I ask this not to create division, but because it’s always amazing to me how God calls people to varying church traditions and that he can use so many different congregations to do his work.
I’ve experienced quite the gamut of denominations from Catholic to Evangelical Free to non-denominational to Presbyterian (PCA). There are things I appreciate about each and there have been committed Christians in each who have blessed me and my family.
What about you?
I am 70 years old and spend a hour in prayer and study every day. I have been terribly hurt by churches and have given up looking. I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. Everywhere I look I see churches who have abandoned the Bible and embraced the new worldly views. Main line churches wrot with sex, pastors living in multi million dollar mansions and owning jets. I guess I don’t know who to trust…..so I just fellowship with a few friends I know love the Lord and gave it all to God. Frustrating and hurtful to see.
Am I alone in feeling this way?
No, you are not alone. Countless men and women who love the Lord and hold to His Word are weeping over the condition of the church today. You have described exactly what God’s Word said would occur in the end times. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
You are correct in being frustrated and brokenhearted. Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem when they rejected the truth. Today, multitudes of churches have done the same, trading the Word of God for popularity, money, and compromise. “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him” (Titus 1:16). The glitz of wealth and celebrity has replaced the humility of the cross in far too many pulpits.
But your faithfulness counts. God always preserves a remnant, those who refuse to bow to the world’s idols or dilute His truth. Do you remember Elijah? He thought he was the only one left, but God showed him there were still seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:14–18). You may feel isolated, but you’re not. The Lord still has His faithful ones hidden throughout the earth, often few in number, often unseen by the world, but known by Him.
What you are doing, praying, studying, and fellowshipping with a few other believers who love the Lord, this is exactly what the Scripture commands. “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). That is the real church: Christ in the center, truth in the heart, and love among the brethren.
Hold fast to the Word. Keep your eyes on Jesus, not on men. The false ones will grow ever more brazen, but so will the faithful. God sees your devotion and your anguish. One day He will divide the true from the false, and all who stood firm in His Word will hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
You are not alone. You are standing where the faithful have always stood, on the Word of God no matter who walks away from it. Keep standing. The Lord is with you.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. It’s good to be reminded that God still has a remnant walking by His Spirit.
I grew up in the Church of the Nazarene. But in middle school, I made the personal decision to attend a Baptist church. It was there that I really started owning my faith and growing through solid biblical preaching.
Years later, I married a Catholic, and let me tell you, that opened up a whole new layer of differences…especially in tradition, worship style, and how grace and Scripture are emphasized.
But through it all, I’ve seen that God truly does work through many parts of His Church.
That said, my in-laws aren’t exactly thrilled that we no longer attend a Catholic church.
These days, our family is part of a nondenominational Bible church where we’re growing through a strong focus on the Word itself.
I know you are not alone in feeling this way. I have been tempted to give up on church in the past as well. It’s easy to get discouraged when we look around and see so many so-called Christians not following in Jesus’ footsteps but embroiled in scandal, being greedy, selfish, and caring more about the things of this life than the Body of Christ and the things of the Kingdom of Heaven. I hear you!
I’m glad to hear you are still fellowshipping with other believers. No church is perfect, but I pray God would lead you to a church that is solidly grounded on His Word where you can grow to know him more and be encouraged by other Christians.
It’s so fascinating how faith dynamics work when our spouse comes from a different faith background. I have many relatives who are still Catholic as well, some of which did not approve of my mom leaving the Catholic church she (and I) grew up in. I believe God can be at work in any and all churches if he is welcomed there, but these differences in faith can be very tricky in family situations.