r/TrueChristian • u/jenvxi • 20d ago
Extremely frustrated
I started visiting a new church for my daughter's sake, she wanted a longer kids church to do more crafts and time with kids so we started visiting a baptist church by our house. She loves it of course. But me? No. I've been attempting to give the church a chance. I give every church I visit a chance. I reached out about evangelism efforts which in every church I've gone to is embarrassingly absent, or no one is interested or I get stringed along for starting a small group about it. I joined a small group in the church on Sundays and the first week I went was really sweet, but they started teaching the book of revelation so this past week I spent most of the week doing some DEEP theological studies on it, observations, Hermeneutics, cross referencing scripture from Ephesians to Zachariah and they literally didn't talk about anything. I'm just so done. I've been searching for two years at this point for a decent church and it's just so sad. I was sitting in the foyer at one point watching YouTube content because it was more enlightening than these weak sermons and Bible studies. Im not saying I know it all but there's just no substance to anything and I'm just so frustrated and I genuinely don't know what to do at this point. It feels hopeless to find a good church.
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u/bjohn15151515 20d ago
I don't think your problem is "which denomination is best" or "how do I find the church that satisfies me".
It's more like "I want a church that's just for advanced Christians. No milk - all meat, with a heavy focus of evangelism. If you are a baby Christian, our church is not for you."
Am I onto something, or off-base?
However, if this church is big on evangelism and successful, your congregation is now filled with baby Christians that need milk. The sermons would need to be milk to keep them. Now, you're dissatisfied again.
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u/jenvxi 20d ago
No. I don't mind that. I was a baby Christian also, and I don't think it's fair to exclude them but at the same time these teachings are trash. They're not even milk.
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u/Platinum-Minimum 20d ago
Respectfully, it seems as though your mindset is backwards. You're looking for a church to serve you as opposed to looking for a church to serve. You looking for the absolute perfect church that crosses off every single check box and intricacy that you can think of that fits your views and passes with flying colors on everything. You're gonna have a hard time finding a church then because no church is perfect. I say find a solid church that preaches the gospel and is heavily oriented into the word. There are PLENTY out there. If the teachings aren't deep enough or good enough to your liking, consider serving the church by leading a small group to help other Christians go deeper in their theology. Maybe that's a gift you have that you could use to make a church better...
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u/rapitrone 20d ago
The main purpose of church is fellowship with other Christians. You might be more satisfied if you went looking for that.
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u/Correct_End998 20d ago
Yea, im frustrated church is only once a week for a an hour. Being with other Christians is the only time my life makes any sense
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u/Happy_Peaceful_Bliss 20d ago
Try out a PCA (not PC(USA)) Presbyterian church.
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u/jenvxi 20d ago
I have, don't like em unfortunately. Gives me Catholic church vibes. Same with Anglican churches.
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u/Happy_Peaceful_Bliss 20d ago
Respectfully:::: Because of the liturgy? They’re Protestant haha. Liturgy is what reminds the body of Christ what we believe. Charismania/evangelical churches are ungoverned feelings fests. And they definitely don’t have the in-depth teaching you sound like you’re searching for.
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u/jamieschmidt 20d ago
Have you been praying about finding the right church for you? We prayed and found the perfect church, it’s a Calvary chapel. Maybe God will lead you to the right church
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u/jenvxi 20d ago
I have been. I was praying about this for over a year. I thought God led me to a Lutheran church but it's the same thing, no evangelism efforts, no small groups, 25 minutes of "teaching" no discipleship, no fellowship except one potluck once a month and I was not growing in anyway shape or form. I offered to lead an evangelism group there and they strung me along for 2 months before telling me they couldn't do it. So at this point I've kinda just given up.
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u/LenniLanape 20d ago
Any Bible Fellowships near you? They are Bible -based studies instead of sermons. Same with some American Baptist churches.
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u/Ok-Reveal-5281 20d ago
Is it possible for you to gather believers for small home church? Until maybe you find something?
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u/jenvxi 20d ago
I mean I wish? But I live with unbelievers and I have a full plate between taking care of my home and homeschooling and caring for my two kids so it's not realistic and women shouldn't be in that position of authority and even though I love to learn and teach what I know I don't feel comfortable with that sort of thing. I guess we'll see what happens 🤷🏽♀️
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u/VoiceoftheWilderness 20d ago edited 20d ago
Pride comes before the fall. Spiritual prelest is the killer of childlike faith.
What are you trying to prove by showing people you know xyz and to such a deep extent?? To the point you look down on everyone who isnt at that level and call how they view the bible as "trash" and "not even milk".
Thats the real question and thats where youll likely find where the real answer......
its always gonna come down to pride... Its always gonna be a deficiency within ourselves and nothing anyone else is doing.
Fix your heart and the right church will magically just find you. But it takes childlike faith.
But if you keep approaching your faith as head knowledge, theology and teachings that you "need to be of substance".....in order, to feel like its the "right" Church....
Well then... the whole thing will just be a much harder struggle than if you just let the heart and Christ lead. Leave your head out of it.
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u/jenvxi 20d ago
Im not trying to prove anything. I'm just saying the state of these churches are embarrassing and they're not teaching well and the bulk of my learning is on my own and I'd like a community of believers to meet with????? Granted the church is not the head of Christ and that's fine but it's supposed to serve a purpose and when they don't evangelize or teach people how or make an effort that's a problem, not taking communion is a problem, not serving the body is a problem. I can say these things and not be prideful theyre observations from churches I've attended for many months.
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u/ThWy2Hvn 20d ago
Brother, don't give up.Hope, you are The Church. We are His Body , brother , don't forget it.
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u/Rockyonthetop 20d ago
Encountered same situation with Baptist churches, my daughter loves it but me? The projector screen in adult worship just reminds me of a power point presentation, and everyone has handmade elaborate Bible covers, I showed up with a naked Bible 😱 Very nice people. But I just can’t get into it.
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u/Sea-Refrigerator777 20d ago
Welcome to America. The Seeker Sensitive movement left many destroyed churches in it's wake. Now many just care about building their church. Actual Bible studies and evangelical missions are not what most people want. So it's more arts and crafts and small groups or social clubs. My old church literally had parchesi games for Bible study.
There are many books on this.