Soul Search: Fifty Shades of Faith

Anonymous2 April 2013 at 09:13
A veritable list so far and I look forward to reading the rest of your accounts in your 2013 mission.
Anonymous11 November 2013 at 14:49
Oh how I relate to much of what you say! I went to church expecting the heavenly zion, and well errm, was faced with Black Pool on a rainy day ( yes, my expectations were a tad too high, and yes I was a wee bit naive).
I've been to many churches ONCE-not as many as you mind-"but I still haven't found what I'm looking for". Does the fault lie with me? In part-probably. Do people/leaders/pastors/ministers care enough to sit down and discuss/answer the questions and fears I have concerning church? Not in my experience luveey. I'm not a bright eyed, bushy tailed, young convert, hot off the press, I m a 30 something, rough around the edges- wee bit jaded WOMAN (tripple whammy)...and that my friend is where some of the issue lies. I am not and never will be another notch on the belt of "super, celebrity pastor's" convert/"decision for Christ"list . As much as I try, I just can't squeeze myself into the infamous evangelical mould that pervades (and smells and bells are not my thing, so R.C and CofE are out of the question); when push comes to shove I don't really like submitting to men- especially those who have not earned the right!!(there's a Germaine Greer in us all).
In my humble opinion, the closest I've felt to "church", as outlined in Acts, is hanging out with some of my equally dysfunctional mates, surmising on the deep issues of faith-justification, propitiation, imputed righteousness- deep, theological discussion, interspersed by an old Christian fav "wink murder".
If I'm honest often I feel I'm hanging by a thread in terms of my faith, and many of the peripheral issues in Christian culture confuse and disturb me- but when the tyre hits the tarmac, I am inexplicably, and sometimes reluctantly, drawn again, and again to the person of Christ. He I believe has the answers to the deep questions of life.
I look forward to further posts (and the inevitable knee jerk comments and counter blog posts that will follow)-you express in far more articulate, succinct, and humorous way than I ever could, many things I've often felt.
Sorry I m on a roll...It's funny whenever I started whining about church I was always met with the platitude "you"ll never find the perfect church....and if you do, don't join, cos you'll spoil it"- thanks for that, it's stood me in good stead (12 churches down the road).
May be we can meet one day.
Anonymous11 November 2013 at 14:56
Oh how I relate to much of what you say! I went to church expecting the heavenly zion, and well errm, was faced with Black Pool on a rainy day ( yes, my expectations were a tad too high, and yes I was a wee bit naive).
I've been to many churches ONCE-not as many as you mind-"but I still haven't found what I'm looking for". Does the fault lie with me? In part-probably. Do people/leaders/pastors/ministers care enough to sit down and discuss/answer the questions and fears I have concerning church? Not in my experience luveey. I'm not a bright eyed, bushy tailed, young convert, hot off the press, I m a 30 something, rough around the edges- wee bit jaded WOMAN (tripple whammy)...and that my friend is where some of the issue lies. I am not and never will be another notch on the belt of "super, celebrity pastor's" convert/"decision for Christ"list . As much as I try, I just can't squeeze myself into the infamous evangelical mould that pervades (and smells and bells are not my thing, so R.C and CofE are out of the question); when push comes to shove I don't really like submitting to men- especially those who have not earned the right!!(there's a Germaine Greer in us all).
In my humble opinion, the closest I've felt to "church", as outlined in Acts, is hanging out with some of my equally dysfunctional mates, surmising on the deep issues of faith-justification, propitiation, imputed righteousness- deep, theological discussion, interspersed by an old Christian fav "wink murder".
If I'm honest often I feel I'm hanging by a thread in terms of my faith, and many of the peripheral issues in Christian culture confuse and disturb me- but when the tyre hits the tarmac, I am inexplicably, and sometimes reluctantly, drawn again, and again to the person of Christ. He I believe has the answers to the deep questions of life.
I look forward to further posts (and all the inevitable knee jerk reaction and counter blog posts that will inevitably follow)-you express in far more articulate, succinct, and humorous way than I ever could, many things I've often felt.
You've got me on a roll now!! whenever I use to start whining about church I was always met with the platitude "you"ll never find the perfect church....and if you do, don't join, cos you'll spoil it"- thanks for that, it's stood me in good stead (12 churches down the road).
May be we can meet one day.
Soul Searcher11 November 2013 at 15:44
I hear you, sister, and thanks for the kind comments on the blog. At some point, I'm going to write a post about the gender angle. It's been the big bull elephant in many of this year's churches, so it deserves a post of its own and a bit of research behind it, which I'm too busy to do right now, but it's on the list.

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Fifty Shades of Faith

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