Quality Fellowship

rockytopva · May 15, 2024

When I came to Christ the Pentecostal Holiness church offered...

1. Sunday morning services
2. Sunday evening services
3. Wednesday evening services
4. Saturday evening prayer services
5. Regular revivals with excellent evangelists
6. Many quality and enjoyable retreats

Our pastor (who was a lot like Charles Stanley) back then was once an evangelist and he really knew how to find good evangelists for revival. The old timers use to tell me that they had something that would take them to heaven and I believed them. It seems like ministries these days feel they can go all online or on radio.

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10

The lack of quality fellowship post Covid is affecting the church and it is my main concern these days. Noting the Apostles.... And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. - Acts 2:46

AlexB23 · May 15, 2024

rockytopva said:
The lack of quality fellowship post Covid is affecting the church and it is my main concern these days. Noting the Apostles.... And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. - Acts 2:46

Well, I made a post here, in response to a guy named QuestionQuest about how fellowship has been in the decline. In the future, I might make a better analysis on this.

Is it hard to find Christian close friends?

I go to church on a regular basis and I stay after the service to socialize but I find it hard to connect with many of my church members. They are my friends but I don’t have a real close bond with none of them because we don’t have too much in common. Is this issue common?

www.christianforums.com

There could be several reasons why making Christian friends at church might be challenging for a young person in the modern era. Here are some potential factors that could contribute to this:

1. Busy Schedules and Distractions: With the increasing pace of life, people have busy schedules, and finding time for social activities can be challenging. Additionally, distractions like social media, work, school, and other commitments can make it difficult to connect with others in a meaningful way at church.
2. Changing Cultural Norms: The modern era has seen a shift in cultural norms around socializing and building relationships. People are more likely to connect through digital means than in-person, which can make it challenging for young adults to form deep connections with others at church.
3. Generational Differences: Age gaps between younger and older generations in churches can make it challenging for young adults to connect. Older members of the church community may be more resistant to change, making it difficult for younger people to feel welcome and included.
4. Lack of Intentionality: Making friends requires intentional effort, and some young adults may not be putting in the necessary effort to build relationships at church. They might attend services regularly but not engage in small groups or other activities where they can meet and connect with others.
5. Fear of Rejection: Young adults may be hesitant to put themselves out there and risk rejection or feeling awkward in social situations. This fear can prevent them from taking the first step in building friendships with others at church.
6. Shyness or Social Anxiety: Some young adults may be naturally shy or have social anxiety, making it challenging for them to initiate conversations and form relationships with others. This can make church a daunting place to be.
7. Different Interests: Young adults may have different interests than the older members of their church community, making it difficult for them to connect on a deeper level. This can lead to feelings of isolation and disconnection, even if they attend services regularly.
8. Lack of Mentorship: Young adults may benefit from the guidance and mentorship of older church members, but this can be challenging to establish if there is a lack of intentional effort to connect across generations. This can make it difficult for young adults to feel like they belong and have a sense of community within their church.

And, a new one:
9. Wokeness: Many Christians have strayed from the Gospel, on both sides of the political spectrum, and the level of wokeness has increased over the past half-decade or so due to mainstream entertainment. I had a conversation with a guy born in 2003 (just four years my junior), and he sadly supports the trans movement even though he is a Christian. He might be one of the Cafeteria Christians as warned about in 2 Timothy 4:3 or Laodiceans as warned about in Revelation 3:15-16.

2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV): "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions"

Overall, the reasons why making Christian friends at church might be challenging for a young person in the 2020s are complex and multifaceted. While some factors may be outside of our control, such as changing cultural norms or generational differences, there are steps young adults can take to increase their chances of building meaningful relationships within their church community. This might include attending small group activities, volunteering for church programs or events, and being intentional about initiating conversations with others. Additionally, seeking out mentorship from older members of the church community can help young adults feel more connected and supported in their faith journey.

rockytopva · May 16, 2024

AlexB23 said:
Well, I made a post here, in response to a guy named QuestionQuest about how fellowship has been in the decline. In the future, I might make a better analysis on this.

Is it hard to find Christian close friends?

I go to church on a regular basis and I stay after the service to socialize but I find it hard to connect with many of my church members. They are my friends but I don’t have a real close bond with none of them because we don’t have too much in common. Is this issue common?

www.christianforums.com

There could be several reasons why making Christian friends at church might be challenging for a young person in the modern era. Here are some potential factors that could contribute to this:

1. Busy Schedules and Distractions: With the increasing pace of life, people have busy schedules, and finding time for social activities can be challenging. Additionally, distractions like social media, work, school, and other commitments can make it difficult to connect with others in a meaningful way at church.
2. Changing Cultural Norms: The modern era has seen a shift in cultural norms around socializing and building relationships. People are more likely to connect through digital means than in-person, which can make it challenging for young adults to form deep connections with others at church.
3. Generational Differences: Age gaps between younger and older generations in churches can make it challenging for young adults to connect. Older members of the church community may be more resistant to change, making it difficult for younger people to feel welcome and included.
4. Lack of Intentionality: Making friends requires intentional effort, and some young adults may not be putting in the necessary effort to build relationships at church. They might attend services regularly but not engage in small groups or other activities where they can meet and connect with others.
5. Fear of Rejection: Young adults may be hesitant to put themselves out there and risk rejection or feeling awkward in social situations. This fear can prevent them from taking the first step in building friendships with others at church.
6. Shyness or Social Anxiety: Some young adults may be naturally shy or have social anxiety, making it challenging for them to initiate conversations and form relationships with others. This can make church a daunting place to be.
7. Different Interests: Young adults may have different interests than the older members of their church community, making it difficult for them to connect on a deeper level. This can lead to feelings of isolation and disconnection, even if they attend services regularly.
8. Lack of Mentorship: Young adults may benefit from the guidance and mentorship of older church members, but this can be challenging to establish if there is a lack of intentional effort to connect across generations. This can make it difficult for young adults to feel like they belong and have a sense of community within their church.

And, a new one:
9. Wokeness: Many Christians have strayed from the Gospel, on both sides of the political spectrum, and the level of wokeness has increased over the past half-decade or so due to mainstream entertainment. I had a conversation with a guy born in 2003 (just four years my junior), and he sadly supports the trans movement even though he is a Christian. He might be one of the Cafeteria Christians as warned about in 2 Timothy 4:3 or Laodiceans as warned about in Revelation 3:15-16.

2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV): "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions"

Overall, the reasons why making Christian friends at church might be challenging for a young person in the 2020s are complex and multifaceted. While some factors may be outside of our control, such as changing cultural norms or generational differences, there are steps young adults can take to increase their chances of building meaningful relationships within their church community. This might include attending small group activities, volunteering for church programs or events, and being intentional about initiating conversations with others. Additionally, seeking out mentorship from older members of the church community can help young adults feel more connected and supported in their faith journey.

I graduated high school basically last in my class and did not have a lot of confidence. I was hired on in a factory and worked at the lowest labor grade. What changed my life is when we got some of the Virginia Tech football players who were all "Word of Faith" and from the eastern part of the state. They called me "McCwowt" (not my name and spoken in authoritative street lingo) and would say things all the time like... McCwowt? What are you believing God for McCwowt? And I would have to give them an answer that would create joy within their heart. I acted on the faith and began to progress...

1. Moved up to Line Inspector
2. Moved up to Machine Operator I
3. Moved up into Samples
4. They would fly me to factories to help in R&D
5. Moved up to Lab Technician
6. Enrolled in our community colleges IT program
7. Got two degrees Magna Cum Laude with the Who's who award
8. Won first place in several programming contests and many awards
9. Designed Lab Databases with the programming knowledge
10. Made much money in stock investments
11. Experience healing time and time again - With much thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ

I can look back and say... Wow! Was that fun! And also appreciative of the quality fellowship I gotten from my Word of Faith brethren, who all moved on after their quality discipleship towards me.

Quality Christian fellowship --- Very Important!

AlexB23 · May 16, 2024

rockytopva said:
I graduated high school basically last in my class and did not have a lot of confidence. I was hired on in a factory and worked at the lowest labor grade. What changed my life is when we got some of the Virginia Tech football players who were all "Word of Faith" and from the eastern part of the state. They called me "McCwowt" (not my name and spoken in authoritative street lingo) and would say things all the time like... McCwowt? What are you believing God for McCwowt? And I would have to give them an answer that would create joy within their heart. I acted on the faith and began to progress...

1. Moved up to Line Inspector
2. Moved up to Machine Operator I
3. Moved up into Samples
4. They would fly me to factories to help in R&D
5. Moved up to Lab Technician
6. Enrolled in our community colleges IT program
7. Got two degrees Magna Cum Laude with the Who's who award
8. Won first place in several programming contests and many awards
9. Designed Lab Databases with the programming knowledge
10. Made much money in stock investments
11. Experience healing time and time again - With much thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ

I can look back and say... Wow! Was that fun! And also appreciative of the quality fellowship I gotten from my Word of Faith brethren, who all moved on after their quality discipleship towards me.

Quality Christian fellowship --- Very Important!

It goes to show that spreading faith can help other people, and also help one progress. Amen to your testimony sir.

rockytopva · May 16, 2024

AlexB23 said:
It goes to show that spreading faith can help other people, and also help one progress. Amen to your testimony sir.

And remembering the scripture...

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. - 1 Corinthians 1

In which after such victories I must glory in the Lord Jesus Christ... Knowing within my heart that it is by his grace that I had gotten from there to here.

AlexB23 · May 16, 2024

rockytopva said:
And remembering the scripture...

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. - 1 Corinthians 1

In which after such victories I must glory in the Lord Jesus Christ... Knowing within my heart that it is by his grace that I had gotten from there to here.

We must always remember the scripture. 1 Corinthians (Matthew, and also Ephesians) are life pro tips straight from the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (Bible) that I have learned recently. A lot of the world is after the flesh, and not of the spirit of God.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV, one of my favorite verses besides John 3:16): I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Simon_Templar · May 16, 2024

If you are not finding good fellowship there are 3 possibilities.

#1 - the people around you are the problem
#2 - you are the problem
#3 - both the people around you and you are the problem.

Luckily, you have control both over yourself, if you are the problem, and over who you surround yourself with.

Having said that, it is the reality of our world that friendship and social interaction in general is declining because the society that we have built encourages isolation.

Thus it will be more difficult than it was in the past.

If you are looking for friendship, one of the more important things involved is that friendship is built around shared interests and experiences, it is built around being "on the same path" in life. If you have no interests, it is going to be much harder to find people who share your lack of interests.

AlexB23 · May 16, 2024

Simon_Templar said:
If you are not finding good fellowship there are 3 possibilities.

#1 - the people around you are the problem
#2 - you are the problem
#3 - both the people around you and you are the problem.

Luckily, you have control both over yourself, if you are the problem, and over who you surround yourself with.

Having said that, it is the reality of our world that friendship and social interaction in general is declining because the society that we have built encourages isolation.

Thus it will be more difficult than it was in the past.

If you are looking for friendship, one of the more important things involved is that friendship is built around shared interests and experiences, it is built around being "on the same path" in life. If you have no interests, it is going to be much harder to find people who share your lack of interests.

Plus, our society has gone really woke since 2020 or so, plus or minus a year. But yeah, I fall under category 3, but am getting better at making friends.

rockytopva · May 16, 2024

Simon_Templar said:
If you are not finding good fellowship there are 3 possibilities.

#1 - the people around you are the problem
#2 - you are the problem
#3 - both the people around you and you are the problem.

Luckily, you have control both over yourself, if you are the problem, and over who you surround yourself with.

Having said that, it is the reality of our world that friendship and social interaction in general is declining because the society that we have built encourages isolation.

Thus it will be more difficult than it was in the past.

If you are looking for friendship, one of the more important things involved is that friendship is built around shared interests and experiences, it is built around being "on the same path" in life. If you have no interests, it is going to be much harder to find people who share your lack of interests.

I have always thought of the Catholic advantage is in the daily mass. Do they still do this?

Simon_Templar · May 16, 2024

rockytopva said:
I have always thought of the Catholic advantage is in the daily mass. Do they still do this?

If your local community is of sufficient size you can usually find some place that is doing daily mass. (as far as I'm aware) In a small community it would depend on the local priest, I guess. Some of them are pretty crazy busy. But I think most would try to.

Simon_Templar · May 16, 2024

AlexB23 said:
Plus, our society has gone really woke since 2020 or so, plus or minus a year. But yeah, I fall under category 3, but am getting better at making friends.

Yes, it is harder and harder to find good candidates, but not impossible.

AlexB23 · May 16, 2024

Simon_Templar said:
Yes, it is harder and harder to find good candidates, but not impossible.

Agreed. It will always get more difficult to find potential friends, though, the more broken someone is, the more likely that he/she needs a good Christian friend.

AlexB23 · May 16, 2024

rockytopva said:
I have always thought of the Catholic advantage is in the daily mass. Do they still do this?

Yeah, my church has daily mass, though I keep to one of the days in the weekends.

rockytopva · May 16, 2024

I say!

45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; - Deuteronomy 28

I say again! If your church has get togethers it is important that you are there in spirit of joy and encouragement.

AlexB23 · May 16, 2024

rockytopva said:
I say!

45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; - Deuteronomy 28

I say again! If your church has get togethers it is important that you are there in spirit of joy and encouragement.

My church has a once in a fortnight group for 20-somethings, which I have recently joined. We meet at a local bar and talk about Christian and secular entertainment, volunteering opportunities (which would be monthly or so) and stuff young people discuss (I do not drink, except literally a sip of wine or pina colada in general). Deuteronomy 28 is an important chapter.

rockytopva · May 16, 2024

After reading all of this causes me to examine my own heart. Am I a sense of help, joy, and encouragement? Thanks all for sharing.

AlexB23 · May 16, 2024

rockytopva said:
After reading all of this causes me to examine my own heart. Am I a sense of help, joy, and encouragement? Thanks all for sharing.

You are welcome. And hey, the Bible causes me to examine my own heart also, where Jesus picks me apart in a good way.

This may not be the best place, but sometimes I struggle with following directions and orders, but Titus 3:1-2 had a lot of stuff that convicts me: Ephesians, Hebrews & Titus - Bible on Obedience to Authority + Star Trek Analogy

Titus 3:1-2 (NIV): "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone."

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