do you see a difference between attending/visiting a church as opposed to seeking membership?RZehr wrote:My observation is that as convictions grow, the less beneficial it becomes to be part of an unsatisfactory church. I'm not answering your question, just perhaps adding to the subject.
maybe Once Again will mention if this is part of her question (?) ..
at this moment, i'm attending Catholic masses with my family. honestly, i never anticipated attending Catholic masses ever in my life, but, i do now. this priest's homilies are always Bible-centered, and he communicates in a way that is inviting and approachable. i'm grateful for the experience.
this is the overall message i've gleaned from this forum. it puts me at ease about church attendance.Hats Off wrote:We advised Lucy in Northern Ireland to attend a local church rather than attempt to worship alone.
We suggested a Gospel Hall which was less than 5 minutes walk from her home.
I would always recommend that you know what you believe so that you can leave those things which don't feel right.
We have no experience with this ourselves so can only express an opinion.
but I feel brotherhood and church fellowship are more important than many of the smaller details.
definitely, when i listen to these Catholic homilies, i'm listening from the perspective of what i've come to believe in my life. i don't feel i know in full, but, neither do i feel i'm a beginner in faith and scriptures. this helps me understand the homily points with more depth.
i'm undecided about church membership with a church i cannot deeply accept .. i have not ever done this. but i may be in error to hold back. i'm not sure. i can be skittish about membership. i was "pretty old" before i was able to embrace church membership, but, when i did, it was a joyful thing for a number of years.
in the past, Robert compared church membership with marriage. i like this analogy, altho i might not carry it to the full extent he might (??) not sure. you don't marry "just anyone."
this is my experience, not suggesting it reflects anything beyond that.