How does one backslide?

[Sandra79]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Of course you can be saved serving God from your home. You might want to research house churching. Many communities have house church networks.

That being said...

I think it's spiritually dangerous not to have any felllowship with other believers or sound teaching. I was really burned by a local church and don't feel safe in a traditional church. I began meeting with "Christians" at a local coffee shop once a week, listening to the radio, and essentially learning what it truly means to be a Christian biblically. Today I attend a church that has over 3,000 members. They meet Sunday afternoons at a very large tabernacle in Centerville Ohio... but it's not your traditional church. It's a network of house churches. They are Reformed in doctrine (I'm one of the few Pentecostals in their midst). But the teaching is VERY deep and VERY sound for the most part. They don't agree with Apostolics on everything... but we're all on a journey.

If you were in ministry, you might want to research house churching and start a house church out of your home. I think there is a thread on house church in the Deep Waters section of this forum.

Today's institutional churches are largely religious franchises. The way to have church is clearly outlined in I Corinthians 14. If you study the book of Acts you'll find that the majority of the time Christians met in homes in small groups. No buildings, salaried clergy, sound systems, blah, blah, blah. That's how Christianity spread so easily. It was like this for nearly 200-300 years. Then the Roman Empire began mandating that Christians attend authorized gatherings in cathedrals.

Not attending a traditional church has nothing to do with backsliding. Backsliding is when you begin to live for self and not Jesus. Frankly, my religious service was all for my self and ego when attending traditional church. Today I'm doing a lot of volunteer work with homeless shelters in the area and focusing on sharing and SHOWING the Christian life to those in my life. Instead of trying to win them to a church... I'm focusing on Jesus. It took a lot of time to detox from traditional religion, ditching the legalism, and discovering what grace is all about. Now I'm victorious and complete in Christ alone.

I'll say a prayer for you after posting this. God bless and keep you and yours.

Thats crazy thats exactly wat my former pastor was starting up... Was the book of Acts house church... I agree with u to a point. I'm old fashion Apostolic to the core and feel like if I live for Him I must have an old fashion Apostolic pastor in my life. Its just to the point I dont wanna b hurt ever again. Dont get me wrong I love God but dread going to the House of God and being around ppl... Its just how do I stop going? Its inplanted in me but can I when sunday comes along think its a different day... I kno sounds corney, but I cant keep myself away from His house

[mfblume]

One backslides by never carrying their cross.

[OneAccord]

You know, sandra, I've read both of your posts several times, and I've been trying to find a way to add my two cents worth. I suppose, in these hard economic times, my two cents aren't really worth that but, I'll throw them in anyway.

The most important, I should say, the ONLY part of being a Christian is maintaining your relationship with the Lord. Everything else, church attendance, having, as you say, "a man of God in your life", etc, etc, are secondary. Being right with God is whats important. Now, of course, there are those who say you are only "right with God " if you attend the right church (i.e., THEIR church). But, thats a secondary issue that falls well below the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the Lord. But, how do we do that? Well, theres prayer, Bible Study and, well, you know as well as I do what it takes. Then, of course, theres fellowship with other believers. Fellowship with other believers denotes an emotional bond with those with whom you worship. But, if I'm reading your posts right, thats what seems to be missing. For whatever reason, you haven't formed an emotional bond with your church family. And, that makes you feel out of place. The Bible talks about our "hearts being knit together in love". Not saying you don't love them (and that they don't love you) but, for some reason, you have yet to form an emotional bond with the people of your church. You mention the fact that you miss the ministry you were under in the past. Your former hurch was where you had bonded with the people, even though, you state that you was eventually hurt. So, you changed churches.... new people, new pastor, and you haven't connected with them on an emotional level. Your heart isn't "knit" with them as it was in your former church.

I looked up the word "backslider" in the Bible and found it to be in only one place. In Pro. 14:14 we read, " The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways....". From what I read in your posts, you don't sound like a person "whose heart is filled with your own ways". Yes, you are hurting, but, its evident you still love the Lord and want live your life as it pleases Him. You still have the desire to be in church but, you feel there shoul be something more. Believe me, this isn't a unique feeling. I supoose we've all had the same feeling at some point. That feeling of isolation... that feeling we're on the outside looking in. It happens when we start attending a new church. And it happens when the Spirit of God is trying to lead us to a deeper depth in Him. Which, to be honest, imay be whats happening with you.

I don't know if my two cents were worth anything or not. Just trying to help.

[Austin]

Black Sliding was a term used toward Israel when they went back on their promises with God's covenant. That term was adopted by full gospel[ if I may use that term] groups as someone who leaves the church and goes back into sin. In my opinion sometimes these groups were responsible for that action.
Today in the new covenant your not a backslider, you are out of fellowship with the Holy Spirit when you decide to do or go another direction that he is leading you in.
To walk in the full promises of jesus and the full power of jesus one must be sensitive to the call and leadership of the Holy Spirit.
If we don't then we sometimes hinder ourselves from being able to use faith and the authority of God through the spirit and his word. That is the danger of being out of fellowship, it will place us in a compromised situation sooner or later.
Obedience is better than sacrifice is what the word says. Whether we are in church or in some home bible study or in the world around us, obedience to the spirit as he moves upon us. This will keep us and our minds free of condemnation which Satan loves to use on the chosen of the Lord.
If the devil can condemn us then he can defeat us and hinder us from out purposes in life.

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Sandra79

Thats crazy thats exactly wat my former pastor was starting up... Was the book of Acts house church... I agree with u to a point. I'm old fashion Apostolic to the core and feel like if I live for Him I must have an old fashion Apostolic pastor in my life. Its just to the point I dont wanna b hurt ever again. Dont get me wrong I love God but dread going to the House of God and being around ppl... Its just how do I stop going? Its inplanted in me but can I when sunday comes along think its a different day... I kno sounds corney, but I cant keep myself away from His house

there is some tragedy just being old apostolic. some people are just concerned with keeping the traditions of man.

you said he was deep rooted in the word. yet i dont think he was deep enough. anytime a pastor becomes controlling or even gets rude. its not biblical.Or using biblical authority

infact a woman should be treated with respect, and should be treated as the church

from what i take you almost sound some what victimized. Im just saying i dont really know but from what i read it doesnt sound like church its like being in shackles

i dare say what his the old fashion apostolic was?


also think about the egyptians comming out of egypt, they were happy to go but at the same time they were home sick for it. Yet God had better things for them Planed

[Sandra79]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

You know, sandra, I've read both of your posts several times, and I've been trying to find a way to add my two cents worth. I suppose, in these hard economic times, my two cents aren't really worth that but, I'll throw them in anyway.

The most important, I should say, the ONLY part of being a Christian is maintaining your relationship with the Lord. Everything else, church attendance, having, as you say, "a man of God in your life", etc, etc, are secondary. Being right with God is whats important. Now, of course, there are those who say you are only "right with God " if you attend the right church (i.e., THEIR church). But, thats a secondary issue that falls well below the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the Lord. But, how do we do that? Well, theres prayer, Bible Study and, well, you know as well as I do what it takes. Then, of course, theres fellowship with other believers. Fellowship with other believers denotes an emotional bond with those with whom you worship. But, if I'm reading your posts right, thats what seems to be missing. For whatever reason, you haven't formed an emotional bond with your church family. And, that makes you feel out of place. The Bible talks about our "hearts being knit together in love". Not saying you don't love them (and that they don't love you) but, for some reason, you have yet to form an emotional bond with the people of your church. You mention the fact that you miss the ministry you were under in the past. Your former hurch was where you had bonded with the people, even though, you state that you was eventually hurt. So, you changed churches.... new people, new pastor, and you haven't connected with them on an emotional level. Your heart isn't "knit" with them as it was in your former church.

I looked up the word "backslider" in the Bible and found it to be in only one place. In Pro. 14:14 we read, " The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways....". From what I read in your posts, you don't sound like a person "whose heart is filled with your own ways". Yes, you are hurting, but, its evident you still love the Lord and want live your life as it pleases Him. You still have the desire to be in church but, you feel there shoul be something more. Believe me, this isn't a unique feeling. I supoose we've all had the same feeling at some point. That feeling of isolation... that feeling we're on the outside looking in. It happens when we start attending a new church. And it happens when the Spirit of God is trying to lead us to a deeper depth in Him. Which, to be honest, imay be whats happening with you.

I don't know if my two cents were worth anything or not. Just trying to help.

True but not so true... My last church was pretty much the same way... there was a couple ppl I bonded with which was the widows but I just dont bond with ppl... Altho the church I now attend I'm related to over 1/2 the ppl... So there is sumwat of a kinsman bond at this new church... But in reality I just dont bond with ppl... I refuse to get hurt.

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Sandra79

True but not so true... My last church was pretty much the same way... there was a couple ppl I bonded with which was the widows but I just dont bond with ppl... Altho the church I now attend I'm related to over 1/2 the ppl... So there is sumwat of a kinsman bond at this new church... But in reality I just dont bond with ppl... I refuse to get hurt.

my wife was the same way at one time. and on top of that she was fighting depression.

its a very hard place to be

[SRM]

Originally Posted by Sandra79

I understand u can b backslidden sitting on an Apostolic pew... Its where your heart is. And dont get me wrong I love being in the House of God, but not so much being around the ppl. I love prayer I love the preached Word of God. But once again its being around ppl. How does one stop going to the House of God when thats all they kno? I dunno if its more habit or desire that drives me there on Sundays & Wednesdays but when I get there I feel so out of place and dont feel like I belong... I kno a lot has to deal with past hurts and the fact im not a young person anymore and neither do I have a husband or a family... Im sure id fit better out in the world but have absolutly NO desire for the things that the world has to offer. Can u be saved serving God from ur house... Listening to cds... Sending ur tithes to missions? I kno scripture says u must have a Man of God in ur life but I dont know if I can truely take being hurt by another Man of God or the thought of being kicked outa another church even haunts me...

Abraham did not have a church,David did not..the Apostles most certainly did not attend a building each week like people do today.I believe you can walk with the Lord and not go to church.Look at all the seniors in the world who cannot drive,will God let them be lost?

[Sandra79]

Originally Posted by acerrak

my wife was the same way at one time. and on top of that she was fighting depression.

its a very hard place to be

Yea sumthing like that...

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Sandra79

True but not so true... My last church was pretty much the same way... there was a couple ppl I bonded with which was the widows but I just dont bond with ppl... Altho the church I now attend I'm related to over 1/2 the ppl... So there is sumwat of a kinsman bond at this new church... But in reality I just dont bond with ppl... I refuse to get hurt.

Well I told you my 2 cents weren't worth 2 cents. I hope all goes well for you.