1399 do what is best for the peace of your own home and peace in your life, reconcile with your dad if possible, but dont necessarily go to his church, if you cant be at peace, prayin for you, dt
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A product of a pentecostal raisin, I am a hard man, just ask my children
I don't really think it has anything to do with your Dad's church and has everything to do with your Dad. The question is not whether you should attend your Dad's church...the question is, "How can your relationship be restored with your Dad?"
Take care of the most important thing and the church decision will just follow. You can ALWAYS attend his church or another, but you will only have ONE Dad and one shot at the relationship with him. It is worth whatever it takes to have a good relationship with your Dad. If he spurns your attempts, try again and again. If it won't work, then at least you tried. But the church thing is the minor issue, IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1399
There are several issues making this difficult for me to just join:
(1) Healing Offerings- "You can't buy God's miracles, but just like the blind man had to go and wash a the Pool of Siloam, you're gonna have to do something too..... God will honor your obedience and sacrifice.... That little bit of money will mean nothing to you if you ever get sick and need the Lord to heal you...."
The above statements were made just today in service, justifying the "Healing Offering", separate from the regular tithes/offering.
(2) Healing Scriptures quoted between every song (MANDATED)- It's his church, as in he's the Pastor. So if this is what he wants, so be it, right? So why do I have a problem with this? Am I just being too critical?
(3) Respect- Sometimes, because of our past, I have to check my nasty attitude at the door before going into my Dad's church. When he prayed for me at the altar today, I found myself having to fight to concentrate on my prayer-- instead of the thoughts that flooded my mind like "man, this guy is a joke" and thoughts similar to this.
I do not disrespect my Dad-- at all. In fact, I left home to ensure that I wouldn't. But even now at 31, I still have to fight the thoughts that would cause me to have a "superior" attitude towards him. I know that attitude should not be there and I rebuke it when it comes.
I love my Dad and need my Dad. But because of our horrible history, I still get these bad thoughts from time to time. Does it mean that I haven't forgiven him yet?
Should I join his church again?
He sure could use the members too-- about 25 of us on a good day.
You an I tangled one night so you may not want to listen to what I say but I also had issues with my Dad. He is dead and it is too late for us.
If you can make it work--do it!
First, it is OK to feel superior. Why is it wrong? You should know more than he. You have his life experiences and you have yours. You should be wiser than him. But you have to carry it wisely, and humbly. I know more than my pastor--a lot more. He acknowledges it--sure there are some issues from time to time but you have to learn to make yourself subject. "Healing offerings" ?? sounds quacky, but again can you make yourself subject?
Only you can answer that question. If you know you cannot...then move on. You would be the problem, not your Dad. You cannot fix your Dad. Only God can. But you can help your Dad if he is willing to accept it.
It sounds to me like it would be better for both your spiritual life and your family life if you attended church elsewhere and just enjoyed your dad being your dad and not your spiritual shepherd.
I agree. Those churches of 25 - 50 run by and attended by family are a hotbed of dysfuntion and church trouble.
It sounds to me like it would be better for both your spiritual life and your family life if you attended church elsewhere and just enjoyed your dad being your dad and not your spiritual shepherd.
I have to say I concur with CC1 on this. I had to leave my brothers church and it took doing that for he and I to learn to respect and appreciate each other. Now 16 years later I think I could go back to him as my pastor and it would probably be good for both of us. But it took a few years for us to come to this point.
I would have to agree with this too. Although I have never attended a small church like this I have seen many of them and they have been very dysfunctional.
If you aren't getting fed, you need to go where you are being fed. Or at least where you have peace, and work on the "dad" relationship outside of church....
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Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
"You will be hated for my sake-Just remember that it should be for MY sake and not YOURS-
Do NOT act in such a way as to be offensive, and then blame it on me"
Re: Should I "rejoin" my Dad's Church?
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