Confused and angry

[randee langford (216.108.215.130)]

i was saved when i was 17. i started out in a baptist church, which i loved and wish i had stayed in. i became obsessed with speaking in tongues and so forth... i started going to different pentecostal churches, visiting different ones, i found a "non-denomination" church and the activities in the church services(at the time i had no idea) where extreme and not too many, i think, where of God, but of confused, lonely, desperate people wanting so..desperately to feel love and acceptance. the preacher ended up resigning and announceing to the church he was having an affair with a woman in the church. he was married at the time. i left the church and wound up at another "non-denomination" church only to find out that this church wasn't "non-denomination" as the preacher told me, but it was a old fashioned pentecostal church. the church was started by a man and his wife and their childern years ago and from then on to this day the prodominant members are members of that family.(that should tell you something, it should have told me something!)i stopped wearing pants, stopped cutting my hair short, stopped wearing makeup, gave up all my friends, wouldn't have nothing to do with my mom and family. every single sermon, not exaggerating, the pastor preached on hell fire and brimstone and how very easy it was to get there. i eventually got to the point where i was not going anywhere, not watching anything on tv but tbn, and i thought if i held my fork wrong, so to speak, i was going to go to hell. i gave up college,and conformed to exactly what i thought would get me totally accepted by these people. i was one of those people that wanted desperatley to be loved, accepted and told how good i was. i found it but with a GREAT price. i got to the point where i was about to have a nervous breakdown, i was depressed all the time, and opressed (mind you) and i did not have a life. when i first got saved i was full of joy, i lit up a room (JESUS did through me), i loved witnessing and brought a few to Christ, but after all the mess i just told you about i never brought anyone to Jesus and when i would witness it would be only to tell people that they where going to hell and how bad they were, without my even knowing if they were going to church, etc. i was juding them on how they looked. i am no longer in church. i am not proud of that fact. i miss Jesus and the relationship i had with Him. honestly, i do not want to return to any church. i want to be a believer and Christian and have a relationship with Jesus without going to church, but there again, it's been drilled into my head that you can't unless you attend a church. (preferrably pentecostal)! Ha! Ha! anyway, i feel like my life has been enormously screwed up and i do blame myself for some of it, but wonder if my life would be a lot better if i hadn't of gotten mixed up with all those pentecostal people.
randee langford

[Anonymous (66.42.128.223)]

Randee
I am a lady who was reached in a HOLY ROLLER church, I have read for my self in the Bible where it tells us not to cut our hair, not to wear cloths that pertain to a man, ie: Pants. I have also read Foresake NOT the gathering of your selves together. If you are saved, Randee you already know to believe, and to follow the bible. that is the road map to heaven, there is NO other way. If we want to go to God's heaven, we have to go GOd's way. I attend a very loving and wonderful church. I want to be able to share the love that Jesus has given to me with you. If you will let me. I can email you and we can share scriptures together, and the love of Jesus. I do not know what the church you went to believes, but I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. They made me (and Adam) in their image. I know that there is a trinity. I feel it in my bones. But when you are part of the Royal family of God it is in your blood and you know.
Any way Please let me know if you would like to have a new friend in Jesus. God bless you take care.

Sister C

[REVIVED (68.119.47.6)]

TO RANDIE
GET IN A GOOD HOLINESS CHURCH. it is impossible to live for THE LORD WITHOUT ATTENDING CHURCH (UNLESS YOU ARE SICK ) A GOOD christian WILL GO TO CHURCH

[...... (81.154.59.62)]

Try and find a church (or other place of worship) that doesnt emphasise standards and concentrates simply on G-d and His love for you.

Thats all I can really say I find it very disturbing when too much emphasis is placed on rules which were created by men - the ban on trousers for instance - there are women's trousers - Hello.......?

I am sorry you've had a bad experience and will pray for you.

[Cogger (209.86.134.243)]

randee langford:

I am sorry to hear about the problems you have had finding a good local church. That happens to a lot of people, they get saved and are full of joy and the church beats it out of them. I encourage you to seek (and keep on seeking) and you will find a good local church.

[pocklecod (pocklecod)]

Hey, Randee,

You may not be reading this since this is an old message board I stumbled upon. Have you thought about taking a visit to an Eastern Orthodox Church (these include Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Orthodox Church of America, Antiochian Orthodox and others)? I've done a lot of seeking over the years and I've never found any place where I've felt there was as much life in the Spirit as in Orthodox Christianity - and I've never found a place where people treated me so kindly and with such genuine interest in me as a person, and in my spiritual struggles and in helping me with them.
Try taking a look at these websites www.goarch.org ; www.antiochian.org ; www.oca.org They can help you learn what Orthodox Christians believe, and if you like give you information on finding an Orthodox parish near you. I recommend looking for an Antiochian parish first if you can find one.

Orthodox worship is level headed and beautiful. You won't need to quit dressing like yourself or stop talking to your friends, or being who you really are. The Orthodox Church doesn't center its message around hell, or fire, or brimstone - we're only interested in helping one another be better people in Christ, learn to pray with deeper and deeper meaning and truth, and to grow closer to God with each day that passes. And we do not condemn to hell anyone who is not a member of our Church. Maybe this is just what you need.

But even if it's not - I hope you find your way with the help of God to wherever God wishes you to be. You will be in my prayers,
Your brother in Christ,
-Daniel

[ihavesinned (ihavesinned)]

Check out the reverend Leroy Jenkins, he holds the key to your salvation in his miracle arm. You can order his miracle water from his website.

[love22698 (love22698)]

hey youhavesinned, people dont use wisdom all the time. that is what is wrong with the rev jenkins