r/Glasgow Tools

I've been trying to write this in a way that doesn't sound callous or dismissive but here we go:

What is it you want out of church, and faith.

For while they are linked, Church and Faith are two very different things. And you seem unsure about how church even works.

Ask yourself "What am I looking for?" and ask again if you can find that elsewhere.

Are you lonely? Looking for community? Are you at a mental low point?

If, at the end of your questions, you figure you can't find it anywhere but in God, figure out specifically what you want from God.

Faith can be a good motivator.

I know from experience that it can get you in a better mental space.

I was in a Church. I left after certain views I had conflicted with the people there.

I came to realise it wasn't the Church that was fulfilling, it was the community and the outreach - helping others - that changed my headspace. And I've continued to find that elsewhere.

But, if after your own self-reflection you *do* want to go to a Church. Just show up on a Sunday.

No-one checks your membership.

Rule of thumb: A good church won't expect you to put money in the donations basket if it's your first time. A bad church will be subtly (or unsubtly) pushing everyone to donate.

In my experience there are three kinds of churches:

1) Churches where people are *going through the motions*. These are your usual Church of Scotland churches, and the entire Catholic church. People turn up sing some hymns, do some prayers, kids go to Sunday School. There might be some tea afterwards. Maybe a mid-week volunteer cafe. That kind of thing. There's a strong community sense, but can be quite insular. They'll normally welcome a new face warmly. Most people are there through inertia, rather than explicit faith. This is a good place to find Community.

2) The *Trendy* Church. Often these are baptist churches, but some are CoS, or some kind of weird denomination. They'll sing hymns but they might have a band, rather than an organ (or both). I've found churches like these to be quite Clique-y, and trend towards students, early 20s to mid 30s. The bad ones will eschew preaching for advertising (showing off all the good they're doing, followed by a sermon on tithing). They often have overseas outreach. This is a good place to find 'Faith'. Often these denominations promote personal study and growth.

3) The Evangelical Churches. These are the kind of ones you see on American TV. Dancing in the aisle, speaking in tongues, that kind of thing. Regardless of their eccentricities, some of them are good - with a focus on outreach and charity (so long as it brings in more followers) - and some of them are the worst-of-the-worst scammy cash grabs. They often also have the most extreme views and take the bible *entirely* literally. They are often backed up by Sister-churches in the US. They'll accept you warmly (unless they find out you're one of the people they don't like - and that varies from church to church). You'll definitely have the best time at an good Evangelical church so long as you fit in and can swallow the weirdness. But it can be a hard pill to swallow.