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Master_Of_Irony · 02-22-2012, 04:10 PM

While you were a fundamentalist how often did you switch churches (assuming you weren't a pastor's kid of course). Also, for what reasons did you switch. I know we left about four churches. The first was because the pastor was verbally harrassing my sister from the pulpit ("those public school kids" was the quote, but he made it obvious it was about her). The second was accounting fraud by the pastor. The third we just left... The fourth we moved to another house and that church was on the other side of town (this was probably the least fundy of the churches).. which brings me to now. Most of what i've heard of these churches I don't remember, but my family says it all happened so.. what about you?

**beensetfree** · (This post was last modified: 02-22-2012 04:19 PM by beensetfree.)

(02-22-2012 04:10 PM)Master_Of_Irony Wrote: While you were a fundamentalist how often did you switch churches (assuming you weren't a pastor's kid of course). Also, for what reasons did you switch. I know we left about four churches. The first was because the pastor was verbally harrassing my sister from the pulpit ("those public school kids" was the quote, but he made it obvious it was about her). The second was accounting fraud by the pastor. The third we just left... The fourth we moved to another house and that church was on the other side of town (this was probably the least fundy of the churches).. which brings me to now. Most of what i've heard of these churches I don't remember, but my family says it all happened so.. what about you?

I attended a BJU affiliated school until 8th grade but we attended a Charismatic church. We left that when my mom couldn't take any more of the craziness for a moderate Baptist church that was more like a social club. The Pastor there had to step down for accounting fraud. I kept telling my mom that there was something off about him. He used to always throw in this zinger "There's a greek word for that, hogwash." Yeah. Then I didn't attend church for over a decade.

I've accidentally wound up in a moderate IFB church again but I don't really have many options here. As I've studied more on my own, which you really have to in an IFB because they don't have any kind of creed, I've learned when to smile and don't try to actually have theological discussions or push issues and just pursue personal practice. Because they don't exactly leave me feeling "exhorted to good works".

**exOBCstudent** · 02-22-2012, 04:28 PM

Well lets see...

Started off in a small one where my sister and I used to be bus kids then eventually became enrolled in their private school. A friend of ours and his family ended up leaving the church and starting their own. We followed them and helped them build it from the ground up.

We stayed there for many years in fact until we had to move about 100 miles away. We had been verbally attacked from that MOG's pulpit on several occaisions but somehow still kept coming back.

Once we found a much bigger IFB church in the new area we moved into we also ended up staying for at least 8 years or so. That's where we learned about the politics within the IFB. The MOG was very well known and also well connected with other like-minded MOGS.

After we finally pulled out of there (with much damage done to us) we stopped going to church altogether for a while. When I eventually was moved far out of state from my home and family, I made the mistake of getting back into another IFB clan which continued to cause misery and pain.

I moved to at least two other IFB churches after that, each getting more liberal until I finally put my foot down and said "No more!". So I've been a member of at least 6 IFB churches in my life. I actually may have been technically in 8 total if college and military training area churches count.

Wow....no wonder my life has been so screwed up by those pepople. Angry

Recovering · 02-22-2012, 08:24 PM

Never? My parents still attend the same church they became fundies in when I was four.

Lady Julian · 02-22-2012, 11:09 PM

My folks did not join an actual IFB church until I was in college, but we were homeschooled and walked on the conservative side and I went to BJU.

We changed churches a couple times: We moved from a Southern Baptist church because they felt it didn't have a wholesome youth group for me, left a denomination Christian church over doctrinal issues, and then they settled in the church they are now: an IFCA one. I left for BJU and went to a strict IFB church for the first semester and a half, then settled in the least IFBish church that was still checkable.

Quote:I've accidentally wound up in a moderate IFB church again but I don't really have many options here.

Right now, this is where I am too, so I get your frustration. I have a few friends, and there are a bunch of nice people. But I also do some smiling through clenched teeth.

**Tiarali** · 02-23-2012, 12:39 AM

I went to a few different fundamentalist brethren churches Tongue

Was only damaged by the one IFB church though. Never again!

**M Go Blue** · 02-23-2012, 01:22 PM

Still at the one I grew up in. Toyed with the idea leaving once over an family issue but after a great discussion with the pastor, decided not to leave.

**Perry** · (This post was last modified: 02-23-2012 04:20 PM by Perry.)

I went to two. The first one was a new church that was a split from a big fundy church the next town over. The former pastor got kicked out for doing something that I don't remember and started this church with a good-sized portion of the prior church's congregation.. My step brother and sister went to the big church and their Christian school first and started going to the new church shortly after my dad and stepmom got together when I was 9 or so. The new church opened up a tiny basement school and my step siblings and biological brother went there immediately. I stayed in public school until the beginning of my 6th grade year.

Midway through the year, the whole church blew up (not literally), and the school closed in the middle of the week. The pastor did something else at this new church and caused a big conflict. I think it involved a family in the church that the pastor kicked out for "not giving enough". I don't remember exact details, unfortunately. So the church split, and most of them went back to the old church, including us. A handful of people followed them to yet another church he started in the area, but it was short-lived and died out quickly. Most of them came back to the big church as well (last I heard, this particular fundy preacher is now pastoring a church in another county near the NC/Georgia border).The church we both left lost almost all its members, but it stayed opened and got a new pastor. He pastored it for a few years, and then left the church because he was mad they didn't want to start a bus ministry. The church went defunct (their building is currently for sale), and that pastor came to the big church also and started "teaching" at their Christian school.

Anyway, we went to the big church, and I've been there ever since. I went to their Christian school from midway through my 6th grade year until I graduated. Usually when I refer to "my fundy church", this is the one I'm talking about. I'm hoping to move to another city in a few months if everything works out, and if it does I will finally have the perfect opportunity to leave without causing a huge ordeal.

**Qrayze** · 02-23-2012, 08:25 PM

was born into FBCH and stayed there 'till I was no longer a fundy.

notdrinkingthekoolaid · 02-23-2012, 10:27 PM

Wait...you mean you're ALLOWED to leave a church!? WHAAAAAAAA???? Big Grin

Growing up...the only reason we left a church was because we relocated with one exception. My dad was actually a pastor of a church when I was really small and was asked to leave because he wanted to be more separated than his deacons did. (No embezzlement. No affair...nothing really salacious. Dad just wanted to take the whole separation issue to a new level.) But I was like 2 or 3 when that happened.

Other than that, the last fundy church we attended was the only one we left. Even post fundy land, we aren't big on changing churches, even though that seems to be a fairly common thing to do in our area.