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Post by Brother John on Sept 5, 2010 10:56:28 GMT -5
Our family has been without a church or fellowship for quite some time now. I can testify from experience that it is not a good thing to be apart from God's people.
I was wondering if there are others on this board that are in the same position? If so, how have you handled the situation and what, if anything, are you doing to find fellowship?
John
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Post by George on Sept 6, 2010 12:16:17 GMT -5
Brother John I shall be in earnest prayer that you able to find some to fellowship with. The Christian love that is in existence is best exhibited through one form of fellowship or another.
During my recent incarceration in the hospital I was extremely blessed to have 25 different visitors. I did not even try to count the number of actual visits. I lay the primary reason for all of those many blessings to my Church and it's members. In fact the visits continued for a few weeks after I was released.
Granted I am a member of a Church that averages about 400 at Sunday morning services but I take every opportunity to fellowship with folks when it arises. I like to arrive early for services and stay late. It presents the chance to get to meet new people and to fellowship with long-time friends.
I recall in Hebrews where we read: "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together..." That assembling of ourselves together is vitally important to my Christian life and provides a great deal of joy as well as a way to keep up on the needs of others especially concerning prayer needs and health.
I will tell you that mine is not the "perfect" Church. You will not hear preaching from behind the pulpit out of any kind of "version" of the Bible. Our Pastoral staff are very conservative fundamental Baptists. However we do have people who read out of other so-called Bibles and folks who do not dress appropriately, women who wear entirely too much make-up and things of that nature but I do not have to nor do I choose to spend any time fellowshipping with them. The contact I have with them is in the spirit of teaching and trying to get them to conform to the Biblical requirements for dress and such. I believe looking for any kind of a perfect assembly is most likely futile except for a very small group of people who are hand-picked and then problems are most likely still going to surface.
All the best to you and your family my Brother and as I said I shall earnestly pray that you find those you can fellowship with.
In Christ,
George
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Post by Brother John on Sept 6, 2010 12:33:02 GMT -5
Your prayers are very much appreciated George. Lord bless you.
John
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Post by benshelpmeet on Oct 18, 2010 15:11:39 GMT -5
Dear Bro John,
I know exactly how you feel, we long for like minded fellowship. All we can do is pray and press forward until the Lord provides. He is faithful to guide our path and encourage us along the way. 
Have a great day!
Blessings, ~ sister Darlene ~
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Post by benshelpmeet on Oct 20, 2010 13:07:45 GMT -5
Quote: I was wondering if there are others on this board that are in the same position? If so, how have you handled the situation and what, if anything, are you doing to find fellowship?
For those of us that have a family to raise, for those of us with strong bible convictions.
Modesty : (No make up, hair do's, jewelery, costly array, etc..)
Head covering
Wives being keepers at home
Quiver full
Debt Free
No TV ''or Movies''
and other conservative stands..
It is extremely hard to find a place where we can raise a family and not have carnally minded preachers, staff and church members being a negative influence on your children. Children look up to those they church with especially preachers and their wives.
There is a deep desire for most of us here to find like minded spiritual believers we can church with, not perfect in mans eyes by any means, just people devoted to God, and striving toward the Lord. It seems were dotted here and there unable to find each other in our own area, much less in a church situation.
There will always be those in your church who are not toward the Lord, but the preaching should be such that they do not hang around long, or get saved, or right with God. Then there are always those who are growing in the Lord, ( young in the Lord.) We all started out here and it's a good sign for a church to have and love these folks. But there should be like minded brethren to fellowship with in your church as well.
My husband started pastoring a church 8 months ago, a little country Baptist church. The people are simple country people, toward the Lord, but not spiritual yet. We love them dearly, but we crave fellowship with like minded believers, our children need like minded fellowship. We need brethren who will pray and who know how to pray, we need others who are sold out to God and seeking Him daily for strength, guidance and power, we need others who have a vision and burden for lost souls. We need like minded brethren to church with, to labor with, to bond with.
Yes brother John we can relate, even though my husband is a pastor and we have a church and meet to worship with people, we long for like minded believers to fellowship with. It's lonely, it's not easy, but we encourage ourselves in the Lord and strengthen that which remains (our precious family and our walk with God), and we wait.
We have sweet fellowship with like minded believers when they make the Long trip to come to our house for a visit, or we do the same.
God will not leave us without forever, we have faith He will meet our need in this area.
Pray for us, as we will pray for you, and others on this site and beyond.
May the Lord bless and encourage you and your family Bro John.
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Post by benshelpmeet on Mar 16, 2011 16:00:01 GMT -5
We moved to our New Property that the Lord clearly led us to buy back in 2005 and move to it in 2008.
Now we are far away from friends. 
We know the Lord moved us here so we encourage ourselves in the Lord and strengthen those things which remain. We meet regularly in our home on Sundays we visit regular and plain churches seeking fellowship but find cold responses in both places, both groups say pointed things from the pulpit concerning our beliefs.
The regular churches refer to our outward observances as not necessary and legalistic. The people are friendly but seem to keep you at bay like we are strangers... not brethren.
The plain churches make statements about Calvinist, and there belief that truly born again people have eternal life and can never loose there salvation, that they are in error. We believe that, but were not Calvinist.  The people are friendly but seem to keep you at bay like we are strangers... not brethren.
One plain church, a pastor we consider a friend preached the whole service about if you have a flag your double minded and unstable in all your ways, we were the only ones in the whole church with a flag. He preached on the two Kingdoms which we whole heartily believe and practice, he preached about non resistance which we also practice. The people are friendly but seem to keep you at bay like we are strangers... not brethren.
We as fellow christians are responsible before God to Love the brethren not just those we church with, not just those christians who believe and practice just like we do. The body of Christ has needs that we are to meet. If we fail to love and encourage the brethren when God sends them our way we are going to answer to God for that.
We love all the brethren in other denominations whether right or wrong. We try to encourage and be a bright spot in there day. We even have them to our house and eat with them and spend the day together, we do not look down at them or treat them different just because we practice our faith differently. We are going to spend all eternity together. One day we will stand before God and find out we are wrong in areas too. Gasp!
Our family lives for God to the very best of our ability, we are valid christians. We can not worship with the liberal regular churches because it grieves us and it equally grieves us to church with the plain groups we know of in Tn. Religion makes God sick and it does not merit His favor. True christianity is lovely, it reaches out to a lost and dying world, it introspects it's on life and walk and draws nigh unto God and seeks God for changes needed. It's a walk that wants to be more like Christ and to live a life pleasing to God. It loves the brethren!Who is the Church? All saved on the planet earth.Who are our brethren? Those who have put saving faith in Jesus Christ, who have been born again and have experienced new birth and new life.Is church membership biblical? Well lets see who are the members of the body of Christ. When brethren come in a church for fellowship they should be treated like brethren not like outsiders.Who are the members of the body of Christ? All born again believers on the planet earth and those who have died and gone on to heaven before us.The Lord has taught us a little bit about His suffering. We are lonely and not really excepted among brethren.
We do not know of any real christians within driving distance. We search but we do not find.
We want other like minded believers who we can fellowship with, worship with, take communion with (it's been a long time...too long).
We get phone calls and e-mails all the time from precious christians across America and beyond who are in the same place we are. But miles and the poor economy separate us. Sometimes the Lord graciously sends brethren our way when their on vacation. Glory to God! It's such a blessing, we cry when they have to go home.
At times we wonder why God has separated us from other believers. It's not an easy road.
We cannot believe what a group says is truth, we have to study and obey Gods word.
Baptist (thats where we cut our christian teeth) they do not believe the covering on a christian woman is for today, neither do they teach women to be truly modest and turn from vanity. There are many more areas we differ in..... being debt free, quiver full, conservative music, no TV, VCR or DVD movie watching,we enjoy family worship, not big church programs (running the rat race), wives being keepers at home, and other truths we have found in Gods word that we practice.
Some might observe some of these and for that were thankful. I'm sure somewhere out there in another state there are strong godly Baptist still, like the Hephzibah House ministry to help wayward girls in Winona Lake In. Bro Ron Williams, who is a godly brother with a godly ministry, but far from where we live. Unfortunately.
The plain churches like to argue that you can loose your salvation, divorced people are going to hell, they have a list to live by and then anything even questionable things outside the list are ok, just not obviously wicked sin , secular employment is frowned upon and government jobs prohibited, the list goes on.
I know I've forgotten a few things, but that's a little of what we have trouble with in these groups.
I just had to say a little of what's been on my heart lately, I hope someone out there can relate to what I am feeling.
I patiently wait on God and I'm learning alot in the meantime. Pray for us brethren, we are out here, we are raising a godly seed for Christ, were doing our best to follow in Christ footsteps and we are lonely.
Love your sister in Christ ~ Darlene ~
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2011 18:22:21 GMT -5
I have given a bit of information about our situation in my posts Spiritual Discernment and Greetings; but will elaborate a bit here.
We are members of a local church, the largest in our town and also a rather large church for AR with between 250-350 parishioners on any given Sunday morning. This is a SBC and is the church that most closely corresponds to our understanding of and to Holy Scripture and God's commands within our community. The preaching is sound, our pastors are all godly men, but within the assembly itself there is little fruit, much worldliness and very little believer fellowship to be had. There are 3 families that are rather like-minded to us but none that observe head covering or the same amount of simplicity that we ourselves practice, one other (of these families) home school. So within such a large body it is still very lonely.
Actually most of my faith walk has been lonely as the majority of both my husband's family and mine are not born again. We spent 12 years in a reformed church and were very lonely their as we gained maturity in our faith and realized unbiblical doctrine was being disseminated and adhered to (once we were mature enough to understand God's calling we left). Now in this larger congregation we are still a peculiar people as we can not sit ideally by and be lukewarm for the Lord nor do we choose to participate in the "normal" worldly activities that are very frequently offered as entertainment to appease the masses' temporal nature in a hopes to reach them with at least a partial Gospel message.
All of this grieves us deeply, as we have attempted to live our lives, to the best of our ability, in service to the Lord for His glory, with little to no like response from others we have been in contact with (those groups mentioned above).
From all of this we have learned to be F.R.O.G.s, Fully Relying On God, because sometimes His has been the only fellowship that He has sought fit to provide, and it IS enough.
Quoting Sister Darlene:
"I patiently wait on God and I'm learning a lot in the meantime. Pray for us brethren, we are out here, we are raising a godly seed for Christ, were doing our best to follow in Christ footsteps and we are lonely".
So I am praying for You Bro. John and for you Sister Darlene, for contentment and for true believer fellowship, for perseverance and strength as well. God bless you both.
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Post by SisterNancy on Mar 17, 2011 0:24:13 GMT -5
That about sums it up for me. We don't fit anywhere. I was explaining ot my niece today that we are a mixture of different denominations because we are Christ followers, practicing scripture as revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.
my daughter went to a Christian College, the staff accepted her but the other students did not. WE tried this church, that church etc. None would welcome us as brethren, the latest (A Baptist church) ridiculed us from the pulpit as part of his sermon and the congregation laughed. My husband and I were not there only my daughter was in attendance, she left immediately and came home sobbing. REALLY??? I am sure God was happy with that. sigh.
As you have said Darlene, "The people are friendly but seem to keep you at bay like we are strangers... not brethren. "
And if they treat other Christians like this how in the world are they winning people who need to be saved to Christ?!
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Post by benshelpmeet on Mar 17, 2011 13:09:52 GMT -5
We just try to keep busy ministering to others, but it's hard on our family especially our children having no real like minded fellowship.
We press forward to the high calling in Christ Jesus.Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Love, ~ sister Darlene ~
I have to say christianity has not been an easy road,so called christians can be cruel and unloving, but true biblical christianity is a beautiful picture, may we all truly learn how to love the brethren. The Lord has become much closer and His path clearer through it all, for that I am thankful. Our flesh could use some comfort and compassion and even a hug during the needy times in life. But I guess the Lord is setting us aside and preparing us for something greater. He's doing something.  Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
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Post by Sister Penny on Mar 21, 2011 9:06:04 GMT -5
We live here in Michigan with no close fellowship with like minded believers outside of the fact we are all born again Christians. There are very few similarities as far as modest dress, covering, KJV only, homesteading and the like. I have found the silence can be deafening at times but I do love living in the country and would not trade that for in town living.
I spend my days keeping busy, I know there are other "Plain" Christians not far from here but they have not invited us over yet as we just started attending their church. I spoke to one of the Pastors and they did not do any charity work or gathering like a sisters group or any fellowship outside of the 45 minute church session.
It is good we all have this option here with our internet for a boost at times :-)
Til we see each other in Glory..
Sister Penny
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Post by richshelpmeet on Mar 22, 2011 22:18:13 GMT -5
I sure do understand the way you ladies feel. We, too, do not feel accepted among the conservative churches here and we are just too "peculiar" for the other churches. It seems quite a lonely road much of the time, but I try to approach each day as to how The Lord would have me to live it, raise my daughter and be good wife & keeper of our home. That keeps me busy for now. A lot of our family are not believers either, and that is difficult also. I often wonder about my daughter finding a Godly young man someday when she is a young lady. (Whoever he is, I do pray for him from time to time ) And Penny, I wholeheartedly agree with not desiring to live in town! We love living rural, although we are hoping to soon live even more rural soon. Living in the country seems more "peaceable" in accord with the life I desire to live. Ellen |
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Post by rachel on Apr 1, 2011 23:20:59 GMT -5
I go to my parents' church since I'm still only fifteen, I go to the youth group there where I'm generally the only girl in a skirt. It's really quite lonely, I agree, at church. The strange thing is that most of the women and young girls (younger than twelve, older than about twenty-five) do wear skirts. I am, however, the only headcovering person in the church.
Most of my fellowship happens at homeschool group. Everyone there is a Christian and most are fairly conservative, most of the girls wear skirts. But still I feel somewhat 'outsider' because of my even more conservative style of dress and my headcovering, amongst other thing. I'm the only one in my family who wears only skirts and also the only one who headcovers (although both my mother and my sister wear skirts fairly regularly), so pretty much the only place that I can get the aforementioned spiritual 'boost' from likeminded believers is on this forum and similar.
Hopefully when I am old enough to move out of home, I can go and live somewhere with a more conservative church. I understand what many of you are saying about not being accepted in conservative churchs just as much as you are not accepted in the more liberal ones, but I have noticed that there simply aren't so many conservative churches in SA. There are really only six denominations, Catholic, Anglican, Uniting (these are Presbyterian, Methodist, and something else I can't remember), Baptist, Lutheran, and AoG (or similar).
I think that when I have finished school I will visit America. There seem to be so many more headcovering-type churches in America. Maybe I could even visit some of you guys and go to your churches!
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The people are friendly but seem to keep you at bay like we are strangers... not brethren.
