"I Somehow Broke Away From The Church"?

Question

I was attending a Pentacostal church in which I believed to recieve the Holy Ghost and "spake" in new tounges, I was completely filled with happiness for a few years straight, living as God would have me to live, and I would never hesitate to quote scripture, and stand for the faith happily. Hoping one day would come when I could be 'lucky' enough to die for my faith in Jesus Christ. I was very devout, a preacher at only 18 years old, someone who taught in the classes and I was loved by everyone.

I was not always in Church though, I grew up rough, smoke and drank all the time, long story short I found meaning and fullfillment in my life through the blood of Jesus.

It's been awhile now, since I stopped going to that beloved church, I don't know exactly what happened, but somehow I broke away from the people of God, from my family. Now I've failed at most parts in my life, and I'm back down to living at my parent's house again, and I'm unemployed.

What do you think of this?

According to some of your answers already, I just wanted to point out that I believed I was not a part of religion, knowing that religion is what starts wars all over the earth, my doctrine was the Bible, and Jesus Christ and what I believed He wanted for me. And no, I'm not blaming the Church for my backsliding, but admonishing them for my morality, and without the Church I have backslid further than ever before, worse than I was before I accepted Jesus in my heart.

Theres a certain peace that comes from serving God, you don't feel like it's required, you feel like God deserves all the glory in all things, despite wha t you'd want for yourself. So the response saying I was a prisoner, is basically true, but you can't view it naturally, as like I was in a dungeon, cause that's not true, I was simply engulfed in happiness, living without fear, protected by God and His Light. I was a prisoner to His will, which made me happy, I felt "locked for life in the love of God!'

Answer 1

I think you are trying to blame your lack of religion for your downfalls. You can survive without religion. However, if you truly believe that religion is what helped you then get off your butt and go back to church.

Answer 2

What you did is very understandable. I attended an Assembly of God church for a while because I wanted a nice place to just worship the Lord. I thought I could overlook the differences between my deep beliefs and theirs. This became increasingly difficult. In a weekly publication was a story condemning any interaction at all between their teenagers and any other gay teenageers in their school. A support group at one high school was so objectionable it must be shut down. Now God created us all and He does not make mistakes. The missionary thing made me think too, how dare anyone tell someone else that if you don't believe what I tell you to believe and pray what I tell you to pray than you are not going to heaven. Can you even imagine that Ghandi is not with the Lord in heaven? They condemned Planned Parenthood which is an organization that emphasizes exactly that----planned parenthood. But in-vetro is ok. Huh!!!! It really concerned me when I wondered what the Pastor would say to a gay teenager who came to him for counselling. The potential to do some real harm is a very real possibility. Think about also, on the earth today the majority of the people are muslim. So lets assume that is 51%, so lets estimate that 40% are christian. Of those 40%, how many are "saved"? Remember that Catholic is the predominate christian religion, so lets say 20% are "saved". Now do you really believe that the Lord would send 80% of the people on this planet right now to hell? No way!!! You only need common sense to know that simply is not true. Doesn't it make sense that the Lord would send more than one prophet to spread His word? Mohammed and the first Buddha are examples. The Bible that we have today was compiled over 400 years after Christ died. The priests at the time chose which letters to include and which ones did not promote their ideas for the church. Then the bible has been rewritten and retranslated many times by men.

I want to warn anyone out there to ask questions and never let anyone tell you what to believe. There are a lot of religious fanatics that pick and choose verses from the bible to facilitate their own agenda. Like how can a Telly Tubby be gay? What an idiot.

If there is anyone out there that thinks for one second that the bible is in anyway relavant to life today, they should read Leviticus 20:9. "Any child who curses his mother or his father shall be put to death". We would have no one alive if that were true. The bible should be used as a history book only and we should question even the accuracy of that.

You did the right thing to get out. The fact that your life is a little messed up now is regretable though. I do believe in the power of prayer and the Lord can help you through tough times.

Answer 3

I think that the two things have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

I think that the studies that show that those that naturally gravitate to religious fundamentalism have the same dopamine receptor deficit that those that naturally gravitate to alcoholism demonstrate are correct.

I think that there are over 1400 varieties of Christianity -- before you get to non Christian religions.

I think that the Bible is a book of myths, and I think that it is provable that it is not infallible. (Start with the fact that it lists pi as 3 in a description of one round pool).

I think that while you can blame your problems on your loss of faith -- if it actually has anything to do with faith at all, such relationship was caused by your own subconscious struggles between ID/Superego and Ego. That is a problem, but not a spiritual one -- rather one that needs a good psychologist.

I think that if you decide you will succeed, then you will succeed -- and if you need a religious crutch to make that decision, I think that is your business.

I think it would be better for your whole life if you just grew up and started making moral and ethical decisions based on real things, rather than a bronze age book -- but if you are afraid to do that -- its ok, its your right, not everyone chooses to grow up. I'm glad I did -- but I can't speak for you or your life.

Lastly, I think I'm sorry that you feel that way, and I hope you change your mind and become whole -- but I know that you will do what you will do, and you aren't actually here looking for opinions. I only look stupid sometimes.

Regards,

Reynolds Jones
http://www.rebuff.org
[e-mail]

Answer 4

Something not quite straight with your story. You were a preacher at 18years old which means you must have been with the church at least a couple of years if not more. Yet, before you found the church you grew up rough, smoked and drank all the time. You did all this when you were a teenager or younger???
Really. Why, that's wonderful.
Anyway, you now need to find yourself a job. Being a preacher at only 18 and you have taught classes, these are positive points to help you find a good job. Good luck

Answer 5

The problem was you were going to a pentacostal church. They are full of false teachings and emotionalism. Everyone I know who has gone to a pentacostal church follows the exact same pattern as you have. In and out of church, doing great one minute and the next you're on skid row. Try a chuurch that teaches doctrine from the original languages, word by word, in historical context, categorized into subjects that can be learned. Stay away from emotional experiences in church. You should be thinking while hearing God's word, not jumping up and down babbling in an unknown language that usually doesn't even exist. Contact me for suggested teachers if interested in learning how God really wants you to live.

Answer 6

From what I've seen, beliefs are often a pendulum. The further you go in one direction, the time may come when you snap and swing back just as far in the other direction. Those who live life in strong rebellion to God often have a moment when their views all of a sudden change, and they realize that if they were this bad and God still cared for them that they are more grateful than the guy who grew up in the church and takes salvation for granted. And they will often go hardcore for God because they have more of an understanding of what God deserves. As Jesus said, "the one who is forgiven much, loves much." I've seen the opposite. A christian who pushes so hard in the God direction that they burn out and live a debase life because they've repressed it for so long. They've pretended they do not have those feelings of lust or of superiority, rather than accept that they have them, and try to keep them in check, through their faith in God.

My advice to you would be to return to a church, find some place wherein you may serve God, but hold a cautious and critical outlook on this service so as not to let yourself be carried away on the false waves of emotion. God doesn't need you to single-handedly eliminate the army of millions that stands against Him. He needs you to fight one enemy at a time to make a difference for His kingdom. As the band Tourniquet puts it "Is God asking you to crawl to China...Or just to cross the street?"

Answer 7

Not trying to sound religious or anything. Because I don't like religious people. But I am indeed a Christian. I believe that you may have been walking in the broader ways in life. Satan done tempting you in something that caught your attention fully and you fell for it. But your life doesn't end because you left God. You must realize and admit that you were wrong and that you backslide. It's a reason why you're still alive today. God allowed that to happen because he has a purpose for it. Repent and rededicate your life back to Christ. He's not condemning you or disappointed in you. He understands and he will fix what's broken and restore what's lost. Just give the Lord another chance. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths." And the Bible also says in James 4:7-8,10 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Wash your hands and purify your heart. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." God will forgive you if you repent. He said it in his word that he will. So put your trust in him and allow him to do his will in your life. Pray, and have faith. God will turn your mess into a message!

Answer 8

I know the feeling.Did the same thing,And still don't feel quite right.Once you been to Paris is hard to go back to the farm.It's not that complicated,God is a jealous God.He wants all of us to recognize the fact that he has created us,and we need to give back what he has freely given to us.Indirect amends is what I do.I have learned the hard way that He is not going to let me off the hook.And I am grateful for his love for me.I attend church on Sunday,and 3 times a week I attend recovery meetings for addicts and alcoholics.This is after years of active addiction what I believe in my heart that God wants me to do.I help addicts all I can,because it's Jesus I am really ministering to.This is where God puts me every time.Try doing something for the community as a way of making amends.Working the 12 steps of AA,through a Christ centered program may be what you need to get back to feeling the joy you did before you left the first time.God has awonderful plan for you.You are his and he is yours!Get busy!God loves you and so do I!PEACE AND SERENITY TO YOU AND YOURS!

Answer 9

What do I think and what God thinks are two different views and one is correct. God can only help you and I know what you mean. This is only going to get worse as people will stray away from God.

You know the desire in your heart but will you listen? The door is always open but will you walk through and stay? Or will you turn around? This is something only you can decide.







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The look you give, you may seem to be on the up and up but I think you practice ways that are not MORAL. In fact you claim to be one way but are really not. You have experienced homosexual practices but yet you ridecule them. Your eyes are tainted and so are you. God will forgive but are you willing to admit you sinned. The eyes of killing. The stonehardness. Pain. Do not put blame on something that you have no control over.

Answer 10

When I fell away from my church family I also started to see that my life was going to the sh!ts after a while.

I decided to start going back and things seem a heck of a lot better again. Even if not for God, but for your own peace, find somewhere to attend and do what you remember as good times. Maybe find a new church if you dont feel comfortable going back to where you left.

Answer 11

First, there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of what happened to you. This is what we may all 'destiny' -not decided by some unknown power but brought about by one's own changing circumstances and actions. There are instances of people changing from what one calls 'bad' to 'worse' or 'bad' to 'good' , and in your case you think you have changed from 'good' to 'bad', though the definition of these expressions can be varied and are debatable.
Well, it is like this. A young person is or can be easily influenced and impressed by the preachers but when one enters adulthood, things do undergo changes which are sometimes beyond one's imagination and out of one's control.
By the way, in your case, you have had the experience of two extremes and as such you have reason to be proud of being so! As years go by, you can always draw from those experiences and create a new leaf or chapter in your life! But don't have any preconceived ideas or notions about what you want to achieve - take things in your stride as they come. And, there is no need to feel guilty of not going to the Church nor should you contemplate going back to the Church because you feel guilty!