I love the Lord. I even love the fellowship of the Black church. I miss church, and find myself crying in praise whenever I watch church on TV. Yet, every Sunday I can't get myself to church because I haven't been in years, I'm embarassed and afraid of being judged by fellow church goers. My mother is an atheist, so I found Jesus on my own. I got saved when I was 16 and I'm now 27 and although I read the Word every week on my own, I really need to get that fellowship going again.
It's becoming really important to me as well because my daughter is 4 years old and she's NEVER been to church-I want her to know the Lord like I do-so what do I do? How do I find the stregnth to get over my fears and just GO??? Please keep in mind I'm very new here in Atlanta(I'm originally from NYC) as well, so I have anxiety about trying church in a new place as well...Please HELP!
2006-12-15 05:34:10 · 36 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Girl, I feel your pain. I aint been to nobody's church in a year of Sundays. However (comma) you know that Jesus found you once, and he hasn't lost you. Pray on it and God will give you the strength to overcome your fears. Someone will come into your life and help you get to church. Just pray and let it go. I'll pray for you now too. God bless you and your baby girl!.
2006-12-15 05:39:46 · answer #1 · answered by Twinki 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why would you love a fellowship that you believe would judge you? If they were TRUE Christians there would be no judging, hence the reason I don't go to church. I can believe in and pray to God just as easily as you can in a church full of hypocrites. Where do you think he would pop up first? In your home where you are prasing him? Or in a church with false worship and much blastphemy? Then ask yourself where you'd rather be.
Chances are you'd be a better teacher of the bible for your daughter than a preacher who you don't really know much about. He could have a flask of rum behind his stand or could have raped a little girl and you'd never know the difference. It's been happening a lot here lately.
2006-12-15 05:42:08 · answer #2 · answered by starchild8072 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They will be so glad to see you attending church that they won't care if you haven't been in years. Do you have a friend that you could go with the first time or two just for the moral support? Your daughter needs to be exposed to the teaching of the Bible NOW. I am sure there are many churches in the Atlanta area you could choose from. Why not call the church and ask the secretary about starting times for services. Tell her you haven't been attending anywhere regularly and you are looking for a church home. Maybe a visit from the pastor before you attend would help to get you over your anxiety.
2006-12-15 05:40:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
You should not worry because if its a " true " church, they wont judge you, especially because the only reason is you havent been to church. Be careful, because some modern day churches are preaching from satan and not from God and fooling God's people. There may be a reason God keep you out of church so stop feeling bad :). But fellowship with other Christians is definaltey healthy and good. Just make sure you find true Christians. The way you know is if they say or preach anything that isnt in the bible or goes against it. Dont be judgemental and mean to them, just tell them that you follow the bible and exactly what God says and you would like to participate in a church that does the same. Good Luck!
2006-12-15 05:55:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I promise you it isn't a big deal. I have stopped going for a two or three years and decided to visit sunday night services at a church in NYC. The most interaction you are forced to have is taking a bulletin and allowing a person to seat you. Not a big deal. Then you get to know people slowly. I was never judged.
I also attended a "black church" called the Brooklyn Tabernacle. You've probably heard of it. I enjoyed the enthusiams of their services, but it was a bit too much for me. I like more relaxed services with interracial congregations.
You could also try visiting a "seeker service" aimed more at people interested in Christianity, so they are expectin to see people who are not regular church attenders.
You really need to just put your feers on the shelf and visit, even if you don't talk to anyone.
Email me if you want help finding a church in Atlanta. I live not far from there.
2006-12-15 05:40:37 · answer #5 · answered by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Honey, I suffered from the very same thing. I will put this bluntly to you, because the Holy Spirit put it bluntly to me when I was in your shoes: refusal to go to church to avoid "judgement" is actually sinful pride; it's a lie from the pit of Hell that your Christian brothers and sisters would judge you. This is Satan convincing you not to do something that's commanded (Hebrews 10:25), so you don't receive encouragement to continue your walk with God. A true church will receive you with love and rejoicing, just as my church received me. It'll be a happy day and you'll wonder why you were ever scared to go.
Since you live in Atlanta, check out the Church of the Apostles: http://www.apostles.org/ It's headed by Dr. Michael Youssef, a VERY godly man. He preaches the uncompromised word of God, so you'll know you're being spiritually fed.
Peace and Merry Christmas, sister!
2006-12-15 05:41:53 · answer #6 · answered by Suzanne: YPA 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
People are always afraid of offical national beliefs. They should be IF it was a threat of being so. No nation should enforce or deny any one belief or non-belief in something, too bad so many places do so mostly in third world countries. Christian Math: America - Christian Values + Alternative Majority than themselves = No Religious freedom/Set National belief. They are paranoid because they have been a majority and been so used to it they see anything else that rises to it being equally recognized and putting in its 2 cents as a conspiracy to ban/destroy them and establish a theocracy of some sort or another. So they are not just afraid of Atheism, but any belief that is on the rise of being recognized, respected and treated as equal as Christians. Its for reasons that don't exist and are mostly a cover up of them wanting to keep to the 60s theme.
2016-03-13 07:19:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you know anyone else that goes, maybe you could go with them, kinda moral support.
Is their anyone at the church you could call? maybe if someone there knew you were coming they could meet with you.
Above all, if you feel that strongly, then you need to overcome your fear and go.
I'm sure somehow you'll find a way, in fact if you are meant to go then you will.
I havent been to my church for quite a long while myself, and the other day I bumped into my priest while shopping, she told me off! so I have to go now
;-) lol. The first time I went to that church was scary, so I know how you feel, especially as it was a different type of church too, (Was Church of England, now Christian Spiritualist).
Hope everything works out for you.
God Bless x
2006-12-15 05:52:22 · answer #8 · answered by Sobchak 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
you know deep down that if you went to church nobody there would judge you and make you feel unwelcome...that's just silly
I live in Atlanta too. if you want go to a mega church so you can blend into the crowd very easily, the big ones are Creflo's Dollars on the south side and Eddie Longs off I-20 and if you want a more multi-racial mega churh there's one off I-285 W In Touch ministries that is supposed to be very popular.
For smaller churches maybe just try one near your home that you can easily get to. Keep trying a different one until you find the one you like. there are thousands!
Good luck!
2006-12-15 05:51:08 · answer #9 · answered by Angie@ 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I can imagine this is hard for you. I had not been to church for a long time when I decided to recommit myself to the Lord. I just chose a church after researching to make sure of solid doctrine and I went. Usually when a person decides to return after an absence from the fellowship, everyone is so glad to have you back and they aren't judgmental at all. If you run into that problem, I would try another congregation. Our Lord loves us, and wants us in fellowship together. I will pray for you and your daughter.
2006-12-15 05:49:07 · answer #10 · answered by azkat111 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋