Help me find a church.

Wow, that's a tough one. I don't know.

"How do I find a church to raise and teach my daughter?"
Why not have her help in the search for one? It's not totally up to you to decide where she goes. She should have direction given to her yes, but picking the church for her isn't going to do anything. She has to help lead the direction she wants to go in.

Why bother? Let you daughter be her own guide. As a semiretired Spiritualist Minister, the infighting, cheating, internal politics and plain old moneygrubbing of the mainstream churches drove me outside for good in 2003, I have since found more and better people than I did in over 50 years of organized religion, christian and otherwise.

I conider myself very spiritual, but I am not a member of any organized religion. Never have been. I never liked the hipocrisy or all the rigid rules.

I have lived, however, in Baptist land for the last 12 years. My daughter is 13 and has spent her entire life hearing God and church brought up in casual conversation and not-so casual conversation. She has asked to go to church. I believe in letting her choose and she picked a church. She went to the kids room to do activities while I sat in the pews and listened to the sermon. I was lucky. This church was full of nice people who were not pushy and understood that I was only there because of my daughter. The kids don't see all the gossiping and backbiting. Take her, try some out. Find one that at the very least doesn't make you uncomfortable. And stay for her. Just because you're there doesn't mean you have to engage in all the cr*p.

Gossip benefits no one ... and happens everywhere.

Have you tried changing the subject when the subject turns that direction? I find people often talk about others when they can't think of anything else to say because they feel that, by both knowing the other person(s), there will at least be common ground to talk. Perhaps you can help break the cycle.

I myself go to a non denominational

Start by reading your post on war criminals and punishment

Carol, the best church in the world is the one you build between yourself and God. I would suggest you find a church, that does not say they are the ONLY right church but believes that is that God exists in all churches that worship him. No church will be perfect because people are not perfect. You will always find people who are Christians in word only, not by deed, in any church. The Bible says "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized and thou shalt be saved." It also says, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That's the 11th commandment that Jesus gave us when he walked the earth as a human. Any church can teach your daughter all of the wonderful Bible stories. The book of Acts will tell her how to behave as a Christian. The first 5 books of the new testiment are the most important to me. They tell Jesus' story and how he wants us to behave. You will never be able to control other people's actions or words, whether they are in an established church or not. Find one who's teachings are closest to what you know from the Bible and who has the least amount of man made rules. Teach your daughter all that you know and trust her to make the choice that is best for her as to how to live her life and worship her God. There are as many different religions as there are people who love the Lord. Each realtionship between a human and God is an individual church. We group together in established religions to be with the people who most believe as we do.

You are a decent and good woman who tries to treat people kindly and with compassion. Your daughter has already learned that from you.

And remember, you don't have to approve of others actions and words, but you also don't have to confront them with their bad behavior. If they haven't listened to their conscience they won't listen to you either and you'll just make yourself feel bad. You deserve better treatment than that, so don't treat yourself badly. Don't beat yourself over the head for what you haven't accomplished - pat yourself on the back for all the good you have done. It's a tremendous amount.

I wish that I could help, but I have had my issues with my faith and churches as well.

My mom attends a really nice one, but it is Catholic and a bit far from you. She spent years felling left behind or unwanted in Catholicism and her faith because of her divorce, but she kept trying and found this one. It must be great because my step dad, who is protestant if anything, goes with her and really likes the priest.

I wish you luck.

Carol - I have been looking myself lately and I just really started praying about it and God has really been faithful in showing me where to go. I too have been out of church for some time now it's been about 9 years since I've been a part of anything that was great. I worked at a local Christian radio station for about 5 years and that was about the only way I was getting feed but lately I have felt like I need to do more. I have two children and I know God has given them to me because he trusted that I would do a good job.

As I prayed and seeked advice from fellow believers God brought me people and things my way to let me know where to go. I had signs going on all over the place.

I truly believe that God wants to you to fellowship with other believers whether is be with a bible study group that meets once a week for starters like I did or finding that one place you think would work for you and your family.

Start talking to friends and family and find out where they go and what they think of their church. There are many online services you can check out as well. I know of a couple here in Oklahoma. Lifechurch.tv and Victorychurch.tv

I don't know what kind of church you looking for but start praying and asking God to prepare your heart and your thoughts and your daughter too. Ask him to lead you to the right place and tell him the desires of your heart and what you want and don't want.

I know that when you go to the right church you will just know without any doubt that this is where God wants you.

The church I just started to attend I didn't like it a couple of years back and this time I was so excited about everything. God can change your heart.

Sorry this was so long. This was just something that tapped into a soft place with me. I struggled so long to find a place too. I know God can do amazing things and I just wanted to share that.

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Hello Carol,
Jesus said at John 13:35 (NWT) "By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves." Visited a church (Kingdom Hall) of Jehovah's Witnesses, and find the love that is among their members for yourself.

Carol...perhaps you should find out where she has *good* friends already. That might be the best route for her. For you I would suggest your local full gospel church that African Americans (could not remember the current PC term, I just called everyone my friend) go to...they are spiritually Blessed.

Thanks for posting to
I was REALLY bored ;)

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