Hi,<\/p>\n
I am struggling a lot with fitting in.\u00a0 I was not raised in the church. I found the truth over 30 years ago. I have moved to different states for various reasons. I have had an ongoing struggle trying to find my place in each congregation. I feel sometimes it is a hard nut to crack at times to really get to know other members.\u00a0 I don’t have problems walking up to others.\u00a0 I feel left out a lot due to not having family members.\u00a0 It’s hard to see folks going home with family or going out to eat.\u00a0 It feels lonely.\u00a0 For the most part, I cope well. But let holidays come around and it’s painful.\u00a0 I am the only member of the church in my family.\u00a0 Anyway, I have written to you because I read your articles.\u00a0 I find this site biblically sound. If you want to send some feedback that would be fine with me.<\/p>\n\t
What I would suggest is “turning the tables.” Ask families to come over to your place for a meal. Invite people to join you at a restaurant or let everyone know you are going out for ice cream and see who wants to come along. In other words, instead of waiting for someone to ask you to join them, start asking “them” to join you.<\/p>\n
Something one of the members here started doing is a Friday “salad club.” The family provides a different soup or salad each week at lunchtime and has the preacher come and hold a Bible study (we are currently studying Revelation). Anyone interested is invited to come.<\/p>\n
On holidays invite singles or people who don’t have family nearby to come over and pool your resources to have a feast.<\/p>\n
Pick a day and host a crafty party or a game night.<\/p>\n
What you will find is that people will not only start coming but they will also start inviting you to join them in their activities.<\/p>\n
“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you<\/em>” (Luke 6:31).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Hi, I am struggling a lot with fitting in.\u00a0 I was not raised in the church. I found the truth over 30 years ago. I have moved to different states for various reasons. I have had an ongoing struggle trying to find my place in each congregation. I feel sometimes it is a hard…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[642],"class_list":["post-50179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-christianity"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":46024,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/your-website-has-a-lot-of-information-on-preterism-and-homosexuality\/","url_meta":{"origin":50179,"position":0},"title":"Your website has a lot of information on preterism and homosexuality","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I stumbled across your website as I was trying to find information on refuting Preterism (AD 70 fulfillment). I have family members who recently found out about this, and are submerging themselves in Jonathon Welton's teachings. Your web page has a lot of information, I hope to look\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12598,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/where-does-it-say-that-only-members-of-the-church-of-christ-will-go-to-heaven\/","url_meta":{"origin":50179,"position":1},"title":"Where does it say that only members of the church of Christ will go to heaven?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 27, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Does it say anywhere in the Bible that only the church of Christ will go to heaven? That is, only people who go to the church of Christ? What about the other churches, such as the Church of God, or a none denominational church, or the baptist? The reason\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Gate-114x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":86563,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/it-is-hard-to-find-a-christian-to-date\/","url_meta":{"origin":50179,"position":2},"title":"It is hard to find a Christian to date","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: To Whom It May Concern, I am a 27-year-old male, never married, and have no children. I'm single and am a member of a local church of Christ. My question is regarding relationships. There are no opportunities for me to date where I am a member. I want to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52969,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/your-points-are-concise-plausible-and-substantiated-by-the-scriptures\/","url_meta":{"origin":50179,"position":3},"title":"Your points are concise, plausible, and substantiated by the Scriptures","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I wanted to say thank you, at least for the two articles of yours I have read so far. I have been raised in what I would presume would be considered a \"moderate\" congregation of the church. I have some family members that attend a more \"conservative\" congregation. For\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9661,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-bad-to-want-to-see-my-parents-lose-everything-so-they-can-learn-to-lean-on-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":50179,"position":4},"title":"Is it bad to want to see my parents lose everything so they can learn to lean on God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 4, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have talked to my Mom and Dad humbly and in a nice manner, telling them they're not heading down such a great path. I have tried to say it in different ways -- straight forward and not so straight forward. I some times feel that perhaps I should\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36199,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-i-attend-a-christian-fellowship-instead-of-a-church-while-at-college\/","url_meta":{"origin":50179,"position":5},"title":"Can I attend an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship instead of a church while at college?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 28, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi Jeffrey, Hope you are well. I have been a Christian for 12 years now. I am going to college this fall. I'm very excited. The college I am going to, while not a Christian college per se, has a very active Varsity Christian Fellowship complete with its own\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50179\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}