[Riot]

Hello!

So just a few things to get it off my mind...
Ive been going to a single church for about 3 or so years now, the first church I've started going to, and for those 3 years I thought it was a great place and really enjoyed it. Then I started to branch out and have a look at other churches and such in the community, just to visit occasionally.
Now I've started to question a lot of what's really true or not, or what the people are preaching is really 100% proper (nothing really major or weird) (this is within my church and the other churches I visit).

I kind of feel caught in middle ground now, in terms of where I belong...
Its OK to ask a lot of question isn't it?
The bible says the truth shall set me free, but I'm just unsure where I'm meant to be, like if God is preparing to move me to another church or is just teaching me more fundamentals, or if I'm just growing spiritually...
Any help would be great, thanks guys.

[hauntinghelper]

Everybody SHOULD ask questions. That's how you grow. I wouldn't be the person I am today without having stepped back during college and said "how do I know any of this is even true?".

Even if people don't understand you questioning... God does. Don't worry about it.

If you visit different churches, you most likely will hear some very different teaching. This is where YOU need to study the word. If we simply rely on others to constantly tell us what God says, we can easily be persuaded into a lot of false doctrine. YOU read the Bible... YOU know what God has revealed to humanity... then the teachings of others will not be so confusing. Perhaps God is preparing you to move to other church... time will tell.

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes, the early follows of Christ, questioned, meet and discussed matters of faith.

I would say no one denomination has it all right, and many worship God in various manners, some quietly, and dignified, others loud and active. Both can be good, both can be wrong if taken to extreme.

Not wrong as against God, But just different.

What specificly are you questioning?

[Riot]

Cheers guys

Im more so asking... is it normal for me to be questioning what a church preaches (not that I'm saying they are wrong in what they do, but how/why they do things differently which should thus more biblically correct and if not, why not)
To the point where one pastor in a church will tell me one thing and then a pastor in another church will tell me another thing, and I'm not really sure who to trust or know who's right (even though I do respect what they're saying)

I question things such as correct use of spiritual gifts (majority of these are pentecostal churches) and how god works within different people, who may or may not have the holy spirit. Stuff like that.

[hauntinghelper]

Well, again it really depends on the issues of whether something is REALLY right or wrong. Some people feel it is wrong to even use a drum in their worship music... while others, of course, will any instrument on the planet! I myself was part of the hardcore punk rock movement for over 10 years. But as I said before, if YOU know what the bible says, it doesn't matter what some preacher tells if. You'll know for yourself.

Of course the issue of spiritual gifts is a little different. Mainly because there ARE right and wrong ways to act in this issue. But it still should not be an issue. Speaking in tongues is one of the most controversial things in the church, but it shouldn't be because even that is laid out clearly in scripture. That the Spiritual Gifts ARE biblical... and they ARE for today. Now some groups will deny them ONLY because they don't understand them. There are also groups who would say you're not even saved if you don't function in the Spirit... again NOT biblical and most people would know that if they would just read the bible for themselves.

The church I attend does function in the Spirit... and I believe it's a good example of how it is supposed to be done. We might have an individual or possibly two who have a word to give in tongues. They will almost always wait for an opportune time as not to interrupt anything (the gift is under control of the individual) and after they have given it... our pastor, who has the Gift of interpretation will give his end of it. Now it is not for the pastor alone to give interpretation... as others have also stood up and given it... that is just how it is typically done at our church. The bible is clear that He is a God of order and that the Gifts of the Spirit are subject to those that have them. There are churches out there that act like a circus... and biblically they are stepping over the boundaries God has set out in His word. Are the going to Hell for it? No. Are they making a very poor example of the Christian church? Very likely...

[Riot]

Thanks hauntinghelper, that's helped me a bit.

It was more the thing of, for instance, my church that I attend normally people speak in tounges and such (not always loudly), but no one really interprets them. Then people in this church also give a prophesy to an individual sometimes too, instead of for the whole church

Now another church I sometimes attend, they have people (one at a time) speaking in tounges and then someone will interpret as they go (as represented in Corinthians) and they also believe that prophesys shouldn't be used for individuals but instead for the whole church.

See what differences I have now? Im not saying one is right and the other is wrong, but I'm not sure where I actually stand on it all now

[hauntinghelper]

It's a very valid issue... and I'm happy at least some people still are concerned about this.

Here's what I would do. If I was really happy where I was going to church, and there was a public speaking in tongues with no interpretation... and this was normally how it went every week... I would talk to the pastor about it. Just tell him that you are uncomfortable about how it is treated at the church and truth be told it is unbiblical. Really you pastor needs to pray and seek for the Gift of interpretation. If the problem doesn't resolve soon, I would leave the church.

Now the issue with prophesy is a little different. Prophesy is a beautiful thing when given to the whole church, as our church operates in this manner as well. However, it is the Holy Spirit inspiring it and I don't have a problem if one individual is called out specifically. I guess it would be better however, if that was done in private. 1 Corinthians 14 certainly implies prophesy is more for the body rather than an individual.. at least in a public setting.

One thing I have to mention is that, I certainly believe this way, that there is always praying in the spirit... and that type of tongues needs to interpretation as it is between you and God only. I believe this is where most of the confusion comes in to play with tongues as people can get loud with it and mistake it for public exhortation. Of course many people do not believe there is a "prayer language".

So again, this is very controversial subject, but it sounds to me like you have a great grasp on it. You know the scripture, you know it says in a public setting it needs interpretation. You can never go wrong if you simply follow what the Word tells us. If your current church doesn't want to operate in the biblical model... I would leave it. But, I'll let you prayerfully consider what you need to do.

[Fr_Chuck]

Interpertation is great, about 1/2 of what I see happening in too many churches is fake, someone says something and some wonderful elder feels that someone has to say something, to tell what it means, He means well, he thinks perhaps God is giving him the words. But it is really a wonderful lady two rows back that was just about to say it, when the guy speaks, since he says something different, the other lady feels she must be wrong and will not speak up again.

A person who works in many of the gifts can easily spot this happening.

If the speaking is not building up God's house, praising God, or giving a true word of wisdom, I often doubt either the speaker or the interpertation.

Whlle I feel the one that follows a proper order is more correct, Often others have put too much importance on a gift and not its usage.

But you will visit another church, who will teach that this speaking has no place at all in formal service but needs to be done in private or in private prayer service.

They have just put rules on more control of its use. Again does not make it wrong really, just another form of worship.

And some churches do not teach or believe in this at all. And it will never happen in their churches. Again, does it make them wrong, no, just missing one of the gifts.

[hauntinghelper]

Well said!

[iaskuanswer]

Message withdrawn.

[dwashbur]

One thing to consider: what is essential to your faith, and what is negotiable? Things like speaking in tongues, opinions about the "end times" and that sort of thing are fairly gray areas in the Bible, and different people are going to have different views. Be suspicious of anybody who claims they have all the answers!

In your case, it sounds as though you're uncomfortable with some churches' practices. But really, those practices have nothing to do with the core beliefs of Christianity. I have found that it's helpful to sit down and define just what the non-negotiables are, then look for a church that I'm comfortable in when it comes to the nonessentials. Those two categories are probably going to be different for you than they are for me, and that's okay because the Bible is hopelessly vague on a lot of subjects. I've managed to narrow my essentials down to two: 1) God exists, and 2) Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead. Obviously, those two essentials carry a lot of baggage and have tons of implications, but pretty much all of those are negotiable for me. Where you end up on such a spectrum is your decision.

Another thing that has helped me is the realization that people and relationships are more important than secondary doctrines. Most of my friends, both online and in person, are pretribulational; I'm not. I don't care. I like them for who they are, not for when or how they expect Jesus to return. The people that really matter take the same view with me. Look for a church where you really connect with some of the people, and as long as the simple gospel of Jesus is there, let the rest go out of focus as you zero in on those people.

Hope some of this is helpful.

[Riot]

Hey thanks guys, your words have really helped me understand. And I think its an important topic too.

There's deffinetly a fair bit of miss use and under-use of spiritual gifts and the correct workings of them in church.
Well Ive decided that ill stay in my current church at the moment, while still studying myself to help line up and understand it all. Ive got responsibilities in the church too (in the worship team) and I want to honor the talents that God has given me too, so I can't just jump ship I realise...
However I'm going to still keep praying about it and when/if the time to move on comes up I'll be ready.
Thanks again.