You can start by reading the scriptures in your home.Also look into thrift stores they have nice clothing for reasonable cost.Look around your neighborhood for a little church and attend it and see if you feel comfortable with the parishioners.God will show you the way.Gob bless you have a wonderful day. I hope this helps. Rosie

My family and I are also unchurched at the moment.

To keep my spiritual connection alive I like to get different devotional books, or study books out of the library, and then as much as possible I try to read them with the scriptures nearby for reference. I do read my bible straight out (without relying on a devotional book) at times, too . . . but there are so many passages in the bible that just don't hit me as being as important as they are UNTIL I read them in the context of material designed to help you understand the bible . . . know what I mean?

Also, my participation in the Christian related boards here at TBD helps.

And, of course, for me there's always music. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Jars of Clay. Listening to praise music always helps to lift my spirit and turn my heart to God.

I'd like to find a church, though . . . someday . . . I keep looking. But I do believe you can have a healthy relationship with Christ through private worship, too.

Hi Kelly, I just want to add to the others if I can, listening to the Bible on cd has helped me too, since I don't go to the midweek service. But don't stay away too long, you'll get used to not going to church.

I believe attending church makes you dependant on the church and weaker in your faith….. because: look at what you said, you have no decent clothes to wear. You are worried what people will think. Will what they think have influence on what you do and what you believe? Probably. People will come back at me with:

(LITV) Heb 10:25 not forsaking the assembling together of ourselves, as is the custom of some……..

This custom they speak of is meeting on the Sabbath in the Synagogue. The phrase “assembling together of ourselves” is one Greek word: episunagoge i.e.: synagogue.

Again: (LITV) Heb 10:25 not forsaking the Synagogue, as is the custom of some,

You want to serve God by serving “people”. Will it serve God to put food in their bellies and sending them away to their sinful lives…. No. They are just satisfied sinners. You learning the Word of God and applying it to your life will enable you to serve God the way He wants to be served. You will be able to tell people what the God wants from us.

The best thing you can do is pray to the Father that He opens His word to you and you start reading and studying what the Father spoke in His precious Word. His first words: Gen 1:3 “Let there be light”. That’s a good starting place then go from there.

Messiah Himself said the words He spoke were the words of the Father which were Moses writings:

Joh 5:47 But if you do not believe his (Moses) writings, how will you believe My Words?

Joh 14:24 …… the Word which you hear is not Mine but of the Father who sent Me.

One last thing. The best thing I know of to help you with your studies or anybody who wants to have an excellent study aid is e-sword. It is a free bible program you can download off the internet. It has a version called the King James + (my fav) in which you can look up each word by the Strongs Concordance # with just the pointing of your cursor. It is fantastic! I personally will help you if you need help getting started on using it. The web site is: www.e-sword.net just click on “download e-sword now” button

Rom 10:17 Then faith is of hearing, and hearing through the Word of God.

Through the Word of God, not the word of the preacher

For most of my life, I attended church only occasionally. When my daughter turned about four, I started going to church more regularly. About two years ago, I became a member of the church I had been going to every week. I'm now actively involved.

A lot of churches have contemporary services where shorts and jeans are acceptable attire. I probably wouldn't have become involved in church if it hadn't been for a service like this where I feel more comfortable.

As far as not wanting to be bombarded by a lot of people at once, you could at first sit at the very back by the door and leave a few minutes early. If you decide to go back, you can gradually "move up" closer to the front and stay longer each time.

For private worship, I like to check out different Christian books at the library (with a lot of scriptures) and use the books and the Bible to do my own Bible study. Doing your private time with God can be quite powerful if you do it in a quiet setting in nature. I also like listening to contemporary Christian music.

My opinion is that you can be a Christian and worship God without church, but you can miss a lot without the support and sense of fellowship with other worshippers.

You want to serve God by serving “people”. Will it serve God to put food in their bellies and sending them away to their sinful lives…. No. They are just satisfied sinners. this is your comment, my response to that is yes i would be serving God, have you ever been hungry?Are you not a sinner? It would serve my Lord to feed you if you were hungry, to comfort you in your grief, to clothe you if you are naked, to provide a shelter for if you are without. Sister we are all sinners and to serve God means to serve his children. thank you

This reply is for Talmeeda

Hi Kelly,

I think that for me anyhow, it's very important to be a church attender. The fellowship and support I get from face to face contact with other believers is what keeps me going. I belong to a men's support/accountability group in my church that gives me much spiritual food and keeps me on track.

A church should be carefully chosen to represent what you believe the Bible says about the most important biblical issues such as who God is, who Jesus is, what must I do to be saved etc. After choosing a church, stay in the word so that you will be able to help steer it's direction and prevent false teaching.

The danger of being an "orphan Christian" is the possibility of sliding off into false beliefs without others to help bring you back if you begin to believe false teaching.