Conference yukon::christian_v7

    Pam
    
    I heard a preacher last night saying that our main concern is how God
    views us not other people. Having said that it's still hard to leave
    people behind we love. Maybe your friend should make it clear to those
    she is particularly close to that she'd love to have private fellowship
    with them still but to explain how she needs to get into a church where
    she can feel more free.
    
    I still struggle with legalism from time to time and it is really
    binding and takes a long time to clear out of the system - please tell
    your friend to make note of this or she may get frustrated by it keep
    coming to the surface again.
    
    Love
    Ben

    Our church is facing big change.  Two of our 3 Pastors have 
    just accepted new jobs for September, including the Pastor who
    is the Priciple for the school.  All of them are totally
    convinced that this is God calling them.  All of them love
    our church and are very sorry to leave it.  Our remaining
    Pastor, who is the head Pastor, and the congregation are
    trying to deal with this situation.  He preached a beautiful
    semon this sunday which might help your friend. 
    
    He said that God uses what looks like a terrible situation to 
    bring great good.  (I can attest to that from personal experience
    over the last week!).  We are a small church just starting to 
    catch fire.  By creating two such large holes all at once,
    we can't even imagine the room this gives God to work.  The growth
    He can create for us immediately.  Change is good sometimes.
    Just pray that we can all hold on to this faith and not panic in
    the crazy months to come. 
    
    Jill2

    Which 'legalistic' church did she just leave?  Was it a specific church
    within a denomination, or did she leave the denomination entirely?
    
    Regards,
    Janet

    .3
    
    Janet, I understand your curiousity, but I do believe that it is better
    left un-named, since the woman is not participating herself.  However,
    if you wish to give a denomination without actually naming the church
    that would be appropriate.
    
    Thanks,
    Nancy  
    

    janet, Hi the church she left was basically the Pentecostal Church of
    God. A big problem she is facing it that her Dad is the Pastor and 
    that complicates it alot too. 

    .5
    
    Boy that's a mouthfull.

    Hi Pam,
    
            I feel that leaving a church should involve the conviction
    of the Holy Spirit.  It might be important for her to stay and to
    preach as Paul did in Galatians on the freedom we have in Christ.
    She may be a instrument for God's purpose.  However, it may be that
    her discomfort is the Holy Spirit prompting her to leave to place
    her elsewhere in an environment that will nourish her understanding
    of freedom through grace.  Of course seeking wise counsel is helpful,
    but friends can sometimes be biased.  Our single women's group leader
    was struggling with whether God was calling her to move to Denver
    and although would would have hated to lose her, we felt she needed
    to know that if she was seeking God's will, we wanted her to follow
    it whatever the outcome.  Thankfully God has kept her with us for the
    time being and we have rejoiced together for this.  God's people
    should always understand God's calling on ones life even if it does
    hurt to lose that person.
    
    Actually this reminds me of the chorus of "Friends" by Michael W. Smith
    
      "Friends are friends forever if the Lord is the Lord of them
       and a friend will not say never cause the welcome will not end.
       Though it's hard to let you go in the Father's hand we know
       that a lifetimes not too long....to live as friends.
    
    Jilla

�When I was looking for a new church years ago, I narrowed it down to 4 major
points that I felt were vital.  This is partially influenced by 1 Corinthians
11:16-22.
    
1. Fed - spiritual food for you to grow.  If you aren't being ministered to
    and aren't growing, you're probably in the wrong place.
    
2. Fellowship - opportunities to be with your brothers and sisters in Christ
    with common interests, and to edify each other.  For example, young
    adults or middle-aged people may not be comfortable in a church in Sun 
    City (local retirement-aged city).
    
3. Fit - this could be anything from the minister's annointing, to the average
    age of the church, to the music.  This goes beyond point 2 and just 
    fellowship.  It could even include attire.  When it's summertime and the 
    evening lows are 95 degrees, I'm always in shorts and a t-shirt.  At my 
    church, this is common and nobody thinks twice about it.  We aren't there 
    for a fashion show.  At my old church, it was a problem.  As a
    contemporary musician, I like to worship God in contemporary styles
    that are comfortable and pleasing to me.  I don't mean to say that they
    old traditional hymns aren't beautiful and edifying, but personally I
    need more variety.  Now I'm in an environment where I experience
    variety.  At my old church it was not only a problem, but it bogged me
    down spiritually.  Worship music is what enhances the flow of the Holy
    Spirit.
    
4. Fruitful - ministries that allow you to serve God in ways that you enjoy.
    Don't be a spiritual couch potato and let the living water in you become 
    stagnant.  The living water needs to flow and it allows God to work 
    through you and bless you as well as others.

When I moved to Reading, 19 years ago, I had certain basic requirements for 
a church too, but the first Sunday we were here was only our second day in 
town, so we attended a church we had found, who's reputation we knew to be 
good, though it didn't meet 'our' specifications!

In attending that morning, we knew in our hearts that this was the church 
the LORD wanted us to become a part of.  The other criteria we had set were 
swept aside under that conviction.  We have been members there ever since, 
and shared blessings and sorrows with them.  But throughout, I believe it's 
been the place the LORD had for us as a family to serve in and be nurtured in.

Generally - Mike's points are good to aim for, but be open to the LORD 
showing you a way you haven't necessarily thought of.

						God bless
								Andrew