Accepting help offered.
 

I'm in a place..oh it's quite a place. lol

There's a church that has offered to help me out (probably). I work with a pastor in that denomination who's currently not pastoring. He's talked to people and given them information and they say they can help. However, they'd like to speak to me in person and the easiest time to do that is to attend a church service. So I'll be going tomorrow night.

I've had him and his wife in my home the last two nights for Bible study.

I don't believe anything like these people do.

I am very interested in learning about other denominations and doctrines, and respectful of what they believe (as in, I haven't said...THAT'S WRONG! yet..lol)

Talking to them has given me a lot of study material.

But, I still have this hesitation. I don't have any problems accepting help from anyone if it's offered. I've been through too much to have any pride left concerning that. But, is it wrong to go to a service knowing you won't be converting to their way of seeing things and to participate in the service (JUST to get help), and even continue to study with the pastor (this because I enjoy studying and the study material generated by the studies so far has been awesome...)? I'm not sure if I'll study with him or not from here out...but maybe. He's also said if he's got a Saturday off of work he'll go to church with me (we meet Sat am). So it seems to be a pretty mutually agreeable thing.

What do you think?

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Are they trying to convert you? If not, I say accept the help. If they are ,you probably need to explain to them your reservations. And see if they still want to help.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Nahkoe have you discussed this with your pastor ?

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

I agree with Texas Granny.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Well, I'm sure they're hopeful because, as most Christian denominations do, they think they're the only ones right. :)

But it's never been mentioned as a requirement for the assistance, or even actually been brought up at all.

The church service is just the easiest time to meet with the person responsible for making the decisions regarding the benevolence funds.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Are there no churches that believe like you willing to help?

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

From a pastoral aspect he is most likely wanting to help you to convert you, or hope that you will join their church.

Knowing that, how does that make you feel that you just want the help but not the spiritual leadership?

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Are they LDS? If so, then conversion IS the only thing on their minds. No one joins the LDS church for doctrine, but they join for the social programs. Be very, very careful!

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Yep. He's not particularly helpful. lol

He laughed at me this morning when I told him I was going to go to service tomorrow night.

He's been trying to find resources to help me out and hasn't come up with anything. He knows very well what situation I'm in and how many brick walls I've hit (and how many amazing things God has done!)

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

They're not LDS.

And I have many LDS friends. :) I'm quite aware of how things do, and do not, operate there. I've also accepted help from them before when needed. (and now as a matter of fact, but this church isn't LDS)

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

I would probably tell them straight up and then if they still want to help, let them.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

heeheehee, I think you can trust your pastor. And if he has no problem with it I think you will be okay. But really you might want to discuss with the other guy, and just be up front with him.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

That's really what I'm trying to sort out.

The help was offered knowing I was in a church, a good church, and happy there. And I know a lot of churches really do just want to help where help is needed. But, then especially with those who feel they're the only ones right...I know that there's that behind the scenes hopefulness on their part.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Nahkoe, there are people around here that go from church to chuch for help. And charity to charity.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

It is, they are wanting to win you over.

hey that what over church does, I mean we help but we are also hoping to eventually win them over! Not in all instances that happens we still help alot of people..but we still would like them to know Christ through our ministry.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Yep. That's why they want to talk to me. They'd like to make sure I'm not one of those. And I do understand that. I've been on the bottom often enough to see how the system is abused, and badly, by those who don't really need the help. I've refused to seek out help in the past because I didn't want to be considered one of those... This time, the help was offered and not sought out.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Wow. I'm kind of overwhelmed actually.

The sermon was for me. :) I may not agree with all their doctrine, but it was definitely for me tonight.

I'm glad I went.

And I did receive some help. Quite a bit actually. Provided there aren't any more interesting twists to my life for awhile, I should be able to get fairly solidly on my feet in the next month or two with this help.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Praise the Lord, nahkoe. God is faithful.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Can we ask what kind of church this is? That might make a difference in how we answer you.

I will tell you this - I don't go to an Apostolic church. Our church has a benevolent fund. We have people come for help all the time. If they are already active in another church, we simply give the help. Period. That's it. If they are not active in a church, then we do ask that they attend at least one service after we help them. After that, it's up to them. We're not interested in prostelatyzing. Just in being good disciples :)

So it COULD be that they are not really out to win you over from your church to theirs. But we'd probably need to know more before we could say that confidently.

And I do think that you should be very upfront and honest with this pastor and let him know from the very beginning that altho you need and appreciate any help they can give you, you are very happy in the church you are in and do NOT plan to leave it. If you let him know that from the beginning, then it is up to him whether they choose to help or not.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

I don't go to an Apostolic church either Margie. :)

I was definitely up front, with everyone all along the way. I have a church, I'm quite happy in my church, I'm not changing churches.

Just FWIW, it's a Church of Christ church.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

On a few occasions, I have attended services at churches that believed and taught differently. Almost without exception, I have heard something I could benefit from.

A while back, I attended a Baptist church where our praise team had been asked to provide the special singing. I listened to Dr. Bobby Brindle preach, he is the world's smallest evangelist, standing 3'9" tall. He made several good points, exhorting people to deeper consecration.

Look for the good.....

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

This was the advice I was thinking of giving. SO, I second this post and I would definitely take out the "probably"...I would tell them and if they still want to help, accept the help.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

I think that knowing it's not some "off the wall" group, my advice is definately to be upfront (which you've done) and let it go at that. I think you've handled it perfectly fine.

Re: Accepting help offered.
 

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth! Take the help... provided there are no strings attached! (JMO)