I'm confused about churches... Do you know the difference?

Question

I moved to lovely town and I want to find a church to go to. I see First Christian Church, Baptist Church, First Friends Church, Calvery Chapel, and something called a Spiritual Science Church... ??? I just want to find the right place to pray and give thanks for my life. I do love Jesus.


also I want to find a place where I wont be judged. I have one son. His father and I love eachother but we are not married yet (mainly due to lack of funds) but we do live together and we are committed to raising our son together.

Answer 1

First Christian Church: could be reformed, non-denominational, etc. Look them up in the phone book and see if they are affiliated with any sort of denomination.

Baptist Church: In general, Baptists are Bible-believing fundamentalists (Bible-only, Bible is absolutely and literally true). It's their way or no way. There are degrees of fundamentalism within baptist churches. Some would reject you because of not being married to you son's father. Some would cheerfully look the other way and do their best to get you all "right with God."

First Friends Church: likely Quaker. These are pretty loose services. Last one I went to, people just gathered to pray silently. After a while, one of the elders got up and gave everybody something to think about out of the Bible that week, then everybody left. To me, there wasn't enough spiritual nurturing in that kind of a church, but it suits other people who want to remain autonomous very well. Can't say how they would look on your family arrangement, but my guess is they wouldn't mind either way.

Calvary Chapel - evangelical (try to win souls to Christ) fundamentalist (Bible-only, Bible is absolutely and literally true). Some of these are fairly charismatic in that they promote the works of the spirit (speaking in tongues, prophesy), while others are more "mainstream." My last contact with the Calvary folks was 25 years ago, and at that time, they would have frowned on your unmarried status and worked diligently to show you the light so you'd get married. Some would be openly opposed and others quietly helpful. And they could have changed in those many years and now just accept unmarried couples as part of today's "norm."

Spiritual Science - that's one I've never heard of. Again, look them up in the phone book. They may be associated with Christian Science, which means they don't believe in getting medical care. They may be Unitarian Universalist, which means they really don't stand for anything; everybody is free to believe whatever they want to believe (universalism, you see). They may be New Age and not Christian at all. They may be something else.

Personally, I believe that there is a measure of safety in a church being affiliated with a denomination. Keeps a pastor with a lot of charisma from going wacky on you.

Oh, and one last thing. You'll likely find judgemental people in any of these churches. People are just like that sometime. What you need is a church that *frowns* on being judgmental toward others, because then you won't run into as much of it. Even the people who are naturally judgmental try to hide it in those churches because they've been taught it's wrong.

Answer 2

I can realize why you're burdened. The "High Church" of England is so like a Catholic CHurch that the change is negligible. High Churches have statues of Saints, Jesus at the move and the BVM. I in many instances think that many within the CofE desire all of the trappings of the Catholic church however with out the Pope's authority. I fairly do fear approximately the extent of capabilities that such a lot of so-known as Christians in Britain have concerning their founded Church. I am real now not being impolite while I say that you just typify the natural individual that calls themselves Christian however has no suggestion approximately their faith. You desire your baby baptised and but you haven't any suggestion what you're doing. How are you able to consider making vows in church whilst you naturally don't seem to be a church goer? I advise that you just both speak to a Vicar or Priest or on the very least learn approximately the religions that you're burdened approximately and suppose very cautiously approximately your motivation in getting your baby baptised. It moves me that you're quite simply having a baptism on account that of its social status, now not the devout.

Answer 3

Most churches have a "mission statement", or a particular message that they want to reinforce and present through all their worship and ministry. Maybe you could begin by giving each of the churches a call and talking to them about the basis of their belief structure. There can be huge differences between churches even in the same denomination. For example: my husband's family attends a very laidback, contemporary Baptist church. A friend of mine also attends a Baptist church, but they're pretty strict -- on everything from only using the King James Version of The Bible to women never wearing pants to service.

I wish I could give you more information, but I just go to a non-demoninational church.

Answer 4

With all that you've said, I would recommend the church I attend.

Unfortunately, the odds are that you don't live in this city. Sorry :-(

I attend an Assembly of God church, but that does not necessitate that ALL A/G churches have the same love and care for others that I've seen here, even though I suspect that MOST of them do.

Answer 5

I would recommend a Baptist Church. If they are southern Baptists then I would not go there. I would go to one that believes in the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Like the Trinity, the death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, the eternal salvation of the believer.

Answer 6

if by "not be judged", you mean a church that will accept your living arrangement as being morally acceptable, I think you are going to have trouble finding a church like that.

So many people are looking for a church that will fit their lifestyle and beliefs instead of finding a church that will help them lead a better life. Are these people looking for God or are they wanting to be God?

Answer 7

You must see for yourself where people follow the Gospel in its entirety. If you are not married you still live in sin. Why not to get married and be happy completely ?

Answer 8

Have you considered an online Church?
http://www.PTM.org

Answer 9

spiritual science sounds odd....not familiar with first friends....

all sound sort of methodist/baptist flavor...i would try the calvary first and work my way through.....

been there done that...some places can be a bit tooo much....

good luck and God Bless...

Answer 10

Haha... I know what you mean. To me, they're all just Protestant churches. Catholic churches are much easier to spot.

If you want to know about the various schools of Buddhism, let me know. :)