Lent

[WhoeverLovesGod01]

What do we have to do for lent?

 

[Gwenyfur]

nothing....we're baptists

my sister is Anglican...she's giving up smoking this year ...

 

[SonOfThunder]

Praise God and worship HIM.

I dunno, lent is not something I grew up with.

James

 

[WhoeverLovesGod01]

What's the difference between Baptist and other-denominational views on Lent?

 

[Gold Dragon]

Our church has been practicing Lent for the past few years where we sacrifice something during this time as a reminder Christ's sacrifice for us and a preparation for the celebration of Good Friday and Easter. Tomorrow we will be having an Ash Wednesday service.

 

[aReformedPatriot]

What's the difference between Baptist and other-denominational views on Lent?

I dunno. I know my friend Jason gives something up every year. He is "catholic" if you will and he gives up whoppers or the like for a month, which is indeed a mighty sacrifice for the Lord.

Fasting is probably the least practiced spiritual discipline, as long as you do it for God's glory and not to merit anything, by all means, fast away.

 

[Gold Dragon]

What's the difference between Baptist and other-denominational views on Lent?

Generally, Baptists avoid things that smell like Catholic tradition or liturgy. Unfortunately, that also has resulted in the neglect of thousands of years of rich Christian traditions that are not necessarily against any of the "baptist" positions.

Our church is currently in a process of rediscovering the value of the historical traditions of reformed churches, catholic traditions, jewish culture among other traditions that have richly influenced the story of Christianity. Of course traditions can become empty but it is the meaning behind the tradition that is our focus and many of them are very rich in meaning.

 

[Iollain]

Well you could fast, but your not supposed to tell anybody.

 

[SonOfThunder]

Well you could fast, but your not supposed to tell anybody.

shhhhhh!!!

When Jesus died for us, he said "It is finished" We can guess what this might mean in so many many ways.

The impossible laws of the Old testament made a way for the coming of Jesus and what His sacrifice meant. we no longer wear the ritulistic gear, we no longer have laws. We have simplicity in commandents that break down the laws and rituals of old. Fasting before Easter is not a New commandment. We are indwelled with His Spirit and although rememberance is good is fasting for lent necessary?


James

 

[Iollain]

Certainly not necessary. But if one wishes to do so they can.

Mat 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.


Mat 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;


Mat 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

 

[HiredGoon]

I've known of Baptist churches to have Ash Wednesday services and practice fasting during Lent. Some Baptist churches follow a liturgical calender with all the different observances during the year. Its not just a Catholic thing.

 

[SumTinWong]

I don't even know if I know what Lent is...

 

[Gold Dragon]

I've known of Baptist churches to have Ash Wednesday services and practice fasting during Lent. Some Baptist churches follow a liturgical calender with all the different observances during the year. Its not just a Catholic thing.

I think fasting is against the Baptist doctrine of the potluck.

Since Chinese New Year falls within the Lent season this year, the vatican has exempted chinese Catholics from fasting during the overlap period.

We are indwelled with His Spirit and although rememberance is good is fasting for lent necessary?

Anyway, traditions that are enforced against someone's will has already lost its meaning and has no place our church. The point of the tradition is to help focus our internal desires to worship Christ. If that desire is not there, the tradition has nothing to focus.

 

[aReformedPatriot]

I don't even know if I know what Lent is...

Against my better judgement P) I used wikipedia in honor of GD:

...There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance. Nowadays it is common for people to give up something they enjoy doing a lot, and often to give the time or money spent doing that thing to charitable purposes or organizations. Lent is a season of sorrowful reflection that is punctuated by breaks in the fast on Sundays (the day of the resurrection). Sundays are not counted in the forty days of Lent.

...here are several holy days within the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. The central symbol of that day is the ash with which Catholics mark foreheads of the people. Ash is a traditional symbol of mourning, appearing throughout the Biblical writings and representing the dust from which God created humanity and the dust to which humanity is destined to return. The fourth Sunday within Lent is sometimes referred to as Laetare Sunday, particularly by Roman Catholics, and the Sunday following was originally known as Passion Sunday, though today the latter term is officially applied to the sixth and last Sunday of Lent, or Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem as the "King of the Jews". His entry was marked by celebrations among his followers and many of the residents of Jerusalem, though it represented a major threat to the religious leaders and to Rome. Yet, Jesus' method of entry was symbolic for the purpose of his coming. Entering not on a war horse, but on a donkey (a symbol of peace), he foreshadowed that he would not accomplish his mission through violence, but through sacrifice. Maundy Thursday is the Thursday of the "Last Supper" shared by Jesus with his disciples, during which he gave a "Mandatum Novuum" or "New Commandment" (whence, 'Maundy Thursday') that the disciples "love one another" as Jesus loved them. Good Friday is the day that Jesus was crucified. He died on this day and was buried.

 

[aReformedPatriot]

I think fasting is against the Baptist doctrine of the potluck.

Oh! If only!!!

 

[Gold Dragon]

Against my better judgement P) I used wikipedia in honor of GD:

That wasn't so painful, was it?

 

[Mary of Bethany]

There's a SBC near me that actually had some sort of Stations of the Cross (I'm sure it had a Baptist "slant" to it) set up on their property, and I believe the pastor led the congregation through them on Good Friday afternoon. They also then set up a cross with a purple cloth hanging from it.

You could've knocked me over with a feather when I saw that!

Mary

 

[Gold Dragon]

There's a SBC near me that actually had some sort of Stations of the Cross (I'm sure it had a Baptist "slant" to it) set up on their property, and I believe the pastor led the congregation through them on Good Friday afternoon. They also then set up a cross with a purple cloth hanging from it.

You could've knocked me over with a feather when I saw that!

Mary

I think it is great to see Baptists rediscovering some of the richness of Christian history and tradition that have been neglected for so long. I don't think those traditions will ever hold the importance that they do for our Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran brothers and sisters, but they add depth and colour to our understanding of the story of Christianity and our worship of our common Lord.

My first exposure to the stations of the Cross was a few years ago when World Youth Day was held in Toronto. I found it to have lots of powerful imagery and was a very rewarding experience.

 

[Gwenyfur]

We as a church do nothign about lent...(meaning my church...) anyhow...
Lent was supposed to be about the 40 days of trial Jesus spent in the wilderness while Satan tempted Him... Of course, the dark one failed
But lent, to my limited understanding, was where a person, if they were of a mind, (catholics required) give up something they truly enjoy for a month as a sacrifice and reminder of the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness....

Man no coffee yet, hope that made sense

 

[SumTinWong]

They also then set up a cross with a purple cloth hanging from it.

Behind our baptism tank is a six foot cross with a purple silk cloth hanging from one side to the other on it(draped). Stays up there year round.