Finding the "right" denomination: Where to start?

Question

First off, please don't tell me there is no such thing as the one true Church or that God doesn't exist...I would like to find out for myself.

I am Roman Catholic and I've been practicing since I was very very young. It's great and I'm happy with it...but the only problem is that I don't have a lot of knowledge about it, and because I am not well educated in the subject of Christianity, I am not confident enough to say that it is the right church.

Now my question is...where the heck can I do my research for this? How do I start? I can, of course, start reading the bible but I might need a book or a website that would help me interpret them. HELP!

thank you.

Answer 1

If you are truly interested in learning about the Christian faith and its history, I suggest the following website and list of books:

http://www.monergismbooks.com/

I recommend the "church history" section and the "reference" section.

This the most important decision you can ever make in your entire life, please don't give up because the task seems difficult.

If you want my opinion, Christ is less interested in your denomination and more interested in the position of your heart. He wants you to have a personal, intimate relationship with Him. Best wishes to you, if you have any questions feel free to email me.

Answer 2

I would suggest going to the below site and signing up for their Bible study. That way you can work at your own pace and ask questions if something confuses you. Rely only on your Bible as your guide while you study because books written by men will lead you astray from what God expects of you. My husband grades lessons for the World Bible School and has several students he is working with at the present time :)

I also questioned things many years ago so it can be an interesting study, just keep your heart open to God's word as you compare and cross off various churches. Be sure and take the doctrine each church teaches and compare it to the Bible to make sure they are teaching accurately. So many today are not. God bless you

Answer 3

Step one: Read the Bible, Pray and ask God to reveal His truth to you, He always honours His promises and in John 16:13 He promises us the Holy Spirit "who reveals the truth about God, He will lead you into all the truth..." When you have discovered what the Bible teaches then you are ready for Step Two.

Step Two: Find a church that believes the same thing as the Bible, and again God will lead you to the Right Church.

Honestly you don't need a lot of books etc, when read with and open mind and heart, under the guidence of the Holy Spirit the Bible will explain itself, compare passages with each other. Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.

Answer 4

Try reading about 'The Talmud Jmmanuel' and see the site below. Also watch the British Documentary "Did Jesus Die?". This is about the teachings of Jesus, which Christianity does not teach today.
Also Ed T Martin's book - "King of Travelers - Jesus Lost Years in India". There are videotaped lectures by Martin and James Deardorff...
Oh, consider this research...
Sadly the Apostles who set up the Catholic church, etc did not understand the teachings of Jesus at all. You have only to compare the original teachings, to what is taught today...

Answer 5

It is not about denomination. took me YEARS to learn that. You must first get a Bible and begin to study and pray, asking God to show you things. There are some truths in most churches, and many errors taught also. What God showed me is that only the church of the Holy Bible is the one true Church, the only pure undeviled religion. WE must know the Bible and know God intimately to KNOW what is truth and what is error. Pray for discernment. Check all things you hear against the Word of God and you will be on the path to finding only Gods truths. Ask God to reveal to you where He wants you to go. God does want us in church, and says to never stop fellowshipping together and prasiing God. BUt, we often find as we try many churches, that they arent still preaching FULL Bible truths, and we dont know what to do. speak to your pastor when you hear error, and if he wont receive rebuke, go to another church. If you cant find any that wil lspeak truth, start your own. But, usually there is one out there that will. So much in denominations is man made religion, yet in non demoninatilal churches, there is no doctrines so as to not offend anyone in all the religions that go there. We believe in all of the Bible and to obey what it says, as God says that. So, we just began to look for churches and see whats taught. We are basically of pentacostal faith, but still find that even in those churches, some error ir creeping in. WE found a church here that the pastor is ordained as pentacostal, but he wants all false religion removed from this church, and what a blessing it is to see full truth taught, without apology. Its awesome. Just keep looking till you find the one God wants you in. Others can help you and so can the writings of other Christian men and women, but use caution. Be sure that all you hear lines up with the word of God, line upon line, precept upon precept.
All religion is only an offshoot off the original, so why are we shocked that so much error is in churches today. Everytime someone wasnt comfy with a doctrine, they branched off and began a new one. Thats not Gods desire for His ppl. ITs His Biblical truths that we do know. THen begin to learn enough basic Hebrew and Greek that will translate some Bible words and you will be led to even more truths. In these last days, so much is being revealed to Gods ppl.
Just dont give up. Keep praying, believe, waiting, as you study Gods word. IT will all come to you, if you dont doubt it. Faith still moves mountains today, and God still performs miracles . Prayer still works.
Hang on , it is coming and rememer dont get discouraged, as Jesus is coming soon. Only hold onto God and His precious words in the Holy Bible, We need no other outside source to tell us what God says. When we read it directly, then we KNOW.
Hold on to what you know is true, unless the Bible shows you differently. Accept new things, only when the Bible shows you. Hold on to the prize that God has given to you.
Stay with God , walk in the spirit, and go on to victory in Christ.
God bless you..................... Seek and ye shall find and all will be added unto you. In these last days, much last day revelation will come, rhema revelation, new things, as the mysteries of the Bible unfold..... I count it all as joy, so much to know and learn and God loves us thru the process when we obey. Obedience leads to blessing. WE must obey as Jesus obeyed the Father. ITs a command.

Answer 6

How can a person know which religion is right?

(1) On what are its teachings based? Are they from God, or are they largely from men? (2 Tim. 3:16; Mark 7:7) Ask, for example: Where does the Bible teach that God is a Trinity? Where does it say that the human soul is immortal?

(2) Consider whether it is making known the name of God. Jesus said in prayer to God: “I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world.” (John 17:6) He declared: “It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.” (Matt. 4:10) Has your religion taught you that ‘it is Jehovah you must worship’? Have you come to know the Person identified by that name—his purposes, his activities, his qualities—so that you feel you can confidently draw close to him?

(3) Is true faith in Jesus Christ being demonstrated? This involves appreciation of the value of the sacrifice of Jesus’ human life and of his position today as heavenly King. (John 3:36; Ps. 2:6-8) Such appreciation is shown by obeying Jesus—sharing personally and zealously in the work that he assigned to his followers. True religion has such faith that is accompanied by works.—Jas. 2:26.

(4) Is it largely ritualistic, a formality, or is it a way of life? God strongly disapproves of religion that is merely a formalism. (Isa. 1:15-17) True religion upholds the Bible’s standard of morality and clean speech instead of weakly going along with popular trends. (1 Cor. 5:9-13; Eph. 5:3-5) Its members reflect the fruits of God’s spirit in their lives. (Gal. 5:22, 23) So, those who adhere to true worship can be identified because they sincerely endeavor to apply Bible standards in their lives not only at their places of meeting but in their family life, at their secular work, in school, and in recreation.

(5) Do its members truly love one another? Jesus said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) Such love reaches across racial, social, and national boundaries, drawing people together in genuine brotherhood. So strong is this love that it sets them apart as being truly different. When the nations go to war, who have enough love for their Christian brothers in other lands that they refuse to take up arms and kill them? That is what early Christians did.

(6) Is it truly separate from the world? Jesus said that his true followers would be “no part of the world.” (John 15:19) To worship God in a manner that he approves requires that we keep ourselves “without spot from the world.” (Jas. 1:27) Can that be said of those whose clergy and other members are involved in politics, or whose lives are largely built around materialistic and fleshly desires?—1 John 2:15-17.

(7) Are its members active witnesses concerning God’s Kingdom? Jesus foretold: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14) What religion is really proclaiming God’s Kingdom as the hope of mankind instead of encouraging people to look to human rulership to solve their problems? Has your religion equipped you to share in this activity, and to do it from house to house as Jesus taught his apostles to do?—Matt. 10:7, 11-13; Acts 5:42; 20:20.

Answer 7

i recommend a hebrew-english old testament, a greek-english interlinear new testament, and a strong's concordance. you will learn a lot if you pray for understanding and use these tools with faith.

Answer 8

Start with everything about Jesus. Then the start of Genesis.

Then you have to find your own way.

No one SAYS you need a DEMONIATION

Answer 9

START BY PRAYING FOR KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, AND UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S WORD AND ASK HIM WERE HE WANTS YOU TO READ AND READ IT, THEN ASK HIM WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO GO AND FOLLOW THE LEAD OF YOUR HEART HE WILL DIRECT YOU TO THE CHURCH THAT WILL TEACH YOU WHAT YOU HAVE NEED OF.

Answer 10

You might find some interesting info about the beginnings of Christianity here:

http://www.thegodmovie.com