LCMS Fellowship Principles

[joyfulthanks]

Let me first start off by saying that I do not want this thread to become a debate between LCMS and WELS or other confessional Lutheran members.

Respectfully, I would like to ask the non-LCMS members to refrain from participation in this thread, because I am specfically trying to understand the views of the LCMS, since that is the church we are thinking about joining.

I have several questions about LCMS fellowship principles:


1. As an LCMS member, would I be allowed to attend my parents' Methodist Church or my relatives' Vineyard Church, for example, while visiting them in their city?

2. If so, what restrictions would be placed on my participation there? (Communion is an obvious no-no, I guess, but what about singing, praying, etc.?)

3. Would I be restricted from praying with non-LCMS Christians at mealtimes, or at any other time?

4. What about weddings, funerals, etc?


Thanks for your help.

 

[filosofer]

Howdy. Although I am an AALC pastor now, I had been in LCMS for 56+ years (pastor and lay). And AALC and LCMS are in altar and pulpit fellowship.

1. Yes.

2. Refrain from communion because of the difference in understanding of what is communion. Singing, praying is acceptable.

3. No restrictions, as long as the people are Christian (in other words, not Jehovah Witnesses, Mormon, etc.)

 

[joyfulthanks]

Thanks!

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Howdy. Although I am an AALC pastor now, I had been in LCMS for 56+ years (pastor and lay). And AALC and LCMS are in altar and pulpit fellowship.

1. Yes.

2. Refrain from communion because of the difference in understanding of what is communion. Singing, praying is acceptable.

3. No restrictions, as long as the people are Christian (in other words, not Jehovah Witnesses, Mormon, etc.)

What he said.http://www3.christianforums.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

[joyfulthanks]

Just out of curiousity - the Lutheran church we are attending will be moving at some point across the street from the church where I work (a Baptist church). In the office the other day, the Baptists were expressing some hope that perhaps they might be able to get together and cooperate on some things like coordinating their fall festivals for the kids. How do you think this might be received by the LCMS church?

 

[QuiltAngel]

More than likely won't happen.

 

[Studeclunker]

Just out of curiousity - the Lutheran church we are attending will be moving at some point across the street from the church where I work (a Baptist church). In the office the other day, the Baptists were expressing some hope that perhaps they might be able to get together and cooperate on some things like coordinating their fall festivals for the kids. How do you think this might be received by the LCMS church?

More than likely won't happen.

I wouldn't bet on that Angel. There are several LCMS churches in California that I know share their VBS programmes inter-denominationally. I, however, don't advise it inasfar as the LCMS congregation is concerned. The Baptists will attempt to siphon off their membership. Gotta watch them Baptists (LOL)!

 

[porterross]

Just out of curiousity - the Lutheran church we are attending will be moving at some point across the street from the church where I work (a Baptist church). In the office the other day, the Baptists were expressing some hope that perhaps they might be able to get together and cooperate on some things like coordinating their fall festivals for the kids. How do you think this might be received by the LCMS church?

More than likely won't happen.

Why not?

 

[QuiltAngel]

The fellowship thing. How we like to make sure that our kids are being taught the Gospel rightly. If an LCMS church were to go with another church for something, the LCMS church would more than likely expect to organize it, run it and provide the leaders for it.

I would say it would fall under the same reasoning we don't join with other denominations for VBS. We invite others to our events, but we don't co-host them.

Then again, we do have a lot of churches doing things they really shouldn't be doing. Stude, are they co-hosting the VBS or is the LCMS church the one conducting them and providing the teachers and materials. Not that all our LCMS VBS materials are the bet, but that is a whole 'nother thread.

Do we want our kids being told that if they did not make a decision for Christ then they are not really saved? Do we want our kids to be told that since they were baptised as an infant it is not valid? I know we are talking social events here, yet, you let one foot in the door, you may as well open it wide. You let one, then another and then there are Bible Studies and the ball keeps rolling.

 

[porterross]

What if the event is one where no teaching will be done and it's merely one for fellowship, like a fall festival, where combining efforts might benefit everyone?

 

[RadMan]

I have to go QA on this. Any activities no matter if they are spiritual, theological or just sociable only shows our kids that we condone mixing the denoms. This blurs the lines and kids will think that the differences between Lutheran and Baptist are not that important because they see us not being concerned about it.

It's a matter of how strong the child's stance is in Lutheranism. Most children aren't that strong and can be swayed. They have been fed the milk and maybe not the meat.

 

[QuiltAngel]

I have to go QA on this. Any activities no matter if they are spiritual, theological or just sociable only shows our kids that we condone mixing the denoms. This blurs the lines and kids will think that the differences between Lutheran and Baptist are not that important because they see us not being concerned about it.

It's a matter of how strong the child's stance is in Lutheranism. Most children aren't that strong and can be swayed. They have been fed the milk and maybe not the meat.

Thanks Rad, That is my thought here.

If there were no theology involved, then why have the church do it? Why not the community? Then there would not be that sending mixed signals to our youth and children. We wonder why so many want to water down our theology, this is one way to hasten it. Teach our people that it is okay to go along with poor theology and the next thing we know, we have it in our church. Teach them it is okay to blur the lines and then we have fuzzy thinking going on in our church. Make a stand for what is right and correct and we teach our people how to do so too.

So, if an area wants to have a fellowship time celebrating the fall harvest or whatever, make it a community event organized by a community group.

 

[porterross]

Aha! There you've hit on what I was getting at. The church IS part of the community.

Too often, at least in my experience, Lutheran churches reject any involvement in events that are initiated by other churches, no matter their purpose and it makes us look like separatists. Pretty soon, people in the community stop looking to include you in anything and the church withers. It happened here and I'd like to know how it's helping to get the Truth to others when we bury ourselves?

The point is, there's not a simple, yes and no answer to the fellowship question and we need to keep in mind who were serving and doing disservice to by refusing any and all of it. We can cut off our noses to spite our face and become pretty isolated if we're not careful and that is not part of the great commission.

 

[porterross]

Show off your new name!!! Show it off!!!!

 

[RadMan]

Aha! There you've hit on what I was getting at. The church IS part of the community.

Too often, at least in my experience, Lutheran churches reject any involvement in events that are initiated by other churches, no matter their purpose and it makes us look like separatists. Pretty soon, people in the community stop looking to include you in anything and the church withers. It happened here and I'd like to know how it's helping to get the Truth to others when we bury ourselves?

The point is, there's not a simple, yes and no answer to the fellowship question and we need to keep in mind who were serving and doing disservice to by refusing any and all of it. We can cut off our noses to spite our face and become pretty isolated if we're not careful and that is not part of the great commission.

Is this anything like Behnke praying at the 911 convocation? hmmmm.......

 

[joyfulthanks]

Show off your new name!!! Show it off!!!!

Sorry, porterross, I can't. I'm not officially Lutheran yet, so I can't get into this discussion.

 

[porterross]

Is this anything like Behnke praying at the 911 convocation? hmmmm.......

No. You're missing the point and doing exactly what I keep alluding to, which is dismissing the very idea of having anything to do with anyone outside the Lutheran walls just because they aren't Lutheran. There's not much love and opportunity to reach others when we hide our bushels, is there, and being cloistered was something that Luther was opposed to, so I am unsure as to how this attitude came about, but it's detrimental to us more than anyone else.

 

[filosofer]

No. You're missing the point and doing exactly what I keep alluding to, which is dismissing the very idea of having anything to do with anyone outside the Lutheran walls just because they aren't Lutheran. There's not much love and opportunity to reach others when we hide our bushels, is there, and being cloistered was something that Luther was opposed to, so I am unsure as to how this attitude came about, but it's detrimental to us more than anyone else.

Can I get an "Amen!" for porterross's statement?

 

[QuiltAngel]

I guess you live in an area where that is true PR, but some of us don't. Where I am, while we don't do joint things with other churches, our churches are known for the things they do, the service to others and their outreach.

Our community has a festival in the summer. Many years ago, they included a worship service. They wanted the 2 LCMS churches in the area involved. What was worked out is that the service is rotated between the churches so that each year, one church conducts the service. That church's Pastor selects the hymns. There is a community choir that will sing an anthem and sometimes that is iffy, though most of the times it works.

So, instead of expecting all the churches to co-host the service, they rotate it and everyone is good with that. Now I know that is not a social gathering, but the same could be done with a social gathering.

Also, anyone who believes that a church hosting a social gathering is not going to be construed as a church event, is not looking at what really happens. People are going to see it as an event of that particular church. They are going to associate the doctrine of that church with the gathering.

 

[QuiltAngel]

I think we are talking past each other and am not sure how to change that.