Christians and churches.

[Gints]

If im Christian can I visit catholic or lutheran church?

 

[~Anastasia~]

If im Christian can I visit catholic or lutheran church?

Essentially any Church will allow anyone to visit, whether a Christian from another denomination, or a non-Christian.

As long as someone's purpose isn't to disrupt the service, everyone is usually welcome.

And you probably didn't mean to say otherwise, but Lutheran and Catholic are Christian denominations.

 

[SkyWriting]

If im Christian can I visit catholic or lutheran church?

I highly recommend you switch your visits to churches every month or so. You get to know some people in each church and learn how they are. They usually ask for visitors to raise hands, then they send a greeting squad after service. Some have formal welcoming parties, some don't. It's a great way to learn the feeling of the church and usually what they believe....more important, if they live as they speak.

 

[rockytopva]

If im Christian can I visit catholic or lutheran church?

I believe in the seven churches as ages...

Ephesus - Messianic - Beginning with the Apostle to the Circumcision, Peter
Smyrna - Martyr - Beginning with the Apostle to the Un-Circumcision, Paul
Pergamos - Orthodoxy formed in this time... Pergos is a tower... Needed in the dark ages
Thyatira - Catholicism formed in this time - The spirit of Jezebel is to control and to dominate.
Sardis - Protestantism formed in this time- A sardius is a gem - elegant yet hard and rigid
Philadelphia - Wesleyism formed in this time - To be sanctioned is to acquire it with love.
Laodicea - Charismatic movement formed in this time - Beginning with DL Moody, the first to make money off of ministry

So there are seven general congregations...

Messianic
Oriental Orthodox
Eastern / Russian Orthodox
Catholic
Protestant
Methodist / Pentecostal
Charismatic

As I get older look forward to taking some Mediterranean cruises and visiting those Christian churches of different congregations. We all have our issues, and as the Apostle said...

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. - 2 Timothy 2

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

If im Christian can I visit catholic or lutheran church?

Why not? Although it is the "structural" church that we belong to in whatever denomination we choose to associate with, being a Christian believer makes us part of the "spiritual" Church as well. The structural church will be burned up as wood, hay and stubble when Jesus comes again, but the spiritual Church will be the Bride of Christ.

This means that belonging to any denomination, whether Catholic, Lutheran or any other, would not corrupt your faith as long as you are part of the spiritual Church which is made up of all those who have accepted Jesus as Saviour. Every denomination, Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant has members of the spiritual Church.

The problem is when members of the structural church put their faith in their particular denominational structure with its doctrines and theologies before faith in Christ. They are part of the structural church but not the spiritual Church. This is why we must always encourage fellow-members of our churches to accept Christ as Saviour and put faith in Him before adherence to their denomination. But that does not mean that we should denounce our denomination, but rather use the structure as a scaffolding to express our faith in Christ.

I am the Session Clerk (senior elder) in a traditional Presbyterian church, so I am an integral part of a structural, but my heart is in Christ as my Saviour, so I am an integral part of the spiritual Church as well. God is concerned about the state of our hearts and our attitude to Christ. Once that is settled, then we can be of great use to the leaders and members of the structural church that we belong to.

So, this is why you can be a member of a Catholic or Lutheran church and still be an faithful and effective Christian believer.