Teen wants to attend two Churches?

[jruner]

One of my Teen son's wishes to attend two churches. I personally am opposed because the second church teaches that you can lose your "though rarely" salvation and can not grow into ministry if you do not fulfill their denominational traditions. I am more of a Bible only based nondenominational believer and we attend a church heavy in Bible study and family type community fellowship.

It is also based on my attending with him to check it out and letting Him go a few times with out me and feeling that he is not able to grow spiritually at the second church.

I have asked that he prays for God's will and thinks about where he is gaining more understanding of the Word.

Thoughts?

John Runer

 

[Adullam]

One of my Teen son's wishes to attend two churches. I personally am opposed because the second church teaches that you can lose your "though rarely" salvation and can not grow into ministry if you do not fulfill their denominational traditions. I am more of a Bible only based nondenominational believer and we attend a church heavy in Bible study and family type community fellowship.

It is also based on my attending with him to check it out and letting Him go a few times with out me and feeling that he is not able to grow spiritually at the second church.

I have asked that he prays for God's will and thinks about where he is gaining more understanding of the Word.

Thoughts?

John Runer

First: It is impossible to grow spiritually based on a meeting that lasts for an hour or two. That's like giving a person one meal a week and expecting them to be healthy. So the meetings themselves have little or no impact on actual Christian growth.

Does your son have a reason for visiting this other congregation. Could there be some friends he is close to or...a girl? ;)

I think we need to let our children explore other avenues than we ourselves may have chosen...because we don't want them to be limited to what we know...do we? It is better to attend a church than go to a crack house...we should be so fortunate!

Having said that...have you considered that sunday church itself is insufficient for the requirements of a disciple of Christ?

 

[Hitch]

So long as it not some cultic group

PRAISE GOD AND BE HAPPY FOR SUCH A PROBLEM.

 

[jruner]

I am very thankful for such a problem. My son is a little concerned himself off and on, because he comes home and says I hung out for two and a half hours and learned nothing about the Bible. He says I spend a couple of hours at our regular church including (potluck and prayer time) and learn a lot about the Bible. I tell my son I believe the decision is ultimately between him and God.

John Runer

 

[Mike]

People can grow close to the Lord in spite of the denomination or the church holding them down. There are slackers and faithful followers in any church. God is Greater than any church or denomination. If he's found a place he's happy at, it's better than getting disinterested at your church and in the Lord. You haven't said if he's bored, but you have said he's in & out. If this church reaches him in a way your church doesn't, it could spur him on to a life where his faith is important to him.

There's a good chance your son will not believe all the doctrines you do as he embraces his own faith as an adult. Are you going to let these differences stand in the way of you supporting his walk? I understand your concerns. I don't want to make this about me, so I'll just say I've had very similar concerns about my 16 year old son.

What Hitch said was true. You could be here sharing much worse news about your son. What we can do is fathers is keep the lines of communication open and have faith grow in our own houses.

Welcome to CFnet, by the way.

 

[jasoncran]

People can grow close to the Lord in spite of the denomination or the church holding them down. There are slackers and faithful followers in any church. God is Greater than any church or denomination. If he's found a place he's happy at, it's better than getting disinterested at your church and in the Lord. You haven't said if he's bored, but you have said he's in & out. If this church reaches him in a way your church doesn't, it could spur him on to a life where his faith is important to him.

There's a good chance your son will not believe all the doctrines you do as he embraces his own faith as an adult. Are you going to let these differences stand in the way of you supporting his walk? I understand your concerns. I don't want to make this about me, so I'll just say I've had very similar concerns about my 16 year old son.

What Hitch said was true. You could be here sharing much worse news about your son. What we can do is fathers is keep the lines of communication open and have faith grow in our own houses.

Welcome to CFnet, by the way.

try teaching your step-family the word and in some parts the pastor and elders will teach it all together a different way.(mainly end times and other parts).

 

[jruner]

I just do everything I can to encourage him to join in with my daily devotionals and and all of my family members are invited to the bible studies I hold or attend. I home-school two of my children one with cerebral palsy one gifted and I use God's word as the beginning of the day. The challenges God gives us help us grow as a family and believers.

God Bless,

John Runer

 

[Paul McDonald]

Hi John,

I think that Mike and the others did an awesome job with their explanations. Going to church does not make one a Christian, any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. We all find Our Lord in different ways, and in different surroundings. I was drawn to a church when I was a teen because my friends went there, and I feel that the peer influence greatly enhanced my walk with God. It sounds like you're doing a great job with your kids. Letting them spread their wings is not going to be a struggle for you.

 

[jruner]

God is raising my kids, He is just using my wife and I as simple tools to do it with.

I am thankful to be part of it all.

Glory to God!

We appreciate your thoughtful advice.

John Runer

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"One of my Teen son's wishes to attend two churches."

FANTASTIC!!!! Most "Teen sons" don't want to bother with ANY Churches. We raised all our 4 kids in Church, Sunday School, and the whole church package, and every one of 'em STOPPED having anything to do with "church" just as soon as they could. Many years later, they're just starting to get back in.

Some of the MOST VALUABLE "learning times" I've had over the 50 years that I've been Christian, came during times when I attended several churches that taught opposing doctrines. Gives you a really good perspective on the "Speculative nature" of "denominational theology".

In fact the Senior pastor at my present church is a College trained Arminian former Missionary to East Germany, and our Associate pastor is a post grad at Dallas Theological Seminary. We have some GOOD theological knock-down, and drag outs in Sunday School.

Hopefully he'll attend MANY churches in his life, and learn that it's the Holy Spirit from whom the truth flows, and it's NOT necessarily found in the "Organizaional church". Christians need to LEARN how to "Eat the meat", and "Spit out the Bones".

 

[jruner]

I totally agree with you Bob! It took a little prayer to get here though.

John Runer

 

[jasoncran]

"One of my Teen son's wishes to attend two churches."

FANTASTIC!!!! Most "Teen sons" don't want to bother with ANY Churches. We raised all our 4 kids in Church, Sunday School, and the whole church package, and every one of 'em STOPPED having anything to do with "church" just as soon as they could. Many years later, they're just starting to get back in.

Some of the MOST VALUABLE "learning times" I've had over the 50 years that I've been Christian, came during times when I attended several churches that taught opposing doctrines. Gives you a really good perspective on the "Speculative nature" of "denominational theology".

In fact the Senior pastor at my present church is a College trained Arminian former Missionary to East Germany, and our Associate pastor is a post grad at Dallas Theological Seminary. We have some GOOD theological knock-down, and drag outs in Sunday School.

Hopefully he'll attend MANY churches in his life, and learn that it's the Holy Spirit from whom the truth flows, and it's NOT necessarily found in the "Organizaional church". Christians need to LEARN how to "Eat the meat", and "Spit out the Bones".

i take the dts with a smidgeon of salt and yes most of any end times doctrine is speculative.