DanCan,
I am not sure why no one from the denomination has responded to your inquiry? Regarding Christain Churches, C&MA churches in particular, generally would be very friendly and welcome anyone into attendance at their meetings. Sadly, that will not make you a Christian. Attending any church does not make one a Christian any more than regularly going to a Jewelry store make you a Jeweler.
Someone can be very interested in making Jewelry and spend time studying the art of becoming a Jeweler, even hang out around Jewelers but not ever truly become a Jeweler.
A Jeweler is one that produces Jewels. The quality of the Jewels produced will tell you about the passion and influence upon the life of any particular Jeweler.
So it is with a Christian, the quality of the life and the fruit produced will speak volumes about the influences and dedication of any life. There are all kinds of C&MA Churches with various types of pastors producing believers according to the influences that the individual pastor has submitted his heart and mind to.
Unfortunately, some are still influenced by the world and as well as particular theologies that they have learned from a teacher in college, rather than a very intimate and personal relationship with the Holy Spirit and obedience to the Words of Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist and Jesus preached the same message to those that were looking for something more than the legal religion of the Pharisees. “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
In order to repent one must see problems in their life.
Jesus offered deliverance to all that passionately sought deliverance from Him, both physical and spiritual.
The friends of the crippled man that lowered him into the presence of Jesus, through a roof, passionately wanted to see their friend delivered from the physical disease. Jesus spoke words of forgiveness from sins as He tied the physical life with the moral life. The man was healed morally and physically that day.
To be a real Christian is to be in love with Jesus and accept what He has done through His sacrifice on the cross; His death and resurrection.
Jesus said that if we loved Him we would keep His commandments.
I see that happening via what Jesus expressed as being born again, spiritually. We must die to the control of the body’s five senses and our will, and be born again, free from self-centered, willful selfishness. The new nature will look like the nature of Jesus Christ; thus the original meaning of the Biblical term ‘Christian’.
This will only happen as we daily take up our cross and walk in obedience to His Spirit that we must invite into our lives to empower us to live in obedience to Jesus’ Words and what we already know is right, in our hearts.
Just like the Spirit that I obey led me to your post. The Bible says that the spirit that we yield to, to obey, is the spirit whose servant we are. Either the spirit of the flesh and selfishness that leads to death or the Holy Spirit, that empowers to serve according to the will of the Father, which leads to life, eternal.
I would be happy to communicate with you publicly, here, or privately.
I have been, and continue to, pray for you and your wife’s healing. God answers prayer and still offers the same deliverance that Jesus shared. Cry out to Him for help; as a trusting child would to a loving parent. Obey that which the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, prompts you to do.
