How does one know when they’re ready to return to worship, assuming you want to re-engage with organised fellowship, for whatever reason? I have deliberately avoided using the phrase “going back to church” in the subject, as I want to broaden the discussion to take into account other worship options that might be available.

From my personal story, leaving a church was a traumatic experience, in that my core beliefs were shaken to their very foundations, in addition to the social consequences of no longer having contact with life-long friends. I went through a period of “shut-down” where I had no communion with a God that I had grown up to love and worship as being a healer and provider for so many.

But, as some of us (including myself) may have experienced, belonging in a church ocassionally presents issues with conflicting personalities, agendas, motives etc that can undermine ones faith in the system, and can lead to disillusionment with religion altogether. This is certainly one issue that would influence my returning to worship, and I would want some support services available to help me to grow in my faith.

Back to my original question: is it simply enough to return to an organised fellowship when one “feels” they are ready? What are the potential pitfalls if one rushes into a decision?

I’d like to see everyone who still has a faith go back to church…..in fact a number from F2B have. But as you know its not our agenda.

its a brave move I can tell you.

I felt it was like a calling for me…..so would never tell anyone else what they should do.

if you plan to go back to church you need to be very confident in the rightness of your sexual orientation. that is that your sexual orientaion is actually amoral not immoral.

what you will find is that there are people in churches who no longer believe the old teaching that all homosexuals go to hell or that they must change…….and of course there are still those who do.

this is a new phonmena.

So you hang out with those who love you unconditionally and leave the others in thier ignorance till we reach critical mass.

Sadly I dont know of any pentecostal church here at this stage that will let you be in ministry if you are openly gay. If you keep it quiet….that is a different story.

thats a good idea mobileguy……hadn’t really thought of that…..I guess it could ease you into things.

I do not go to church anymore but i do admit, i do sometimes have the yearning to “worship” in a crowd of like minded blievers, seeing the working and moving of the spirit of god amongst the people. Mind you, in most pente churches that does not happen anyway, it is all still controlled and manipulated, kept to time restraints etc etc etc so if i could find a church like that , with if they know about me, they would still allow me to attend, that would be great.

But worship should and can be every day on our own. But a corporate body in worship is an experience to cherish, if it is true worship that is.

i think we can take things really slowly and just go with the flow. the old model is total committment two services and at least one midweek meeting……well thats what I used to preach and expect……hehe.

Just go when you feel like it…..don’t feel pressured……that way you’ll usually enjoy the experience as you are not going because you feel obligated.