Visitors center welcoming thread (TCL members please check in here)

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Question ? what do all the "letters" mean ?

LCMS; ELS; WELS; LLC; ELCA; ELCIC; AACL;..LCMC;
I was raised Church of God. attended a few different protestant church..liked most of them. I just started to a "Free' lutheran chuch... a few years ago I visited a luthern church, the worship service was beautiful, very nearly like the catholic service . the priest wore a robe and a collar, then I cam here and thepastor wore blue jeans and cowboy boots. could you explain the divisios of the luther church. sincerely Pony

The ELCIC and the ELCA, and their affiliated Synods tend to be a bit more "liberal" than the LCC, LCMS, WELS, and their affiliated synods; yet both Synods have Congregations that are very "High Church", and some Congregations that are not.

Within my Synod, LCC, my prefference is for "High Liturgy", and a steadfast adherance to the Confessions. We are blessed to have two such congregations in the city where I live, one a 5 minute drive, the other a 5 minute walk.

Welcom to TCL,

Mark.

 

[filosofer]

A small point, but LCC has not yet declared fellowship with the AALC.

Mark

Correct, one of those small side issues of fellowship: both church bodies are in fellowship with LCMS and both are members of the ILC.

 

[joyfulthanks]

I usually scroll past the stickies, and so I seem to have missed this thread. joyfulthanks checking in - LCMS

 

[HereIstand.Todd]

Hey all.....new to group. How do I jointhe LCMS forum?

 

[Jim47]

Hey all.....new to group. How do I jointhe LCMS forum?

Welcome Todd

There is no private forum for LCMS, you can post in the main forum where most of the posting takes place, or you can post in the conservative forum, the link is at the top right under this forum name

LCMS/WELS/ELS/LCC

Have fun and feel free to ask questions or tstae your opinion.

 

[Edial]

Hey all.....new to group. How do I jointhe LCMS forum?

Welcome to TCL!

Ed

 

[Tangible]

Hey all.....new to group. How do I join the LCMS forum?

You don't have to do anything. You are already member by nature of your icon and profession of membership.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Hey all.....new to group. How do I jointhe LCMS forum?

You are here. That's all that matters!

Welcome!

Mark.

 

[HereIstand.Todd]

Thanks so much for the welcome.

 

[joyfulthanks]

Welcome, Todd!

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

Welcome!

 

[Tangible]

Hi, I am in an Assembly of God church, there are no Lutheran churches within 200 miles of me, so I have heard of the Lutheran church as one hears of a distant land.
Recently, I discovered an internet radio programme called 'Fighting for the Faith' with Chris Roseborugh (I have spelled that wrong for sure, but it sounds similar), and it really peaked my interest.
First of all, I have learned about judging a sermon by how law and gospel are preached, very enlightening! But I wanted to know how your teaching on the Holy Spirit and gifts of the Spirit differ from my church's teaching.
I would like to know more, and have read through some of the stickies, but really I'd like to specifically know more about the difference between the two denominations, if anyone is able to help?

Welcome!

Here is a link to some documents regarding Lutherans and Charismatics at the website of my Lutheran denomination, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Here is another link, and another, and another.

This comparison chart pretty well sums it up. (It's a pretty bold statemen - no offense)

In the Smalcald Articles, Lutherans boldly say, "It must be firmly maintained that God gives no one His Spirit or grace apart from the external Word which goes before" (3, VIII, 3), and "We should and must insist that God does not want to deal with us human beings, except by means of his external Word and sacrament. Everything that boasts of being from the Spirit apart from such a Word and sacrament is of the devil" (3, VIII, 10).

God does not want you to rely on your inner experiences or feelings, which are constantly changing. Instead, He wants you to be confident that the Holy Spirit works only through the Word of Christ "so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His Name" (Jn. 20:31).

I hope that didn't scare you away.

Here is a good article comparing Confessional Lutheranism with other denominations.
http://www.xrysostom.com/compare.html

In some ways, Lutherans see the "Holy Spirit" practices in many Charismatic churches of today to be a substitute for the way God reaches out to us through his Word and promises in the Sacraments. We are filled with the Holy Spirit through the application of God's Name and Word with the waters of Holy Baptism. We eat and drink Christ's true body and true blood given and shed for the forgiveness of our sins in Holy Communion.

In these ways - instituted by Christ himself - we personally experience the eternal, infinite God coming to us in real, tangible yet spiritual ways. The Sacraments are very experiential ways (sometimes, but not always emotional) that God builds our faith and grants us forgiveness of sins in Christ.


.

 

[mercyreigns]

Ok, thanks for that!
I may be back with questions

 

[Jim47]

Ok, thanks for that!
I may be back with questions

Welcome to TCL and feel free to join in our discussion threads or start a ew one

 

[mercyreigns]

Thanks, I'm still hanging around, reading and comparing what I know with what I'm reading. It's very interesting, there is a lot reading, so if I don't respond soon, I's still reading and taking it all in.

 

[joyfulthanks]

Hi mercyreigns, and welcome!

While I was never Assembly of God, I was in a charismatic church for about 10 years. I know you are reading the doctrinal side of things on the links folks here have given you, so I will just share a bit of my experience with you.

I've been in lots of very emotional and exciting services, heard lots of prophecies, words of knowledge, tongues, etc. None of that begins to compare with what the Lord has provided for us in His Word and Sacrament - what I have found in the Lutheran Church. What I have found can best be summed up by Psalm 23:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

 

[mercyreigns]

Thank you joyfulthanks, I was hoping for an testimony like that. I've seen plenty speaking in tongues, prophesy and people operating in other gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Lately I've seen false teachers and false doctrine being promoted in the church and no-one questions it. People don't have their roots in the Word but in experiences. I am dismayed, and I know there's more.
I think I'll start a thread so as not to bog this one down.
Perhaps a mod could start a thread for me with my first post in this sticky, for continuity?

 

[joyfulthanks]

Hi mercyreigns,

I think you'll have to actually pm a mod to ask them to do that for you. I'm not sure they'll see your request here anytime soon.

I'd love to continue to discuss this with you. Although none of us has exactly the same experiences, I think to some extent I may have been where you are, and I'll be happy to do what I can to help talk through some of your questions, etc. with you.

 

[Jim47]

I think I'll start a thread so as not to bog this one down.
Perhaps a mod could start a thread for me with my first post in this sticky, for continuity?

I'm still in training, but I'll see if I can help you out

 

[Jim47]

Thank you joyfulthanks, I was hoping for an testimony like that. I've seen plenty speaking in tongues, prophesy and people operating in other gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Lately I've seen false teachers and false doctrine being promoted in the church and no-one questions it. People don't have their roots in the Word but in experiences. I am dismayed, and I know there's more.
I think I'll start a thread so as not to bog this one down.
Perhaps a mod could start a thread for me with my first post in this sticky, for continuity?

Here is your new question thread within the main forum

http://www.christianforums.com/t7410209/