Free Online Support Groups for Church hurt

Christianity is greatly misunderstood these days. There is much within the church that is not Christlike in recent years. Whereas many have fallen away from the church due to it, there is also a great revival underway. Still, many find Christians rigid and unwelcoming, and I find that sad. We are called to exhibit love and acceptance to all, no matter their race, gender, age, beliefs, or views. I believe part of the problem is the divisions within the church itself. There are many opposing views on how to properly worship and conduct services. We won't know for sure what God's official desires are until we get to heaven, but these differences are ultimately secondary to the main point of Christianity - to worship Christ and accept His sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins in order to have a right relationship with God. We are saved by grace alone and not by works, so no one can boast. This is a safe place to bring your questions, no matter how small, big, simple, or difficult. If I or another in the group does not know the answer, I will research it and get back to you within the group chat as soon as possible. Feel free to post your questions ahead of time in the chat. Each week we will go over a section of Scripture as a backup of there are not enough questions and discussion to fill the time. I will post that here and in the chat for anyone who would like to prepare ahead of time, though doing so is not required. I will read relevant verses for questions when I can. There is no judgment here; there is no dumb question. All are welcome! I should add: neither my co-host nor I are pastors or religious study majors. We're just two women passionate about Christ and sharing about the relationship we have with Him. We want everyone to be able to experience that for themselves. FOR SEPTEMBER 28TH We now move into the fourth week of the book of John. You do not have to read it to join. You do not have to answer the questions ahead of time. We will go over them together, I've put them here as a guideline for you. If you are just coming with questions about Christianity in general, we will address those first. Feel free to add them here if you wish. Chapter 10 Day 1 (John 10:22-42) Have you ever thought about how strongly Jesus feels about you? As a shepherd would care for and protect his sheep, so Jesus desires to watch over and protect us. What does Jesus provide instead? How did Jesus describe His relationship with the Father (John 10:22–39)? Do you recognize God’s voice? How often do you take time to pray and listen for His voice? Chapter 11 Day 2 (John 11:1-57) When Jesus heard about Lazarus’ death, how did He respond (John 11:1-4)? Compare Jesus’ interactions with Martha and Mary. If Jesus knew that Lazarus would be raised from the dead, why did He weep? Think about some of the hardest situations that you have ever endured. Have you ever considered handing these struggles over to God? Have you ever allowed Him to comfort you in the midst of your pain? Chapter 12 Day 3 (John 12:1-19) Why did Judas criticize Mary’s act of humility with Jesus and the ointment? What has Jesus done in your life? What miracles have you seen Jesus perform? How has your life changed because you know Jesus? Day 4 (John 12:20-50) Read John 12:32. What did Jesus mean when He said that He would be “lifted up”? Why might this be confusing to the disciples? According to John 12:42-43, why did the people have disbelief? Unfortunately, so many distractions in this life tend to lead us further away from Jesus. Take a look at the things that you strive for in life. Do you desire those things above being close to Jesus? If so, confess them to Christ and ask Him to draw closer to you. Chapter 13 Day 5 (John 13:1-17) In John 13:1–20, how did Jesus instruct the disciples to serve with humility? How does Jesus’ new commandment to the disciples both summarize and fulfill the Old Testament Law? Examine your relationships… Is there a person that you despise? How could you serve them even if you do not think that he or she is deserving? Days 6 & 7 (Summary) What did you learn about Jesus this past week? Did your view of Jesus change through something you read? What did you discover about yourself as you read this past week? How can you become more like Jesus in your life every day?