Should I attend an Elim church rather than a Church Of England church?

[Hazel W]

I was raised in the Anglican church but recently have got taken in by the Elim church.I really enjoy going to Elim as I was starting to get a bit bored going to the cofe.I like the warmth & friendliness,the contempory worship with a praise band,the talks,and many other things,but my friends from the cofe condemn me for wanting to go to the elim Pentecostal church,saying I will end up been Brainwashed by this sect.They say its an extremist sect and that I should keep well away as they are over the top nutters-so do you think they have a right to say this?I always thought elim to be a more Bible Believing church than the church of England,but they keep warning me that Pentecostal churches are dangerous and to get out now as they do crazy things like getting all worked up and hysterical,shaking & crying,speaking in tongues and all sorts of weird things.
They even said tongues is demonic its all mumbo jumbo & could be praising Satan not God.

What should I do? go back to the church of England with all its false beliefs and practices etc or stay put in Elim?

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi,

Stick with what the bible says. Jesus said one of the signs that SHOULD follow believers is speaking in tongues.

Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

This does not mean you must speak in tongues to be a believer:

1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

But I would sure like to be around people who do what Jesus said true believers would do:

"these signs shall follow them that believe; ... they shall speak with new tongues;"

Paul spoke a lot about speaking in tongues, he even said

1Co 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

Paul boasted about speaking in tongues, it is not evil, or demonic. I don't really know why it is a gift God gives, but the bible says:

1Co 14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

When we pray in tongues it is God's spirit which prays for us, on our behalf, if we don't know how to pray speaking in tongues can be very valuable.

Hope that helps.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Stay put in the Elim Group. They're CLOSER to the way the New Testament church operates. it isn't a PERFECT place, but then NONE of them are.

AND READ YOUR BIBLE - that's of TOP importance. If you're NOT familiar with the Word, you're "Fair game" for deception.

That your friends in the other group DON'T like it isn't surprising, but stick with it, and you'll see that they're not "Demon possessed" or "Over the top" at all. Probably more noisy that the Anglicans, and much less liturgical.

I'm 70 now, and have been a member of Pentecostal Churches (Mostly Assembly of God here in the 'States) for 49 years, and spoken in tongues personally since '73, and I haven't lost my mind, ate my cat, or howled at the moon yet.

Paranthetic: Some years back - about 2001 or so I was in England on business, and visited for several services in Sutton-Coldfield in the Baptist Church in the downtown center by the McDonalds, and found it to be a Marvelously "Spiritually Alive" group of folks also at the time.

 

[ltwin]

I was raised in the Anglican church but recently have got taken in by the Elim church.I really enjoy going to Elim as I was starting to get a bit bored going to the cofe.I like the warmth & friendliness,the contempory worship with a praise band,the talks,and many other things,but my friends from the cofe condemn me for wanting to go to the elim Pentecostal church,saying I will end up been Brainwashed by this sect.They say its an extremist sect and that I should keep well away as they are over the top nutters-so do you think they have a right to say this?I always thought elim to be a more Bible Believing church than the church of England,but they keep warning me that Pentecostal churches are dangerous and to get out now as they do crazy things like getting all worked up and hysterical,shaking & crying,speaking in tongues and all sorts of weird things.
They even said tongues is demonic its all mumbo jumbo & could be praising Satan not God.

What should I do? go back to the church of England with all its false beliefs and practices etc or stay put in Elim?

Do your friends know that there are charismatic Church of England parishes that believe in speaking in tongues as well? Charismatics (who believe in speaking in tongues) are the fastest growing sector of the Church of England.

You have to decide what church you want to go to. Don't let others make that decision for you. Pray and listen to God. If he is calling you to Elim, then go and be at peace.

 

[Coton Boy]

Speaking in tongues is a sign of being baptised in the Holy Spirit. If your friends condemn this then I would question their motives.

Elim churches are biblical and very good.

 

[redrose42]

pray and ask the Lord where He would have you go...after all you
belong to Him

maggie