Bible Question:
I am a born again Christian. I have been involved in ministry for a number years. I have been a widow for over 20 years. I am unable to attend church due to extream exhaustion after cleaning houses during the week. I was attending church and taking my first granddaughter for the first four years of her life. I moved to this city and attended a very large church. I was okay until I went through a really dark clinical depression for which I was treated. I felt I could not talk to anyone about this. I councelled at a Christian Community Health Counselling Center and received much help including medication. For a while I felt so bad I did not want to be around anyone at church because, it seems, all the people in my group were not well. I decided to stay at home on Sundays. For a while I didn't want to hear anything that reminded me of the church I attended....music, sermons, people. I still do not. I have started watching TBN and have been greatly blessed and strengthened. I have started paying my tithes to a wonderful television pastor. and supporting a Feed The Children Ministry . I witness to my cleaning clients and befriend their young children. I help my daughter with her children when needed. Will I be okay to not attend church in a building if I sing and worship at home. The Lord speaks to me thru His word and I am in fellowship with The Lord. I do not want to be deceived. I just do not feel like being social due to my physical condition. I am a student of the Bible and had a Music Ministry. I hope someone understands my situation and can respond. |
Bible Answer: Hello saved and welcome to the Forum. I'll just give short feedback here to address what appears to be your focus. You mention that you do not want to be decieved and my first reaction is to caution you about TBN. While the network does program a couple of good bible teachers, for the most part (in my opinion and that of a lot of others)it offers nothing more than teachings that aren't biblically supported at best and in some very obvious cases FALSE TEACHINGS. I believe that there is no substitute for a local church fellowship, and television certainly does not offer a viable option. The only exception to this in my opinion is a person who CAN NOT get out of the home for medical or other reasons. Your not in that category though. A closer examination of yourself and why you are not going to church may be in order. A smaller church may be more appropriate for you as anxiety often accompanies depression. As for your "group" you might try reaching out and becoming involved with others. As for your tithe, that's between you and God. you are asking for feedback though so let me comment. We are to be good stuards of all we have including our money. Is giving your money to a tv preacher being a good stuard? Possibly; maybe not. If you find yourself in need and seriously needing the support of the church (financial or otherwise) is the tv preacher and his/her followers going to come to your aid? Does the tithe you pay to the tv guy/gal give any support to the community that God has placed you in? I don't know who your tithing through but you might consider doing some research on them. If they have and abundance of earthly, material things you might reconsider. I'm betting that you don't clean houses all week long to help afford another plane, living compound, new car, vaction, etc. for someone else. Lots of questions you might consider regarding your situation. finally you start off by stating that "I am unable to attend church due to extream exhaustion after cleaning houses during the week." How do you think the Lord would respond to that? Anything that we put before the Lord we make an idol. Maybe you would be willing to lessen your work load so that you can give quality energy and effort to Him. These are just some of my thoughts in a true attempt to be helpful. Jeff |