I did more research on this church that I am thinking about going back to visit and felt "hopeless!" I don't think I can fit in because of their doctrines. If I go to visit the church, it will be completely to build friendships with the lady I met last night in the discount store and with the church members. Their doctrines will be a pain in the neck to me. The lady I met last night and I are friends on facebook now. She sent me a message saying she hopes to see me in the church soon. I told her I will visit the church after my daughter has the colonoscopy and endoscopy on January 15. I also told her she and I can meet for lunch somewhere sometime. I hope I have energy to do it. Please pray for me about what to do regarding me going to visit this church again. I will need to keep my mouth shut and pretend I do not mind their teaching which can be very difficult (the keeping my mouth shut part). I don't want to blow the chance of developing friendship with this lady. So far I feel God brought me and her to meet each other. She is not a young person but looks younger than me. Please pray for me about this (having friendship with the lady). Thanks again for your prayers.

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct you. Our God is a god of peace. I try not to do anything I don't have a peace in my spirit about. Praying you have peace in your heart about whether to visit the church or not. Also praying for positive health results for your daughter. Amen

Thank you for your advice and prayers. About the church, when I interacted with the two lady members of this church thirty-six years ago, for me it was mainly or only for friendship. I didn't feel the preaching in the church benefited me. I remember those people (only a few of them) as old friends. The pastor is 78 years old now. If I go back there to visit, it would be like going to see old friends. This denomination is called Oneness and also Jesus Only church and is considered by other traditional churches as a cult. One of the strong points of this group is the members are well-behaved and caring. I guess I can give it a try before quitting. The woman who encouraged me to visit the church is 57 years old. We started out very well and left off at a good spot. I don't think she has any idea about the strangeness of this church. I assume you are not from this denomination. I do not think of the church members of this church as being less than me. They just think differently. But we are talking about me going to this church regularly which was what I did before. It looks like my two options are continuing to have no social life or having social life with people in a cult. What great options I have here! And what is an odd of me running to another person who I may be able to build friendship with? There are two old friends in town who I could try to restart friendships with but I don't have peace doing it. For some reason, I feel comfortable pursuing friendship with this new person but I am taking it slow. I wonder whether she may change church in the future since she went to this church only for three months but she said they helped her a lot, I guess she means financially. It would be mean to leave after taking from them. I will feel bad to cause her to quit going to this church which I don't plan on doing. I am learning to keep my mouth shut. The question is how can I go to a church that I disagree with on doctrines? I may end up telling this new friend that I decide not to go to visit this church because of the differences in the doctrines which can cause me to disrupt and get kicked out. We can say I don't have peace about it right now.

I pray you and everyone have a good weekend.

. I grew up in holiness, Jesus only. my grandfather was a deacon and grandma a mother of the Jesus only church. the doctrines were very strict. but as a child I also went to Muskegon Christian and our redeemer lutheran - so I had a diverse religous background. while in Muskegon I also attended central assembly (assembly of god). while in college I had experience with nondenominational churches. we have to study and know the scriptures for ourselves regardless of our affliations

I was wondering which church (denomination) you go to. I visited the Central Assembly of God a few times (long before COVID) and went to their Bible study once during COVID when I was desperate about my daughter not having human support. The members were not careful with the social distancing so I was afraid to be in their church; besides, it was no fun walking into a church alone even though two people there were very nice and hospitable when I went to the Bible study that day. I have not gone back to Central Assembly since then. I liked the Bible lesson that was taught that day.

I hope my view and negative comment about this oneness denomination don't offend you. I was twenty years old when I accepted Jesus in Thailand and went to an Assembly of God which was my first church for three years. After I left the church, I never felt at home with any churches and was always around believers from different denominations and got support from them. Unfortunately, I didn't feel God's presence in the Abundant Life Tabernacle on Dangl Road. Their loud music made it difficult for me to feel I was in a worship place. It felt more like being in a super loud nightclub or restaurant that has loud music blasting. After listening to the doctrines, I felt this must be the "Jesus Only" church which other churches consider them being a cult. I went to their services many times because of the two nice ladies who treated me like their special friend. They invited us to their houses for dinners and one of them picked me up to go to the services. We were new in town and didn't have friends. My husband's sister who passed away about five years ago was one of the very few people (family) we had. Many years later my husband's two brothers passed away. While all of them were still alive, one of my husband's brothers and his wife and my husband's sister left town and we lost touch with them for many years. The only person who is still in town is my husband's sister-in-law who is not close to us but is not close to us. Because of our health issues, we lost social life. I have two old friends left in town who I lost touch with for many years. When I met them again, it was difficult for me to connect with them because of me. One of the reasons was I lost my ability to socialize.

Anyway, going back to why I don't feel fit in with the Abundant Life Tabernacle church, I disagree with their requirements for salvation and not accepting the Trinity. I couldn't feel God's presence in their services and meetings but it didn't mean I thought God's presence was not there. I blamed the loud music and the difference in the doctrines. I hardly knew anything about the Bible when I was a new believer and started with learning about God and the Bible in the Assembly of God church. I felt God's (the Holy Spirit's) presence from the first second I accepted Jesus, and the Assembly of God church's teaching worked for me. I feel that Oneness church works for some people (but not for me). If it were the first church I went to, it might work.

I believe there is Baptism in the Holy Spirit but I don't believe it is a requirement for or proof of being born again. I believe a believer can connect with God without being baptized in the Holy Spirit. They can grow spiritually by understanding God's words and abiding in them. My life experiences after I accepted Jesus were painful ones. The only thing that I am unhappy with now is my daughter's situation of not having human support. I am happy with God and just feel very bad about my daughter's life and hope God will help her and give me strength and more time to help her prepare for her future without me and her dad.

I feel I should not go back to the Abundant Life Tabernacle church because I can end up offending the members and get kicked out. I didn't offend anyone back then and only frustrated one of the two nice ladies because she tried to get me to believe the church's doctrines and it didn't work. If you ask me whether I think the members of the church are saved, my answer is yes. What does God think about their doctrines? I don't know.

I am very glad to run into a believer who believes in the charismatic doctrines, I mean you. I hope and pray that God blesses you with His many blessings and takes you to where you desire (giving you the desire of your heart). Please pray that He will help my daughter. By the way, shoveling snow triggered the pains in my left shoulder and upper arm. I may end up having to go to the physical therapy. I pray for everyone in the group on a regular basis. I hope Leftwing is getting better. I have to go to bed now. I will post more later.

Hi LavenderC. I hope it's not too late for me to add my 2 cents worth.

I'm glad you are seeing an option to go to church. But you said that you disagree with this church:s doctrine concerning salvation. That's a pretty important doctrine. Aren't there any churches in you area whose doctrines you agree with (at least on the important issues)? Maybe try one of those churches instead.? There might be nice people there too.

I think if you find a place you feel comfortable worshipping then maybe you can find support for your daughter there too.

I am facing the same thing about my son's future care, but we are probably 10 years younger than you guys. I will be praying for you and your situation.

I did more research on this church before following the lady to the church and found out they are actually the "Jesus Only" or United Pentecostal .... which rejects other church denominations' doctrines. I sat in this particular church in my town for more than just once or twice. I just was not sure that they are the "Jesus Only" group. The members were nice people and obey the Bible. I was close to going to this church with this lady because I wanted to be friends with her badly. After I finally told her I would not go because of the difference in teaching, she stopped communicating with me. I feel sad losing the opportunity to develop closer friendship with her but can see that we are total strangers bumping into each other in a store. I don't know anyone who knows her, and she does not know anyone who knows me. To her, it seems she will feel safe is if I go to the church. I told her the pastor will recognize me. The lady and I didn't exchange addresses and communicated through facebook's private messages. I don't think I will attempt to make friends with strangers again. I think she is a good person and harmless but there is no way to go on from where she and I left off. It is too risky. I live in a rough area where people do drugs so she has more reasons to be scared of me. It really hurts to lose the connection (communication) when it went so well.

I'm sorry it didn't work out. Maybe the two of you had different expectations or goals. Anyway, maybe if you try some other churches you'll find some people you can make friends with more slowly without the pressure of them being strangers (and so not seeing them again) because you can see them at church.

I hope it goes well for you.

Lavender, I'm glad you chose not to go there. United Pentecostals are not just about being charismatic. Because they don't believe in the Trinity, they are really heretics, a term I don't use lightly. There are certain doctrines that all Christian denominations agree with. The Trinity is one of them. Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Assemblies of God all believe in the Trinity. I wrote a 30 page paper for my PhD, using the Bible to show this doctrine is true. Jehovah's Witnesses also believe this. And they are also heretics.

Another issue with United Pentecostals is they don't believe anyone but them is saved. Not just baptism, but being baptized ONLY in "the name of Jesus" saves you, according to United Pentecostals.

I would suggest you try a Baptist Church for a free church, (like AOfG) but not charismatic However, there can be huge differences in Baptists even on the issues of salvation, end times, etc, even within the same denomination. But you will be fine. You have shown great discernment not going back to the UPC because of their doctrines.

As far as your daughter, have you tried setting up a trust fund for her? My parents had to do that with my brother. He had a malformed brain, and was never able to cope very well with life. I don't know if you have much money, but an annuity could give her a monthly allowance in assisted living or long term care if she qualifies. Although I know it is very expensive in the US.