Q: Joe. did you use to go church?
A: 1. when middle school & teenager i did regularly, also sang in choir, sang duets/quartets, attended sunday school, gave devotions in training union and preached a little bit, also led singing some.
A: 2. continued to study Bible lifelong.
A: 3. when married first 12 years still attended regularly and had booktable tha I funded & gave seminar on "fruit of the spirit"
A: 4. when marriage went sour, quit attending
A: 5. when got really depressed in marriage switched churches and recovered via singing in Methodist choir which saved my life. Attended several years then.
A: 6. when got where low energy and unable to tolerate more than 1 1/2 hour of attendance at ANY EVENT without very comfortable chair, became sporadic, although taught part-time sunday school to little old ladies -- using journal notes & poems to spice it up.
A: 7. when my "mixed breed" religion seemed to be so much untolerated phenomenon everywhere, I basically gave up church.
A: 8. rejoined baptist church after recovering from last manic episode here in george west, but lack of energy reared it's head again because preacher gives LONG sermons, so finally quit.
A: 9. considering going back, but no sunday school which I had tried here on 1st attempt here and was joked about when i quit that portion.
A: THAT'S ABOUT IT
I have several "issues" with churches in USA:
1. spiritual gifts development is inadequate, due to control desires and emotional upheaval possibilities and $ needs to support variety.
2. evangelical, Catholic, New Age, general liberal, fundamentalists, non-Christians each has it's own MARKET to protect, and disdain the others.
3.The best possible for me would be a small interdenominational or non-denominational which supports small groups. They tend like others to be cleakish still, and worship their preacher many times.
4. I prefer that a church does not segregate small groups -- except for kids under 18 -- by age, gender, or marital status. This is a particular problem with Baptists, where I grew up and am currently sometimes attending.
5. I don't have the gift of gab, nor the endless hours to hold hands for folks in travail, so proved obviously inadequate as a preacher. My problem, not theirs. Academically and Biblically based, my preaching was excellent. I WAS A LITTLE BIT PREACHY -- SORT OF WHY DON'T YOU FOLLOW THROUGH ON THESE OBVIOUS STATEMENTS IN BIBLE?. People are busy with their lives & have little time for religious NONSENSE.
6. I could have been education director, but churches want you to use "canned curriculum" which I don't approve of, at least not nearly as widespread as is done.
7. I could recite spiritual poems in worship service, but that is probably not desired by them . I haven't checked it out.
I have given copies of my "Sanctity Restored" CD album to some people.
8. I am getting too old to "cut the mustard any more".
9. People don't want me influencing the youth with my "mixed breed" religion.
10. Perhaps an alternative which would work for me would be a "house church" as per Plymouth Brethren in England, which favorite &
world-renowned Christian scholar F.F. Bruce was a member of. Also H.L. Ellison. This is similar to way that people in some interdenominational churches do it. They have a list of small groups with subject matter that each works on and whether there are openings currently available for new members.
11. Black churches go on for many many hours -- way beyond my 1 1/2 hour limit, so that is out.
12. New Age, even so called Christian ones, talk in generalities it seems ? ? ?
13. Sometimes I take a while to "join" which annoys people that I am evaluating them.
14. If my best friend Kevin were allowed to participate in music groups where/when I am in same town that would be an encouragement listening to his lead guitar playing. He has a felony conviction for driving while intoxicated, so is a person non grata now in churches and many jobs as well.
15. My family tradition does not put up with shit from inconsiderate & pompous prejudiced people. I inherited the same tendencies. There is ONE GOD we say, and that's all she wrote.
16. Many times I like a pastor's preaching, but then he gets replaced by another that is practically illiterate. I want a preacher that gives the gospel some OOMPH.
