Christians, if you left one Christian denomination for another, which did you leave and why?

Question

Was it due to false teaching, unbiblical practices, or other. Please explain. I'd like to read your answers.

Answer 1

Dear Mya,

My dad raised me in a church that was / is Congregational & Presbyterian. My mom became a Watchtower Witness before I was born which meant that World War III got waged in our household on a regular basis.

I think I learned a great deal in my church's teaching and it created in me a desire to read the entire Bible, although it took about 3 decades to follow through on the desire.

When I finally did read the Bible from cover-to-cover I found things that made me very relieved that my dad did not become a jw or allow Mom to raise me according to the Watchtower!!!

But in reading the whole Bible I also saw things which greatly concerned me about the United Church of Christ to which I belonged. I spoke to my minister, to the Board of Deacons and to other members of the church to try to get them interested in reading the whole Bible.

My concerns about the UCC caused me to do some church shopping but I did not finally leave until the end of 2004 because the members of my church were like family to me.

After more church shopping I found a small Bible believing church not far from my home and I enjoy it immensely. I have finally found the substance that my inmost being was hungering and thirsting for.

Hallowed be His Name!

Edit for Brian: It sounds like you had a few bad experiences with church but please don't give up. I visited several church over several months. Some I went only once but I went to others for several weeks.

I wholeheartedly joined my present church because it is well grounded in the Bible but I almost didn't join because I am divorced. It seemed to me as though most of the members are couples and families and I wasn't sure I fit in. But I prayed about it and God provided me with the assurance that it was the right church for me.

Answer 2

Coldness, distance, feeling regimented, feeling ignored. Being wanted only as an extra number.

I met a guy who described most churches thus "Sit down, shut up and cough up."

Then there was the Anglican church where the vicar and his wife couldn't do enough for us, but where his daughters and others in the congregation were having kids out of wedlock and nobody batted an eye.

Basically they're all too impersonal. And they all have some kind of doctrinal and practical bias, even if it's only that they emphasise one thing and ignore another.

Answer 3

It's not so much that I left a denomination, but that I sought out other churches. The church I grew up in turned its back on my family in a time of desperate need. Another church I left I left because of a teaching I consider not only false, but spiritually deadly. Another church I left because I wasn't getting what I needed out of it (even thought I didn't and don't know what that was/is). I do not currently have a church I attend, but I'd like to have. If you want to email me for more details, I'm happy to talk about it with you. pvt_hutt

Answer 4

I was born and raised Catholic, even lived in a "Catholic bubble" by attending Catholic school from 4yrs old thru college at 21yrs old. I didn't really know anyone that was NOT Catholic....until I got into the workforce and made many friends...I started seeing various religions and people that had close personal relationships with Jesus! I wanted that....it took several life events, like marrying a JW, to really act on my desire....God definitely has a plan because my husband and I both left our man made doctrines behind and are now nondenominational Christians. We are still learning, but the bible is definitely the place to find the truth. And man, does it open eyes to both Catholicism and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Answer 5

I left the Catholic Church because first and foremost they practice unbiblical practices and also because they really don't explain anything. I am a non denominational Christian. Don't follow Religion, follow God and his word only!

Answer 6

I was raised Catholic, but left when I became an adult, living on my own. I still believe Catholics are believers and go to heaven, but I left and am nondenominational. I don't have a religion, but a christian faith in God/Jesus. Reasons I left Catholicism is: I do not believe we should pray to Mary. I do not believe in purgatory, I do not believe we should put anyone above anyone else, such as the Pope, people they declare as saints etc and I do not believe in confessing my sins to a priest. Reasons for why I do not believe in all the above: Because the Bible does not teach any of it. Bible tells us: Pray only to God/Jesus. When we die, our spirits go to heaven or hell. Since Jesus died, we have a direct line to God for prayer and confession. All christians are considered saints in heaven, not just a select few. And also, I attend a Bible preaching church (An assembly of God) without the repetitive rituals in the mass. I do not think God is really interested in what denomination we are, but rather whose we are - Do we belong to The Lord or satan? We must chose 1 master, cannot have 2 masters. We must believe in Jesus and accept the gift of salvation. If any denomination does not teach this, it is not of God. Thank you,

Answer 7

I was Church of God, Then I met the Jehovah witnesses. After remembering about the Beatitudes that I had been previously confused about the meaning about I listened to the JW,s thinking maybe this was more like the Bible. The more I listened to them the more confused I became. I sometimes would try to quit studying with them, but because the witness seemed to be such a good friend , soon I would be studying with them again. I would ask people from my old church to pray for me, but couldn't seem to quit the Bible studies. Finally, I met Anna, on yahoo answers, she helped me to understand some things and helped me to break away. Now I'm free to learn of Him. I missed praying to God and Jesus. The JW's said not to pray to Jesus. I missed the songs about Jesus , too. The songs in the JW songbook were mostly about Jehovah, not much about Jesus. I now read the Bible and pray to God to learn of him. His yoke is easy, The Bible is the road map to heaven, not the watchtower.

Answer 8

When God brought me to spiritual life and I began following Jesus, he led me immediately to a lovely local Baptist fellowship where I was spiritually fed from the Word of God. I stayed there for many years. But a situation developed with a couple of leaders who seemed to be using business management techniques to "deal with" individuals and matters, trying to get conformity to their view of doing things. I never got to know the ins and outs because I deliberately avoided that, but I knew something was seriously wrong. In prayer, I sought God, and one night he woke me up, got me reading his Word, and an Old Testament prophecy about bad shepherds spoiling the flock hit me like a thunderbolt. The passage spoke of resigning and leaving the flock! This I did, and spent a year looking for another fellowship.

God made it clear that one church (Reformed Presbyterian) was the one when I went on three consecutive Sundays and the preaching spoke directly into my own situation and heart. I was welcomed and have been there ever since. If I thought the Baptist preaching was nourishing, then this diet was rich beyond my imagining! Despite my disagreement with some tenets of that faith, I learned much and now understand why they hold to some differing views. I still don't agree with all that they hold to, but thank God for bringing me into their midst. If it had been up to me, I would never have joined them (such was my strength of feeling about some points) but I learned that when seeking a denomination, the criteria should be "Where does GOD want me to fellowship?" - not, "Where do I want to go?"

Every Christian denomination has faults. None are perfect. If there was, then the minute I joined it, it would be imperfect! No Christian denomination has perfect understanding or perfect practice but those that love the Lord and are sincerely seeking to please him, as individual congregations or as denominations, receive his blessings and it is an immense privilege to be guided by the Lord himself to that part of the Body of Christ that he wishes individuals to belong to.

Answer 9

I left the church when I started to realize that organized religions all have their own depictions of the Bible. I started to ponder if God if so loving how could he put us here to be "puppets" for his entertainment and then promise us with an eternity of damnation if we do not follow and obey him. To me that has always seemed absurd. I think we've all been with God before and coming here is our choice to learn and experience different lessons in order to better appreciate our souls and our existence.Presently if I had to claim a religious theme, I would say I am gnostic.

Answer 10

I left my denomination, and its name is not important. What is important is that denomination by any other name is a "sect" and the New Testament strictly illustrates that sectarianism is wrong.

All these diverse Sectarian Churches (denominationalism) are division.., division of Christ and Christ is not divided. So I do not adopt any more sectarian churches. There is only one truth.., and that is in the Bible.., not divided denominations. Sound, simple reasoning.