Women's men's children's old people, etc etc etc. I could understand occasional events or outings, but it seems to be institutionalized and very predominant
How do you return to church after decades away?
My backstory is i left the church and the christian faith after high school and didnt return until God called me back a few years ago (im 48)
My problem is that i want to attend church but always find something i disagree with or that i dont like about them all. Some are too intimate some are not intimate enough, some are too loud and in your face.
it feels fake in comparison to how i interact with jesus on a daily basis. How do you avoid feeling like that or is it perhaps because i have a lense that has been on the outside for so long?
I get to church on sunday and all of my decades of doubt and intellectualizing come back and i start arguing with the points in the sermon etc.
in my head. During worship i cant enjoy it because its not music i know ir like.
Its the opposite of a joyous feeling. How can i change this? Has anyone else been away for this long and found a way to return to church again?
*WARNING! LONG POST! *
Please everyone pray for me. I have been deep in sin for a very long time and it affects every part of my life.
I am a 17 year old girl wandering in many grave sins for long. It has destroyed my mind from the roots to the point where I almost think that the only way to get me out of my sin is just be killed by God.
I have been dwindling in sin for so long it has destroyed my memories, a lot of them so I barely function. I can't say it's an addiction but that is just what sin and bad habits did and still do to me:destroy my mind so hard it starts working in countless contradictions, unable to judge, always foggy and confused about anything and still not wanting to ask for info from other people because that would reveal a lot of intimate things. Through this, I have invited even more other graver sins and I can't feel anything about it because I forgot why I should feel anything about it, due to the mind rot.
Teenagehood has made everything so much worse and I can't relate to many about their life in general. My Teenagehood has been very different from the rest. For example, I got puberty very early in life, before Teenagehood, so now when i am a teenager, I experience none of the explosive temper tantrums and stuff, at least not because of regular teen phrases. Telling my sin to a trusted one revealed they know nothing about it and confused me about it, so I ended up dwindling in it even more after that. My memory fades and the more it fades, things get only worse. Because of this, I got mood swings and become very impulsive because I forgot my wisdom that protected me from my rage and vengeance whenever I consider someone too annoying.
I even now started having blasphemous thoughts about God due to being unable to judge and also because of sin in general. I basically became very stupid and confused about everything as an almost continuous state. I also start having other sinful thoughts that I have caused and my mother often told me that a lot of this is because i focus too much on myself instead of helping others. I don't know if that's true, but please pray about it as well. I always had little faith in God, always was afraid of death even when I was convinced that I was saved.
I never succeeded to hand out everything to God as in let him use me however he wants and leave everything behind for a special calling. My mind is barely standing and becoming more sinful and emotionless about anything(it's not depression).
I feel like I am close to becoming an animal who forgot her past and who she was and follows vicious instincts only, not knowing alything else but just that. It's like I am kind of one of the future people from the movie Idiocracy(for those who know it, they know. But those who don't, shouldn't. I didn't know it was that bad so I stopped watching it. It was last year I tried to watch it).
Don't know what's going to happen to me or how God is going to open my eyes without killing me.
*and for those who managed to read all this, thanks a lot! I haven't written this much to be skipped* 😊😊
Speaking of blessings... Is it God who has blessed those who have many friends? Those who are wealthy in any way—even through sin? Those who build their lives however they please—atheists or those who do not follow Jesus—is that God's doing? If an atheist builds a life, gets married, and starts a family, is that God? Aren't there things that have nothing to do with God?
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Hello. For a long time, I’ve held myself back from doing certain things—and I still do—because I end up replacing God. Let me explain: if I have lots of friends and have a great time with them, a successful career, and plenty of money to treat myself to lots of trips... well, I know that in that scenario, I wouldn't think about God. It’s as if finally enjoying life would mean pushing God aside. Why is that?
Hello, can those who sell their souls to the devil get them back?
Have you ever thought about why Jesus came into the world when He did and not sooner or later?
Galatians 4:4-5 says Christ came in the "fullness of time," and I don't think that only refers to prophecy being fulfilled. It also seems like history itself had been prepared in a way that made the spread of the gospel possible.
By the time Jesus came, we see that writing and copying had developed enough for His words and works to be preserved. Greek had become a common language which meant the message could travel across cultures more easily.
In the time of Jesus' birth Rome had also brought a temporary peace, a vast road system, and a level of order that made travel and communication easier than many periods before it. Even things like the development of postal systems and the increasing connectedness of the ancient world matter here.
So when Paul says Christ came in the "fullness of time," it may not only point to God's redemptive plan spiritually, but also to the exact historical moment God had prepared for the gospel to go out into the world.
Every believer needs the Word to knock them back a peg daily — a humbling reminder that what we've received from God is nothing less than mercy. The righteous Judge was under no obligation to show mercy to any of us... but He chose to anyway. Just listen to Jacob's desperate cry in Genesis 32:10-12.
"I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."
I recently listened to a sermon on praying against ungodly patterns. In it, the pastor shared a personal story about his family. He said that after his younger sister died, his father sought God for an explanation. According to the pastor, God revealed that it was not the devil who had taken her life. Rather, God had allowed her death to get the father’s attention because the family had unknowingly moved onto land that had previously been dedicated to idols or demons, and they had not dealt with the spiritual issues connected to it. After this, they engaged in spiritual warfare over the land and the problems stopped.
This raised a theological question for me.
Does this actually align with God’s character as revealed in Scripture?
My first instinct was to go back to the Bible rather than base my view on someone’s testimony.
From what I can see, when God directly took life, it was generally an act of judgment, usually in the Old Testament, against individuals or nations for sin. I also noticed passages such as Ezekiel 18, where God emphasises that children are not punished for the sins of their parents, but each person is accountable for their own sin.
Then we come to the New Testament. Christ has borne the penalty for sin on the cross, so I’m struggling to understand whether a teaching like this fits within the New Covenant. I also can’t find examples in the ministry of Jesus or the apostles where believers are instructed to investigate the spiritual history of land or where God kills a family member to get someone’s attention because of the land they unknowingly lived on.
When I shared these concerns with the friend who sent me the sermon, she replied that this kind of thing can’t be understood through Scripture alone and
requires a personal revelation from God.
That left me wondering: how should Christians weigh personal revelations against Scripture? If a claimed revelation appears to go beyond what the Bible clearly teaches, should it be accepted, or should Scripture remain the standard by which we test it?
I’m genuinely looking to understand how other Christians approach this.
I’m about to go into fasting & prayer to understand or gain insight into why I’m having pregnancy losses. For those of you that usually fast and pray, what is an effective way to go about doing this for 3 days? I’m currently free during the days as I’m not in employment. I’d love any advice and scripture or resources to study. Thank you <3
Hi all, help me start converting ❤️ shoot me some app recommendations. Pagan wanting to learn the good word. Open DMs/friend requests
I’m a new Christian and I’m looking for some good book recommendations. I’m already reading the Bible, but I’d love books that helped you understand Christianity, grow in your faith, or answer questions you had when you were starting out.
Thanks in advance!
About 3 years ago I (f 26)went through one of the hardest times in My life, ending my marriage with my husband (m28).
A lot went into the decision, but the main thing that stopped every counselor, pastor, and friends was him not wanting to fix things. We met in the church, he loved the Lord and a little while after we got married things really went downhill. He ended up cheating on me and wasn’t home every other week. I tried everything to save it - it wasn’t enough & it led me to think I wasn’t enough. There were a lot of lies spoken over me in that relationship- mainly over the way I looked.
Since then, I have tried dating but it just never really seems to be the right person or for it seems like the right person, but doesn’t work out.
I was recently added to a group chat with people from college sharing life updates and pictures of their weddings, kids, etc.
I feel left behind. Like everyone is light years ahead of me. I feel like there is something wrong with me for these relationships to not be working out, like maybe my ex husband was right after all.
Su reddit non si può dire niente. Io sono molto Cristiano
Lo sfogo verte sul fatto che secondo me Reddit è di estrema sinistra e non lascia spazio di espressione per tutti.
Vantano di essere una democrazia ma se appena dici qualcosa di Cristiano,che riguardi opinioni personali,diventi carne da macello per gli haters.
Delle persone odiano semza motivo,semza una reale motivazione e cercano il litigio, io non le capisco proprio
Certo ammetto che le mie posizioni sono abbastanza conservative e sono molto Cristiano,ma sembra di stare nella tana del leone.
Dio vi benedica la vostra giornata
I’m a new Christian. I have left my old ways in the past and try my best, I pray everyday and read the bible everyday. I was atheist for 15 years. However I took communion not knowing I wasn’t supposed to since I’m not baptized. I’m afraid I made a massive mistake and want to know how to fix it. It was my 3rd time at church and I was not aware that it is frowned upon.
We are having trouble locating all the electric panels in our home needed to install it and hiring an electrician will take time as I have to save for it. Time is of the essence because my family keeps having weird things happening at our home and we need that camera soon to better understand what's going on.
So, I was talking to some people and they were claiming the Bible is misogynistic, and gave examples.
Genesis 3:16
Woman is told: "Your husband... shall rule over you."
Exodus 21:7–11
A daughter may be sold as a servant under laws different from those for male servants.
Leviticus 12:1–5
A mother is ceremonially unclean twice as long after giving birth to a daughter than to a son.
Leviticus 15:19–30
A menstruating woman is considered ceremonially unclean.
Leviticus 27:3–7
Women are assigned lower monetary valuations than men.
Numbers 5:11–31
A ritual ordeal exists for a husband who suspects his wife of adultery, with no equivalent ordeal for suspicious wives.
Numbers 30
A father or husband may annul a woman's vows.
Deuteronomy 21:10–14
Female war captives may be taken as wives.
Deuteronomy 22:13–21
A bride may be executed if she cannot prove she was a virgin.
Deuteronomy 22:28–29
A man who rapes an unmarried virgin must pay her father and marry her, and may never divorce her.
Judges 19
A concubine is handed over to a mob, abused to death, and her suffering is treated primarily in relation to the men involved.
1 Corinthians 11:3–10
Man is described as the head of woman; women are instructed to wear signs of authority.
1 Corinthians 14:34–35
Women are instructed to remain silent in churches and ask questions at home.
Ephesians 5:22–24
Wives are instructed to submit to their husbands.
Colossians 3:18
"Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands."
1 Timothy 2:11–15
Women are forbidden from teaching or exercising authority over men in the church.
1 Timothy 3:2
Church overseers are described as male ("husband of one wife"), traditionally understood as excluding women from the role.
Titus 2:3–5
Women are instructed to be submissive to their husbands.
1 Peter 3:1–6
Wives are instructed to submit to their husbands, even unbelieving ones.
I am ashamed that I don’t have answers to these? Does anyone have anything to say about these?
The First Fruit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
— Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB1995)
Good morning!
The fruit of the Spirit begins with love. This is no ordinary love. It is the selfless, sacrificial, God-kind of love that flows from the Holy Spirit living in us. While human love can be fickle and conditional, the love the Spirit produces is steady, forgiving, and focused on the good of others — even when it costs us something.
As the first and foundational fruit, love sets the tone for all the others. Joy, peace, patience, and kindness flow more naturally when love is growing in our hearts. In a world that often runs on self-interest, this Spirit-produced love makes the gospel believable and the Christian life compelling.
Jesus said that people would recognize His disciples by their love (John 13:35). The early Church, filled with the Holy Spirit, was marked by this love — caring for one another and reaching out to a hurting world. The same Holy Spirit who empowered them wants to produce this love in you today. It grows as we abide in Christ and allow Him to love others through us, especially in difficult relationships or ordinary interactions.
Ask the Holy Spirit specifically to grow the fruit of love in you today. Look for one intentional way to express Christ-like love — perhaps through a kind word, an act of service, patience with someone frustrating, or forgiveness where it’s needed.
When you feel tempted to respond in selfishness or anger, pause and pray, “Holy Spirit, produce Your love in me right now.”
Team Lotter
Hi everyone,
I’ve been struggling with depression for quite some time, and my doctor has suggested that antidepressants might be something to consider.
The thing I’m wrestling with isn’t just the medication itself, it’s how it fits with my faith. Part of me worries that if I start taking antidepressants, I’ll somehow lose my closeness with Christ or that they’ll change who I am spiritually. I don’t really know where that fear comes from, but it’s something I can’t seem to shake.
I still pray, read my Bible, and want to trust God, but I’m also exhausted from feeling this way. I’m trying to understand whether taking antidepressants is compatible with trusting God, or if it’s something I should avoid.
For those of you who are Christians and have taken antidepressants, what was your experience? Did it affect your relationship with God in any way? Did you struggle with similar fears before starting them?
I’m genuinely looking for biblical wisdom and personal experiences rather than judgment.
Thank you, and God bless.