 13 years ago. I had no idea where to go, so I stayed where I was and began praying. For 9 months there was no answer. But on May 17th the Lord VERY clearly told me exactly where to go. It was unmistakable. I’ve been at the new church since then and words would fail to express what a tremendous blessing it has been. I could not have chosen so well for myself. I have not regretted the 9 months of waiting for His choice.
My prayers for you brother.
Amen. Thank you for sharing this.
Brother Jim, Your post has refreshed me. The LORD told me about 5 years ago to leave the Church that I was attending. It was not my will to leave, I wanted to stay, but everything dried up there and I had to leave. I have prayed for many years after that as to where the LORD would have me go and like the other poster, there was nothing and to this day there is still nothing.
I hope you find a place brother. I certainly wouldn't want you to experience what I have experienced in not having the LORD tell you where you ought to go even though you've prayed forever.
But let me tell you just in case you do wait a long time. It's lonely. It "feels" like God doesn't want you to be apart of anything. There is that "feeling" of rejection. Though He speaks to you about other things, but this one thing you can't get an answer. You have people around you telling you not to forsake the assembly and yet you think, "should I go for going sake"?
The leading of the LORD is very important to us. He led me to the Church that I attended for 5 years and oh what glorious times we had. It was there that I learned the doctrines of the Church, justification, sanctification, the power of God and the gifts of the Spirit. It was all so wonderful. Oh the moving of the Holy Spirit, the deep contrition, the intercessory prayer. The street ministries, the Rescue Centre, Oh what togetherness we had, what a family we were.
I hope you find something soon, I'll pray for you brother. God Bless for sharing that. I really thought I was alone.
Well, even though I am moving on from my church, I do plan on staying in regular contact with a few brothers I have grown very close to. I imagine I will still be invited back to preach from time to time as well, as I have a pretty strong relationship with the rest of the church. And the church is in the process of organization some outreach, and since I have a lot of experience in street ministry, I'll probably show up on some Saturdays and help train them and take them out in the streets until they know enough to do it on their own.
Some brothers at my church though I feel like will be individuals that I will see for the rest of our lives. One or two in particular, who have been almost father figures to me.
hi, broken one left the church i have been with on and off for 40 years and did very well in her choice of a wonderful church associated with bro clendennon.in baton rouge there are many...at least 10 great churches...this is why i am always puzzled by all the negative input about the church. is it that we are blessed or what? grow where you are planted until Jesus transplants you.be a part of the reason why people want to fellowship with you not a part of the murmurers.love the brothers and sisters around you and pray for those in authority. it is not easy to be spurgeon every sermon.know nothing except Jesus ;and Him crucified...intercede for the other churches in your area and all the pastors...be a part of the family of God always lifting up Jesus and not your church and you will prosper wherever you go... dont pray for your football team[lsu] for it doesnt work.jimp
OOPS, I forgot to mention that I too keep in contact with several Brothers and Sisters that I have come to love. These are my most cherished friends that a man can have. And when we meet we always have great fellowship. We never seek one another out, (something I had to learn the hard way) and the LORD always have us meet at the time appointed and it always turns out sweet. If I forced His hand, it never turns out good.I do plan on staying in regular contact with a few brothers I have grown very close to
So yes brother, I am not completely cut off from the Church, I do fellowship with other believers, and that extends to my online family as well.
And I too have from time to time visit the Church that I left and the last one was at a meeting with David Ravenhill which was an absolutely great message. There was a banquet afterwards that I didn't know about, so I was doubly blessed. :-)
Personally speaking, I cannot help but seek out other Christians and fellowships to partake of. No matter how perfect, or how lacking, so long as Jesus walks in the midst of their candlestick, that's all that matters to me. Would I like to find a great fellowship to be a part of? You bet. But, I feel that ultimately that I'm to only go wherever the Lord tells me to go, no matter how good or how bad that local fellowship might be. Ultimately, when I go to a church, I look to bring more to that fellowship than receive. It's about what I can give, not get :-)
Amen, that is a good attitude to have.I feel that ultimately that I'm to only go wherever the Lord tells me to go, no matter how good or how bad that local fellowship might be.
I had to stop doing that because I was frustrating myself to no end. I'd seek and would not find. It was absolutely disheartening. I finally realized that God wants to do the leading. For sanity sake I had to leave it up to Him. When I see a brother, they would say or I would say, "I was just asking the LORD where you were, I haven't seen you lately, and here you are", and man the fellowship is great. Another time when I met a brother who was at his lowest point in his life said to me when I came to his door, "There is a God!, I just prayed that you'd come". Or another time when I was in bed when the Holy Spirit said "get up and go over town". I went not knowing what to expect. I just walked and coming around the corner was a brother filled with rage because his wife was with another man. We talked and I spent the night with him talking and his spirit quieted. I am done trying to lead myself and finding people to fellowship with, it doesn't work for me, I get a brick wall. But when I leave it to Jesus, doors open.I cannot help but seek out other Christians and fellowships to partake of
Blessings Brother. :-)
Finding a church can be very difficult. I highly recommend taking some time to study the word and letting the LORD lead you (not that you are not doing this already). Discover the truth about why most churches meet on Sundays. Let scripture and the Holy Spirit guide you. What we do as followers of Christ should be on what the bible says not on tradition. Remember the fourth commandment. I will pray for you. God Bless.
Brothers and Sisters,
This is something that has been weighing on my heart for sometime. I am discouraged and frightened by how some of this board can be completely separated from a local church body and somehow think they are obeying God. I do not say this lightly, but, if you are purposefully separated from a local church and are not making effort to join yourself to a local church, you are in sin, and you must repent immediately. I am greatly distressed that this is even practiced, but is actually seen as the will of God, because of some supposed revelation from the Lord.
When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, some of the people in that fellowship were having sexual relationships with their own family members. Yet, did Paul tell people to separate themselves from this assembly? No, he did not. Of how much lesser matters are believers leaving local churches in our day? Because they don't think the people are spiritual enough for them? Because they don't like the preacher? Because they have some doctrinal disagreements?
I'm telling you, brothers and sisters, if this is your case, you are outside of the New Testament example of Christianity. All examples of believers in the Scriptures were associated with local assemblies.
John tells us the mark of genuine salvation is a love for the brothers. It is easy to love someone from a distance, or over the Internet. But, can you love someone on a weekly basis who you disagree with, or who is unlovable to you?
I do not say this lightly, but if you are not connected to a local church assembly, and are not making effort to join yourself to one (either through searching or attemping to move to another town), I do not believe you have Scriptural authority to have assurance of your eternal salvation. It is a Scriptural, fundamental mark of true Christianity to be joined to a local assembly of believers.
With a heavy heart...
Ideally, I would like to find a house church network to belong to in this area, or at least a church where it is obvious that recognizes the value of a larger Sunday gathering, that we should ultimately follow the model established by the Lord and His apostles.
Great thoughts Taylor. I agree with a lot of what you said. I think sometimes we can have a schismatic heart about these issues, as we refuse to have fellowship with those we deem to be less spiritual than us. Most sermons I have ever heard or read about how to pick a church have almost no Biblical basis to them. i.e. Find a bible believing, spirit-filled church that is non-seeker friendly, full of prayer warriors, that preaches 'yada, yada, yada.'
I think the emphasis of the NT would be that it is more important that we belong to a local fellowship than finding a church of folks who are like-minded and embody a certain ideal. Like-mindedness is something we should strive for with other brethren, but sometimes that same mindset may not initially exist, until we enter into the iron-sharpening-iron process. As Art Katz taught, it is that process that God uses to help shape us into the people He wants us to become.
About the only thing that I can think of that is important in choosing a church is our proximity to other brethren. Clearly in the NT, local believers fellowshipped with local believers. Granted, part of this was due to the difficulty of traveling 20 miles to another city to "have church," as it was not as simple as simply jumping into a car and going.
But for the past 5 years, I have attended a church where the closest brother to me was 20 miles away. Even though only 20 miles, it still has made it very difficult for me to fulfill the things God has put on my heart to do for the church, especially since I work 50-60 hours a week on average. This time, I will probably only search out a church in my own town. Granted, that gives me dozens of churches to pick from. But, I think proximity of distance is important, so that we might share our "life together."
Dear Brother/Sister, try not to be grieved. For me, the above had no bearing as to why I left, it was God. I have prayed and even fasted, and I assure you that I will not step under any man's ministry unless it's from the LORD. I have lead myself many times before and have miserably failed, I will not make that mistake again.Because they don't think the people are spiritual enough for them? Because they don't like the preacher? Because they have some doctrinal disagreements?
Now be of good courage. Use this time of grieving and pray for me that I might find that place where the LORD would have me be. If His will is to remain presently content, or under the leadership then that door will open. But please do not be ignorant of this one thing, I have been seeking, I am aware of what the bible is saying. I do not believe that I am in sin, I cannot be blamed if my LORD will not reveal to me as to what ministry I should be under, that is His responsibility, because we are not our own, we have been bought with a price. He has led me to other ministries before, He shall again. Our lot is to seek His Face, wait upon Him for whatever we have petitioned Him for.
DeepThinker,
I urge you to not place the blame for this situation on the Lord. The Lord does not act contrary to His Word, and He does not lead people to act contrary to the examples in His Word.
In the Scriptures, do we find Christians praying until the Lord "led" them to a suitable local church? From my understanding, they simply joined themselves to a local church. There was no long separation from the local assembly of believers.
KingJimmy and DeepThinker,
If I can be of any assistance to you in helping you find a local church, please let me know through PM. I would be glad to help in your search.
I realize "Taylor" can be a man or a woman's name, so for clarification, I am a man.
With care in Christ...
Please keep me in prayer. Today the Lord spoke to me at the end of our church service that he needs me somewhere else. I've gone to my present church for five years, and have been greatly blessed there. I don't know where the Lord wants me to go now.
Jimmy,
I will pray for you.
Also,you probably know this already but I just wanted to remind you of some wonderful advice that comes from George Muller that I have found to be very helpful...
SEEKING GOD'S WILL
1. Be slow to take new steps in the Lord's service, or in your business, or in your families: weigh everything well; weigh all in the light of the Holy Scriptures and in the fear of God.
2. Seek to have no will of your own, in order to ascertain the mind of God, regarding any steps you propose taking, so that you can honestly say you are willing to do the will of God, if He will only please to instruct you.
3. But when you have found out what the will of God is, seek for His help, and seek it earnestly, perseveringly, patiently, believingly, expectantly; and you will surely in His own time and way obtain it.
In Christ,
Ron
This discussion is locked.
