My husband and 4 kids moved to a small town in Tennessee a few years ago. We had always attended Calvary Chapel but none here. We have tried a bunch of churches but they always reject me because I was not baptized properly.
I was born to parents that actively hated the church God, Jesus w extreme passion. I can say that I was born to love Christ. Even as a tiny girl, I can remember secretly reading my bible. I contribute this to a praying MIL but another story...my dad was very violent, like a trip to the ICU at age 3 violent. I was baptized at 15 at a football game by sprinkle and I really was putting myself in a lot of danger doing that.
Fast forward 30 years..everytime we try to join a church, they say I need to be baptized. I feel baptized..and my baptism came at personal cost that few will ever know and meant more to me accordingly. Getting baptized again makes me want to vomit, my skin crawls when idiots tell me that this extremely important spiritual moment where God spoke to me w prophetic news that came true was all a lie and God is a liar.
I quit trying to even go to church bc my husband would get so mad when they rejected me and then none went to church. Am I wrong not to go to church? Should I just take a bath in sanctuary to make idiots happy?
John the Baptist pointed out that he baptized with water, but there was also a baptism of fire, and it sounds to me that you've already had that baptism by fire.
I have been attending different churches for over 30 years now, and I've never had a single one tell me I couldn't attend their services until I was baptized. I've had numerous churches allow me to participate in all sorts of programs, and functions as well.
I've also noticed that if I rotate from one church to the next from week to week, they're always happy to see me the next time I'm at their service. It's like you're a perpetual celebrity. The novelty of your presence never wears off.
If someone ever approached me to say that I would have to be baptized, I would tell them, "Let me get back to you", and then instead of hitting that church every other week, or once a month, I'd just bump it back to once every two months.
Usually if they see you putting something into the collection basket, they're not likely to make waves.
I'd also suggest hitting each and every church within at least ten or fifteen miles. It each on at least once. I'd even hit a synagogue if you're still having problems.
Years ago, I was living in a fairly small community, and I was going to around a dozen or more different churches, but I still managed to add in a few that I had never been to before. One was a gospel revival/spirit filled church.
I remember driving into the parking lot the first time, and thinking, "Uh, oh. This doesn't look good" You see, I was driving this cheap Korean import that was kind of dusty, and every car in that parking lot looked like it was right off the showroom floor from the local Cadillac dealer. There were Mercedes Benzes, BMW's, Lincoln's, and right in the middle of all this wealth was my cheap Korean economy car. It stuck out like a sore thumb.
My Sunday best was something I had picked up at the local thrift store. The whole ensemble cost me less than $10.00, and that was with a dozen ties included. As I walked in, everyone in the place was decked out like they were at a coronation. I looked like a pauper by comparison.
I sat down in one of the back rows, and the service soon began with some of the most stirring singing I have ever heard in my entire life. After about the second or third song, I began to weep uncontrollably. The tears were streaming down my face. I couldn't wipe them away fast enough.
The preaching was also quite good. I attended their bible study for a while as well. They were all very nice people, and while they welcomed me to their services and bible study group, they never really accepted me.
I was the only white person in the entire congregation, but that's not why they gave me the cold shoulder. It was because I was driving that cheap Korean import, and wore cheap threads from some thrift store.
I don't fault them though. I actually admired how well they dressed for church. I really enjoyed seeing how shnazzy they all looked. They took pride in their appearance which is a rarity in a lot of churches today.
In California, it isn't unusual to see kids in cut off shorts, flip flops and some torn tank top with two pigs copulating and the caption, "Makin Bacon"
