Dilemma

[Bravus]

So we're in a new city and looking for a new church. We've been to two different SDA churches so far, and neither has really sparked for either us or (more importantly) the girls. One is more contemporary in style (actually, it has two services at the same time, a trad and a modern), but that just means it attracts all the youth from all the other SDA churches and is packed and noisy. It's also about 45 min drive away. The other was very traditional and composed mostly of older people.

So we're still looking - and the SDA options are actually pretty slender.

On the other hand, we went over for coffee with our new next door neighbours, who are absolutely lovely, and who have a boy Cassie's age and a girl Alex's age who go to the school our girls will be going to... and it turns out they are Christians who go to a local non-denominational church near us that has a great youth program.

So we're wondering... Cassie and maybe Alex can probably go to that church's Friday night youth programs anyway (Cassie used to go to the youth program at a local Sunday church in Canada). But if we don't find an SDA church that works for the kids, we might also be inclined to go to this one for church.

That would have its own issues, since we still very much see Saturday as the Sabbath, and wouldn't do any work that day or anything. Saturday would be Sabbath but Sunday would be church...

What do you think? You can go with the 'it's not what you get out of a church but what you put into it', and we get that. But we also know that forcing teens to go to a church that is very uncomfortable for them for all sorts of reasons (most social rather than spiritual) is not as productive as having them in a church they love.

It's a tough one, so any advice, perspective or particularly shared experiences would be much appreciated.

[Amelia]

Personally I would go with whatever sparks for the kids. One can keep the Sabbath and attend "services" any day. I know some churches that have midweek services for those who always work weekends.

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Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

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Nope, don't see anything in there about attending church services only on the Sabbath.

The only problem that I see would be the differing views on heaven/hell, death/sleep etc. But you can have your own study on Sabbath to stay grounded in what you believe vs what the other church believes.

Well that's my 2 cents anyway.

[Neil D]

My philsophy has always been if you see a need, God is calling you to fulfill the need.

Perhaps you need to create a new church, Bravus?

[Dr. Shane]

To me the Adventist church is not just another denomination. When it becomes such, than there is only little difference between it and other denominations. To me, the Adventist church is a movement. We are called to preach the Word to the far reaches of the world. Many Adventist missionaries work fields where there are not Adventist churches at all.

I once lived in a simular circumstance. The local Adventist church was so cold one could ice skate in the aisles. The nearest other church was 35 miles but since I didn't have a car it may well have been 1,000. I attended other denominations to find the Christian fellowship I longed for. However since we differed on doctrine and I was so knowledgable of the Bible, many of the leaders saw me as a threat and pretty much ran me off. I did a lot of outreach work including starting a local radio program. Eventually I got a car and drove about 70 minute one way to attend a Spanish Adventist church that was on fire for the Lord.

I would not discourage you from sending your daughters to the Friday night services. Ultimately you, like all of us, have to ask ourselves why we are Adventists. If we only keep the Sabbath holy because of the Commandment, that seems a little dry and legalistic. To really obey the Commandment is to find joy in the Sabbath and I find that hard to do in the absence of Christian fellowship.

[Gerr]

You do have a dilemma, but have you considered attending both the SDA and the Sunday church? Might open up some opportunity to dialogue with the non-SDAs. I am doing that now, attending our tiny local SDA church while also attending a large Baptist church. The Sunday school class I attend might be shocked if they found out I am SDA. I am having a good time contributing to their discussion, even introducing some ideas that are no doubt foreign to them.

Gerry

[Bravus]

Oh, the Sabbath is definitely seen as a gift and a blessing at our place, as well as something God requires of us. But we do have Christian fellowship with the other members of our family, even if we're not at hurch with other believers. And the girls would also be receiving Christian fellowship at the youth program.

Definitely the ideal would be to find (or, as Neil suggests, found!) an SDA church that works... and we'd be happy to drive far enough to attend one if we could find it. The feeling was more 'this is a long drive and the church is still not meeting the needs of the teens'.

I don't think we're considering Adventism to be just one among the many denominations either... but neither are we dismissing other Christians as brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we can fellowship and from whom we can learn.

Thanks all for your comments and ideas... and please also pray for us as we search.

[Bravus]

That's a great idea too, Gerry (you posted as I was writing my post that appeared after yours), and one I'll take back to the family.

[Robert]

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Bravus said:...since we still very much see Saturday as the Sabbath, and wouldn't do any work that day or anything. Saturday would be Sabbath but Sunday would be church...

What do you think?

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Go for it!

[Parade Orange]

Having a church that loves the Lord and loves u and your family is so wonderful!

There is no church like that around here.

And I go to work on Sundays so I can have a Sabbath and no church to go to.

[LifeHiscost]

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Bravus said:

Definitely the ideal would be...

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It would seem to me that if your children and the rest of the family are well grounded in the love of Truth as expressed through your personal response to Jesus' wishes, all of your family's personal witness will carry those you meet into a deeper relationship with Him.

[:"red"] "And I, if I be lifted up..., will draw all men unto me." [/] John 12:32 KJV

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