Independent/non-denominational christian ladies??

[pants]

So are there any independent, non-denominational Christian ladies/momma's out here? I didn't see a never ending thread for this. So sorry if this is a duplicate I'm looking to connect with those of like faith.

[genifer]

By independant do you mean home churching? Bc I might consider myself an independant nondemoninational girl at heart but we dont home church....yet I attend a baptist church at the moment, a very small congregation where Im the youngest attendee by about 30 years (with the exception of one or two, no maybe just one). I moved around a lot in my 11 years since becoming a christian and havent settled anywhere ever. I love the Lord tho, consider the bible to be infallable and inerrant and pretty much take it at its word. I believe in the whole of scripture being profitable and dont think any of it is in the bible by mistake. Is this the kind of christian you mean? I wanted to start a thread for the likes of us but you might have beat me to it!

If this isnt what you mean Ill happily remove my post.

[pants]

Well I'm talking about independent is that the local church has the right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations (aka like the southern baptist convention or the vatican), religious or governmental.

In area's where there are no independent churchs then some people are in a house church until they can build or locate a building. I know of some independent churches that are 20 members and some that are 1000 members

So it's more of the practice instead of where or how large the church is.

_______

And about the biblical stance. I believe in the verbal (every word) and plenary (complete) inspiration of the
Scriptures in the original manuscripts; that the complete written revelation of God is the
sixty-six books of the Bible; that these books are therefore infallible and inerrant in all
matters of which they speak; that God has preserved His Word through the centuries;
and that these Scriptures are the supreme, literal and authoritative standard by which all
human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be judged (2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter
1:19-21).

Nice to meet you!!!!!!!

[zech13_9_goforgold]

Sweet! I'll count myself among you ladies. I certainly believe what you're saying about Scripture.

We attend two independent churches (one in the morning, one at night), which are both non-denominational. One church has about 150 people and the other has about 15. I love them both. More importantly, though, both churches teach the full council of God. I'm not completely anti-denomination, but I do enjoy the independence in the churches (not having to report to anyone).

I hope I can join, even though I'm not a mom yet (two babie in heaven). We hope to either do foster care (orphanage/children's village) or adopt once we get to Africa.

[pants]

yeah it's open for all ladies. WELCOME! Moms, mommies of angel babies, single ladies..whoever. I just wanted to connect with other women who are of like minded and encourage each other and know who each other are.

[genifer]

OOoOO this is exciting!! I do attend a baptist church, but honestly feel this is where the Lord has led me. I DO understand what you are talking about tho, I totally get ya. I guess we can talk about that in the fullness of time (more fully). Id love to be involved with an independant church but havent found one in a LONG time and like I said feel totally led to this church. Anyway, its great to have a tribe or thread where I can finally feel like I really do fit in!!

also, I love the way you put it as far as your stance on the bible. I totally agree, completely, 100%. SO rare to find that lately!!!

[cappuccinosmom]

I guess we're independent. Definitely non-denominational.

We do believe accountability of the leadership is hugely important. That is one of the reasons we faded out of a previous church, because there was little to no accountability for the pastor and it was becoming frighteningly like a personality cult. So, we don't think rigid heirarchies or huge organizations are necessary, but a network of accountability at various levels, most definitely.

We basically just attend whatever church we feel led to in whatever area we're living. But we never fit in fully, even in the "independent" churches. We float around.

[zech13_9_goforgold]

So now should we launch a topic within a topic?

[pants]

Originally Posted by cappuccinosmom

I guess we're independent. Definitely non-denominational.

We do believe accountability of the leadership is hugely important. That is one of the reasons we faded out of a previous church, because there was little to no accountability for the pastor and it was becoming frighteningly like a personality cult. So, we don't think rigid heirarchies or huge organizations are necessary, but a network of accountability at various levels, most definitely.

We basically just attend whatever church we feel led to in whatever area we're living. But we never fit in fully, even in the "independent" churches. We float around.

Yes accountability is really important. That is why our church has a deacon board. The pastor can't make all of the decisions. Our church as a whole has to VOTE on anything and everything. We can even vote the pastor out. So thankfully it cant become like a cult. Welcome

Originally Posted by zech13_9_goforgold

So now should we launch a topic within a topic?

Sure..Anything interesting you would like to discuss. Doesn't have to be necessarily biblical. I think it would be neet to share our churches websites. If you want. Here's ours (it needs to be updated a bit)..www.catawba.org

I was curious why your moving to Africa? My parents almost moved there to help missionaries our church supports. The missionaries wanted to build a christian college and wanted my father to be the administrator for a year until they can get it up and running. My parents pray and prayed and just didn't feel the Lord was leading them there. SO they stopped and opened the Biblical Counceling center out of our church as a free service to the community and to local pastors and missionaries that need counsel. The Lord has really blessed.

[mrsjtc]

I'm joining in here! We are members of a non-denomicational church (www.cfconline.org) with about 350-400 members and lots of college students. Our Sunday attendence is usually close to 500 I believe.

We've been married for 9.5 years and have three daughters ages 8,6,2. I lead a small group for moms at our church and really enjoy meeting and encouraging other moms tht we can do this! Glad to find you ladies!

[pants]

Originally Posted by mrsjtc

I'm joining in here! We are members of a non-denomicational church (www.cfconline.org) with about 350-400 members and lots of college students. Our Sunday attendence is usually close to 500 I believe.

We've been married for 9.5 years and have three daughters ages 8,6,2. I lead a small group for moms at our church and really enjoy meeting and encouraging other moms tht we can do this! Glad to find you ladies!

welcome Jackie! Nice website. I agree 100% with your churches "what we believe" section. Cool.

[genifer]

Well, the church Im attending doesnt have a website. In fact they asked dh if he could possibly do one for them. Its not really his forte but he is knowledgeable about computers, which is probably why they asked. Im at such an interesting point in my walk. As I mentioned before the Lord has never let me stay in one place for a long time. The longest was five years, about 4 of which was in a Church of England church. Im in England. American married to a brit. (11 years today! ). When I was saved, I had been searching for a good few years, more earnestly in the months leading up to my giving my life to the Lord. I had been trying to read the bible but couldnt understand it. Then once I was saved, it was as if a light had turned on in a dark room. I just understood it. I went on for a good few years. Then I started to question some things I really didnt understand very well. I got to a point where I knew I knew Christ, I couldnt deny Him. I also knew the Bible was God's word revealed to us. I couldnt deny that either. Understanding of the bible left me tho! I was confused about a few things. They were probaby residual things left from my previous life. I had to wrestle with a few things. I had to learn what God's sovereignty really means, and its begun to blow me away. I had initially, once saved, believed the genesis account of creation, but then became confused about it. I wasnt sure if I could believe it. Recently after a bit of studying ... and honest prayer asking that if I could take it word for word I wanted to know. Funnily enough again a light was turned on in a dark room. I know this sounds kind of wishy washy, but for me to *know* it, and not bc the rest of christendom believes it and says its so, to learn it from God himself is amazing and I needed it to work out that way.

So right now, in a way Im going to a place where I was when I was first saved, only a bit deeper, more personal, more real, substantial. Im exploring the subjects of creation and hell. Those are the two that most intrigue me at the moment. Who goes to hell. I understand Christ is the only way. There are a lot of different ways christians interpret those scriptures tho and it does my head in to discuss it with most christians bc I find it goes round and round in circles. I have a feeling this is going to take time for me to fully understand some things, its very personal, I need to learn it from God Himself and he's slowly revealing things to me.

I like meditating on the Word. I find this, right now, to be the best way for me to 'get it' when Im trying to understand something. So.... if there are any scripture *you* would suggest in studying the subject of hell, maybe I need to understand it in conjunction with something else: salvation, sin?

TBH, I feel like Im made to have to know all these things already, but like I said I need to know it from God himself. You know what I mean when I say that? I can meditate on scripture over and over and suddenly Ill get it, but I cant always get my head around it when someone explains it to me, this is what Im finding...


Anyway, thanks for letting me talk about it.

[pants]

Wow. I know a study on hell would probably take months. But we can get started and see how deep you want to go. I know the most prominent passage on WHO would go to hell that comes right to mind is 1 cor. 6:9-10 (the who's who of hell as some would say). Remember that this list is not exhaustive it just represents the "major" moral types of sins. Also these are peoples who's lives are characterized by these sins. We all sin and we are all susceptible to fall but is our life a pattern of these sins with NO repentance or care as to whether or not they are wrong?

Some times though the easier thing to do is to focus on who WILL NOT go to hell. What does it mean to be saved? Then once you focus on that it's easier to understand that those that do not believe in true salvation will not go to heaven. I think the thing scripture focuses most on is our good deeds will merit us NOTHING in the way of justification (or salvation or entrance into heaven). Galatians 2:16- "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified (or saved) by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified through faith in Christ and NOT by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." Eph 2:9-10 "For by grce you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works.."

Hope that gets you started some. Any thoughts?

[genifer]

Thanks Brenda. You did actually give me something to meditate on. I didnt want to hijak the thread btw. Its just something I have been wanting to really put some effort into studying. There was a few years in my walk where I was basically clinging on to Jesus for reasons I wont go into, but there was no indepth studying going on over the last two years, just learning about His sovereignty. Actually, funnily enough, being around nonbelievers in this way I am gaining an understanding.

Also, do you believe that God is sifting this 'generation' for those who will believe in Him for who He is, not some made up God or a fabrication of our own imagination. Against those who will be swayed by anything and everything else.... Would you say this is accurate?

I have so many questions actually, lol. It would take years to find the answers, let alone months

[zech13_9_goforgold]

Originally Posted by pants

I was curious why your moving to Africa?

To answer your question: we're going as missionaries, but we'll be under contract with the Botswana government. My husband is a small aircraft mechanic and the airplanes and helicopters he fixes will be used for medical evacuations. The company he will work for is Christian and their presence in the country (with the aircraft business) allows for Gospel work in Botswana and the five countries which surround it. We're also hoping to become involved with foster care (possibly house parents in a children's village) and maybe adoption. My main role will be as wife then when children. We don't have any bio kids yet, but we're excited about growing our family by foster care/adoption.

You're welcome to PM me with more questions (so that I don't hijack this thread).

[pants]

Hijack away ladies. I really just wanted to start a thread where we can all chat and meet each other. So you just talk about whatever you want, whenever you want.

[mrsjtc]

Well since we've been given permission to hijack, I have a question. I've recently become friends with a new family at our church. The mom and I seem to have alot in common, our kids get along well and we introduced our husbands in hopes of deloping a good family friendship.

Two days ago, our pastor emailed us and asked if we'd be willing to mentor a new couple in the church. It turns out the new couple he wants us to mentor is my friend and her husband. We said yes and he said he said he would email them to let them know we've spoke. Since then, we've made plans to have them over this afternoon but I haven't spoken to her about the mentoring issue. I'm a little nervous that we're not what they wanted and it's going to cause an issue in our friendship if they want to find a different mentor couple. We're all about the same age (actually my hubby and I might be a bit younger) and I'm wondering if that's causing an issue.

So I don't know where to go from here. Should I just let it lie until someone says something contraty to me? Just have them over and move forward in our friendship? I haven't heard back from anyone that the mentoring is officially moving forward. Does this make sense? Thanks for any advice!

[pants]

Originally Posted by mrsjtc

Well since we've been given permission to hijack, I have a question. I've recently become friends with a new family at our church. The mom and I seem to have alot in common, our kids get along well and we introduced our husbands in hopes of deloping a good family friendship.

Two days ago, our pastor emailed us and asked if we'd be willing to mentor a new couple in the church. It turns out the new couple he wants us to mentor is my friend and her husband. We said yes and he said he said he would email them to let them know we've spoke. Since then, we've made plans to have them over this afternoon but I haven't spoken to her about the mentoring issue. I'm a little nervous that we're not what they wanted and it's going to cause an issue in our friendship if they want to find a different mentor couple. We're all about the same age (actually my hubby and I might be a bit younger) and I'm wondering if that's causing an issue.

So I don't know where to go from here. Should I just let it lie until someone says something contraty to me? Just have them over and move forward in our friendship? I haven't heard back from anyone that the mentoring is officially moving forward. Does this make sense? Thanks for any advice!

I would have them over and start a friendship with them anyway. I would just mention that you and you hubby wanted to connect with another family close in age. Then I would casually asked if pastor contacted them? Then I would go into say that pastor had the same idea about forming a friendship. I would probably not go into mentoring right away. Id for the friendship first and then offer to do a bible study later. Does that make sense?

[Dandelionkid]

Originally Posted by genifer

Thanks Brenda. You did actually give me something to meditate on. I didnt want to hijak the thread btw. Its just something I have been wanting to really put some effort into studying. There was a few years in my walk where I was basically clinging on to Jesus for reasons I wont go into, but there was no indepth studying going on over the last two years, just learning about His sovereignty. Actually, funnily enough, being around nonbelievers in this way I am gaining an understanding.

Also, do you believe that God is sifting this 'generation' for those who will believe in Him for who He is, not some made up God or a fabrication of our own imagination. Against those who will be swayed by anything and everything else.... Would you say this is accurate?

I have so many questions actually, lol. It would take years to find the answers, let alone months

Can you tell me more about that statement? It really jarred me. Hello btw- we just joined a non-denom. after 30 years in baptist church.

[genifer]

It goes along with my question about Hell and who goes there and why. I dont have time to go into it right now, sunday morning, just woke up, need a cup of tea still. I can see why its jarring to some, I dont mean to say I believe it. Im just asking for opinions. Rereading it Im wondering what I meant by it (I just woke up, lol). Ill get back when I get a chance. Just didnt want to leave you hanging. Ill find it hard to explain right now.