Spiritual Guidance

[Wade]

communication can be awkward, esp when we’re trying to work on the hard stuff.
i just know, in my own life, my beloved children have not always been easy on me!
i try to be like Ernie, to be real, and honest, to not overreact when i’m deeply hurt.
it’s not easy.

but, i have always believed i have to try, ‘cause, otherwise, they will shut me out and go elsewhere with their questions and problems. i don’t want that. so, i do my best to hold up.

now i have a young grdaughter in public school. the things she tells me! i’d rather she did not know! i try not to reveal how painful it can be. she is so innocent. so trusting. i do not understand why the world wants to push so much on children. like Ernie, i try to respond with Jesus’ heart.

i pray for courage and wisdom as i advise her to the best of my ability. and, praise God she willingly comes to me! it’s an honor to be trusted, and a responsibility. life is such a strange experience. not an easy experience.

i’m sharing this knowing you have young children. brace yourself! you will be tested.

Thank you t1 for your profound insight touching on something real important here.

I never had any spiritual mentor or guidance growing up, no one to question and learn from about spiritual things. I think I have a short coming of pushing on and questioning those I look up to guidance the most at times. I think I have also pushed people away that are important to me in that process.

What is your experience in connecting with someone that can disciple you?

Choose any number of things in the poll and then feel free to discuss and mostly encourage with what works and ideas to get involved in discipleship.

[RZehr]

I can only select one. Can you allow multiple choices?

[Wade]

I can only select one. Can you allow multiple choices?

I think I edited it in time that maybe you can now.

[Fidelio]

Other. In my recent transition from Lutheranism to Anabaptist I read a lot of materials put out by Mennonites, and am still reading such materials. I go to an Apostolic Christian Church and learn a lot there too.

Historically I was brought up as a worldling until the age of 27 when I was born again. But instead of studying to see what church was closest to the Bible teachings I simple-mindedly joined a Lutheran church. This on the Cambell's Soup analogy that I came up with. You go into a store and there are several brands of soup, but the only one that looks familiar is Cambell's so you buy it. There is a good feeling about it, though irrational. Same thing, as a kid we had family friends whose son went to a Lutheran school and faced with being new in the faith and the many and diverse churches out there, it was a more familiar choice.

[JimFoxvog]

I grew up in the Methodist (became United Methodist) Church and had one pastor who was really inspiring for many years. I had a deeper conversion experience with a college group where I really began my Christian walk. I read the Bible quite a bit, all the way through a number of times. I came to believe the Bible taught pacifism, not swearing, simplicity, love for the poor, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Sojourners' Magazine and Christian Broadcasting Network with Pat Robertson were big influences. Friends visited Church of the Redeemer in Texas and I became convinced intentional Christian community was my call, so have been part of such most of my life since then.

[Sudsy]

As I mentioned various times before I was raised in Pentecostalism where shortly after I was born, my mother and two years later my father, both coming from an unchurched, worldly background, were converted (a term my dad liked 'when I got converted'). We went to some form of church often through the week and the church had some kind of meeting every night but Monday night. My father became a street preacher. I was raised under a lady pastor that had a remarkable knowledge of the scriptures. My early years I had spiritual guidance from the scriptures, parents, Sunday School teachers, the pastor and other more mature believers.

Making a long story short, I went from Pentecostalism to Evangelical Baptist to no church for some years to the Salvation Army to Mennonite Brethren to another type of Pentecostalism to First Baptist and now back to Mennonite Brethren. It has been quite a journey and it exposed me to quite a variety of secondary teachings within Christianity. My parents, although Pentecostal, had a very open attitude to believers in other groups so these moves were not hard for me to join in these fellowships. I learned it was not true that stepping out of Pentecostalism is a step down. All of these groups have much to offer in spiritual growth. I'll probably have the least amount of adjusting once we all gather round the throne of God where all this separation within Christianity goes away.

Today, I enjoy spiritual books downloaded to my Kindle, Youtube sermons from various sources, coffee chats with our teaching pastor, many spiritual conversations with my wife and I even learn the odd thing here on this forum.

[ken_sylvania]

Today, I enjoy spiritual books downloaded to my Kindle, Youtube sermons from various sources, coffee chats with our teaching pastor, many spiritual conversations with my wife and I even learn the odd thing here on this forum.

There are some odd things to learn here at times, eh?

[Sudsy]

Today, I enjoy spiritual books downloaded to my Kindle, Youtube sermons from various sources, coffee chats with our teaching pastor, many spiritual conversations with my wife and I even learn the odd thing here on this forum.

There are some odd things to learn here at times, eh?

You sound Canadian, eh ? My car license plate says 'FOCUS EH'. Haven't replaced it from previously driving a Ford Focus and now have a Toyota Minivan. Some people still like it.

Anyway, yep, some odder than others. And sometimes just ODD.

I think some Anabaptists find my church quite odd/strange. Actually, yesterday, following a mini sermon on pacifism, we had a moments silence in remembrance of those who died in the two World Wars. I doubt this occurred in many other Anabaptist churches but perhaps it did. Many wore poppies also.

[Neto]

I grew up in a home where the Bible was read every day, went to Sunday school all my life (and we weren't allowed to play on Saturday until we had worked through the SS lesson, and polished our Sunday shoes). Later there were special groups for young teens, and then HS youth group, where we had Bible studies. Several summers I attended church Bible camp, where there were Bible studies during the day, and meetings every evening as well. Attended youth retreats as well, including one youth leadership conference (these were week-ends only). Also attended week-end retreats at Tabor College (MB college in Hillsboro, KS).
Didn't go to Seminary, but went to a Bible Institute my first year, then to a Bible College. Both offered solid Bible centered teaching. Didn't finish any graduate degree (ie, Masters), but studied Bible translation principles on the graduate level.
Backing up, the pastors at our MB (Mennonite Brethren) congregation always took an interest in the youngsters, and the Pastors' wives were active in leading the 2-week DVBS program every summer, which, when I was still at home, went through HS age.
My RA (dormitory resident assistant) from my Freshman year challenged my patriotism, and I purchased and read the Complete Writings of Menno Simons. (Oh, I was also in a Navigators Bible study group that year, lead by an upper classman.)
I can't fail to mention that I had a very close friend (from our congregation, although not from Mennonite background) with whom I developed the type of relationship where we talked honestly about our struggles, and challenged one another to deeper spiritual life. Well, I keep thinking of more influences on my spiritual life. As a Bible translator, I spent hours and hours of the work day studying the Scriptures, working to determine the meaning of every word & phrase of every verse I translated. When I got stuck, and couldn't find help from the commentaries (or when they were so contradictory that I didn't know what to think), I often visited another translator, and got his take on a problem verse. Then also, I definitely must mention the new insights I gained from working with new believers who had come from an entirely different world view (animists). The men I worked with became like brothers to me, and regarding one of them, I an not content with even that description - he is like a twin, someone with whom I shared our mother's womb.

[steve-in-kville]

My journey is a bit different as I came from a non-plain background and discovered the CA in my mid-teens. We left the conservative setting maybe two years ago. My wife still wears her covering and I still don't wear shorts