Return to faith.

[Nick Adams]

I grew up in a Christian home. As a young adult I turned to alcohol and whores. I never looked back. This is not a joke post. I regret my ways but find it difficult to find my way back to the Christian way. How does one find a church as a middle aged adult? Find a church in an unfamiliar city?

[billvau]

What area are you in? I can recommend churches if I know a fellow pastor and feel I would go there too.

I'd love to talk with you too and help you with your decision (being a pastor, I do this often and love helping people).

God bless,
Bill

[westcoaster]

Where are you? There are pribably plenty of people on this site that would help. If you are in The bay area please get in touch with me via PM.

I find that with the help of a good church, your steps and direction can be quite clear. Not that its easy! But that its clear. And while I woulsnt steer you into just picking any church, there are plenty that would not only be good for you, they would welcome you back warmly. Please let us know how you progress...

[dk94044]

Nick, it’s never too late. He has always loved you even during your dark times.

[Kokopelli]

You find a church by making a list of the churches in your area. Then get up on Sunday and start checking them out. One this week and another the next week. When you have made the circuit, there will be one that you would like to check out again. That's the one that The Holy Spirit is calling you to.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13

Are you also reading your Bible each day?

Read The Bible In A Year

[CG11]

There are many willing to help, Nick. You may be a middle aged man, but you will always be God's child. Step out in faith and He will meet you.

[71MUSTY]

You find a church by making a list of the churches in your area. Then get up on Sunday and start checking them out. One this week and another the next week. When you have made the circuit, there will be one that you would like to check out again. That's the one that The Holy Spirit is calling you to.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13

Are you also reading your Bible each day?

Read The Bible In A Year

^^^This right here. When you find the right Church you will know it.

But avoid the urge to fill out the guest cards at the Churches you visit. Otherwise some will feel it is an open invitation to show up at your home unannounced.

[libertyordeath]

The way I came back to the flock was by music it prepared my heart start by listening to uplifting music and ask GOD to guide you.

What kind of music you listen too maybe I can recommend some.

[RAMCLAP]

Still have the phone number of those whores?

You seriously need to read this. This is not OT.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=933294

[Calico1404]

Get up Sunday morning and attend one, you will not know how to get back into it unless you do. You may attend a few different ones till you find your home.

[wpage]

Never too late for prodigal sons...

Welcome back.

[OHOD]

I was going to suggest writing a list on your local churches and go to them on Sundays. The right one will call to you.
But somebody beat me to it.

[RandyD]

I have read billvau's posts and they are consistent with the Bible, and since he is offering to help, I would recommend contacting him. Also, Kokopelli's advice is what I would suggest but he answered before I was able to post.

BTW, I am glad that you are seeking the Lord. Your past transgressions can be forgiven.

[CVShooter]

You seriously need to read this. This is no OT.
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=933294

Some things are just taken way too seriously. This is an internet forum for guns, after all.

So, to the OP, if you want serious advice about finding "the Christian Path," then simply DO Christianity. Forget about inner peace, your spiritual life, eternal life, salvation and a host of other ideas that just fill your mind & make you feel better about whatever choices you've already made. Most of that is self-serving BS or, as I used to call it, spiritual materialism (working for spiritual rewards or recognition is just deferred gratification and fails the basic idea of actually helping other people rather than yourself). Learn to PRACTICE Christianity in your community. Find ways to serve others. Give to the needy. Give until it hurts. Then give more. Talk to hookers (not to convert them -- just to learn from them). Feed the homeless. Volunteer at a prison. We humans are great at rationalizing whatever we do (or fail to do) and we generally suck at actually doing what we say that we believe. In doing stuff, you'll meet others with similar ideas and you'll learn true compassion for others. Get together with those people. Whether that's church or just hanging out for coffee. Humans are tribal so you'll need a tribe to help you deal with all the crap you're about to take on. It's a rough road ahead & you'll need some help from real, tangible people -- not just gun nuts like me who also think about religion.

I met a guy on the Mount of Olives who, in his 60s, decided that he would forget about church. Instead, he PRACTICED Christianity and got pretty darned good at it (which is how I met him -- he helped a friend of mine when he was in need & then invited us young Americans to his house for dinner). That man is more of a Christian than any pastor, priest, monk or nun I've ever known. He DID Christianity. Belief & orthodoxy are all just measures about how well you conform to others. That guy lived it. So, live it. Do it. Practice it.

If all that sounds too daunting, then you should read what Jesus had to say to the rich, young ruler. I'm way more of a moderate than Jesus. But, hey, living that way, he only lived to the age of 33, right? those young 'uns are all guts & glory, I guess.

None of this is to say that you can earn salvation or anything like that. Again, all that is self-serving, not others-serving anyway. Christianity isn't about what you can get out of helping others. If you want to know "what's in it for me?" then you've missed the whole point. It's about learning to help others regardless of the consequences. But, as behavioral psychologists will confirm, what you do will change how you think. And what you practice will alter your beliefs. Jesus himself was on to this. Which is part of why he was such an outspoken critic of his religious and political leaders. They thought, reasoned and set rules to live by. Jesus got his hands dirty & taught people to forget about the rules. He wasn't trying to get people to live by a stricter set of rules. He wanted them to forget the rules and start actually helping each other with compassion for a change.

So, yes, I joke at the thought of calling up "whores." But a woman who prostitutes herself to feed herself or her family is more of a saint than I'll ever be. And a woman who simply enjoys sex with a consenting partner is more sacred to me than anybody who takes pride in their "sexual purity." Sex with somebody you love is never a sin in my book.

[Kokopelli]

So, yes, I joke at the thought of calling up "whores." But a woman who prostitutes herself to feed herself or her family is more of a saint than I'll ever be. And a woman who simply enjoys sex with a consenting partner is more sacred to me than anybody who takes pride in their "sexual purity." Sex with somebody you love is never a sin in my book.