Originally Posted By: fingers
I was raised up at Decatur Hwy. Church of Christ in Gardendale Al. I was told my whole life by the preacher and sunday school teachers that unless you belonged to a Church of Christ you were going to hell. My parents didnt believe this doctrine and neither did I, but they liked everythig else about the church so we stayed. Fast forward many years and I marry my wife who was raised Church of God. HUGE difference. Everything was cool for about two years until when my wife started going to a ladies bible study and one of the older ladies told her to her face that she sure hoped she converted because she would hate to see such a sweet young lady go to hell. HMMM I thought. Not long after that our preacher came to visit and basically said the same thing. I want to say his last name was Hinkle. He moved to Tennessee some time later. Now keep in mind my wife is one of the godliest, scripturally knowledgable people I know. The wheels were turning in my head on what to do. But the straw that broke the camels back was one Sunday night when we had a visiting preacher from the Homewood or Hoover area and he stood in the pulpit with a phone book and started naming off churches by their name and then would say "going to hell" after each one he named. I said Im out. That was the last time I attended that church. My wife and I wound up in the Baptist faith. Not that its perfect but it seem to fit both of us. Its been almost 20 yrs. now. My parents still attend a Church of Christ in Hanceville, Al. but it is alot more laid back and receptive to other denominations. I know not all COC are that way but but in the 80's and at least until we left in 1997 that was Decatur Highways doctrine. Cant speak for them now.


Sad to say I was raised up in and around many things like that myself. Funny how such sweet little old ladies can spew such hatred, condemnation and casting folks off into hell then smile at you and say "ain't Jesus good", lol!

No I really don't think that's funny well maybe a little because I've grown to know better now but it does sadden me though. I've said a lot of things myself.

There are roughly 4000 different denominations with churches side by side and across the street form each other (7 in a two mile radius of my house). All proclaiming that "God said", "God told me", "the Holy Ghost spoke to me" yet they all saying something different.

Friend either I'm a nut or somebody hasn't really heard from God!

Last edited by TensawRiver; 10/09/15 01:08 PM.

Romans 8:1-2
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of Sin and Death"