Protecting kids from church!!

[Truthseeker]

Originally Posted by Falla39

Dad and Mom so taught us in the HOME, that we shouldn't have had a problem in school, in church, etc. We never heard that we had to be protected from the church, school or other. We felt secure in the things our parents taught us at home. At least I did! We were taught against the things of the world, against the devil and sin.

I know "children" who heard so much criticism at home from their parents against the church that birthed them, that there was no way they would ever be a part of that church. Seen it played over and over again.

It is a sad day indeed when we feel we have to protect our children from the church. Hey, just remove yourself and your family. Problem solved. We will be responsible for how we trained up our children. Was it in the fear and admonition of the Lord or was it in criticism of the church and leaders. Or the school and the teachers.

I know everything is not always perfect, but the responsibility for training up the children we birthed, belongs to the parents. Grandparents can be helpful, by supporting their children and grandchildren, etc., with love and prayer!

If you're not happy with the schools, homeschool your own children. If you're not happy with the church, teach your children yourself. Take the responsibility for YOUR OWN CHILDREN!

If we birthed them, they are our responsibility to GOD. When we birthed them, we chose to take care of them by our actions. God put the responsibility on US. Now let's take care of them. Don't teach them criticism by constantly criticizing. Don't teach them insecurity by being insecure yourself. Don't teach them negatives by being negative.

Teach them Love by loving! Teach them kindness by being kind. Teach them good principals by your examples.
Jesus was the perfect example. God gave us the GREATEST example of LOVE by sending an example for us to follow. NOW JUST Follow that example! We are without excuse!

This is not directed toward any one individual! These are my personal thoughts and I take full responsibility for them!

Falla39

Our children will never be able to testify criticism from us regarding church/pastor.

[Falla39]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

Our children will never be able to testify criticism from us regarding church/pastor.

Very good!


This is not directed toward any one individual! These are my personal thoughts and I take
full responsibility for them!

Falla39

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

My wife and I are amazed we feel like we have to protect our kids from church. If they go to the alter we go as well to make sure no one "gives them the Holy ghost". We see it alot, IMO, follks say hallelejah(sp?) real fast or cries then someone wantss to say they got it.

Yesterday our sons SS teacher told my son if he dies in an accident he's gong to hell to try to get him baptized. I teach my son about baptism, but told him it's between him and God. When God touches his heart with repentance then baptism will mean something. What is baptism if a child is forced or pressued??? Anyhow, he listened and absorbed it in I believe.

Just think it's kinda of sad you feel you got to protect kids from church, but it's true.

lovely SS teacher

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by ImThankful

I have a 30 yrs old child who has been out of the church for 10 yrs. When she comes and has went to the altar, well meaning people crowd around her and get in her face and try and pray with her. She wont come back for that reason. She isnt a touchy person and dont like strangers with their hands on her.

You might think that is petty but unless you know all about the visitor that comes, you should back off and let the person that brought them deal with them. Not everyone is at the same place. Sometimes that might even be there first time in a Pentecostal type church.

It is sometimes very distracting to me when I want to pray at the altar about something personal and people want to crowd around me. It appears from my observation that women do this far more than men do.

Does anyone else feel this way?

If we are gonna have alter calls,we should also teach alter call etiquette

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by ImThankful

I do believe that the spirit of God moves upon someone at times to pray with a person at the altar..Its just that the same people tend to do this time and time again. If God prompts you to pray with someone by all means do it. Just make sure its God. Otherwise allow the person who brough them to deal with them because more than likely they know that person well and know what would be right for them.

Scare tactics rarely make stickability. More then likely, it will not make someone run to tha altar. God is not served out of fear but rather love , relationship and conviction.

That could be a problem. A lot of times the person that brought them isn't doing anything or doesn't know what to do.

[A.W. Bowman]

This is a symptom of a performance based religion, rather than a relational one.

As long as any group demands (looks for, expects, requires) a particular set of behaviors in order to give their individual or collective acceptance (approval) of another, then you have individual control issues, demonstrated through crowd manipulation. This holds true at the 'alter' as well in Sunday School or in the general service. It's 'group think' manipulation. It's an attempt at gaining spiritual 'unity' through forcing collective compliance (uniformity). No one wants to be 'different' in church, it will cause tongues to wag.

It really is too bad that we lost the apostolic approach to holding local services that was the accepted norm during the first three century's of the church, where being 'different' was encourage.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one who hates it when people crowd around you and get in your face when you are at the altar! I do believe that the Spirit of God will give the gift of tongues. But I wonder how often we "give it" instead. It bothers me when someone is praying and someone is right in their face hollering, "speak it, honey. Just open your mouth and say it" and then they take off in tongues themselves. And the poor person praying feels this tremendous pressure to perform, so they start gurgling and BINGO! Everyone thinks they have the Holy Ghost (which they may have - just not tongues)

The other thing I always hated was when the pastor would end the sermon with an altar call and then when either not enough people came forward, or maybe not the person he wanted to some came forward, he would launch into this story about how a certain young person was in a service just like this one, the Spirit was wooing him to the altar but he refused, and then on the way home he ran off the road, hit a tree and was killed instantly. PLEASE!!

Let GOD do the work. I guess some forget the scripture that talks about how one plants, another waters, but GOD GIVES THE INCREASE.

People do this kind of stuff sincerely. It goes with the territory.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by HaShaliach

This is a symptom of a performance based religion, rather than a relational one.

As long as any group demands (looks for, expects, requires) a particular set of behaviors in order to give their individual or collective acceptance (approval) of another, then you have individual control issues, demonstrated through crowd manipulation. This holds true at the 'alter' as well in Sunday School or in the general service. It's 'group think' manipulation. It's an attempt at gaining spiritual 'unity' through forcing collective compliance (uniformity). No one wants to be 'different' in church, it will cause tongues to wag.

It really is too bad that we lost the apostolic approach to holding local services that was the accepted norm during the first three century's of the church, where being 'different' was encourage.

Thank you.

[A.W. Bowman]

Originally Posted by Sam

Thank you.

You're welcome, my friend.

[johnny44]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

Just think it's kinda of sad you feel you got to protect kids from church, but it's true.

I know you are talking about something different but let me add that you also have to watch out for preditorial people and ministers in the church.