Were you always Baptist?

[YeshuaFan]

Here's trusting you remain a Baptist for a long time to come! Your story reminds me of a pastor we had several years ago. At one time he was a Presbyterian minister at one time, but study of the Bible convinced him of believer's baptism, which led to him becoming a Baptist pastor.

Gillian

I will remain a Baptist until jesus calls me home!

 

[JM]

My journey began in the Anglican Church of Canada where I studied to be a layreader. The widespread liberalism pushed me out. I looked to Rome but didn't swim the Tiber, visited a Greek Orthodox Parish for almost 2 years, but it was all about Greek culture. The entire time I remained a Calvinist, a high predestinarian and this lead me to covenant theology. This is where I'm still at theologically. My wife and children spent 15 years in a local Baptist congregation and then I went back to the Anglican Church for a while. It was nice. Again, liberalism pushed me out.

I'm back at a Baptist Church now.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[YeshuaFan]

My journey began in the Anglican Church of Canada where I studied to be a layreader. The widespread liberalism pushed me out. I looked to Rome but didn't swim the Tiber, visited a Greek Orthodox Parish for almost 2 years, but it was all about Greek culture. The entire time I remained a Calvinist, a high predestinarian and this lead me to covenant theology. This is where I'm still at theologically. My wife and children spent 15 years in a local Baptist congregation and then I went back to the Anglican Church for a while. It was nice. Again, liberalism pushed me out.

I'm back at a Baptist Church now.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

I am currently a Calvinist Baptist, or reformed, if you prefer that terminology!

 

[JM]

I am currently a Calvinist Baptist, or reformed, if you prefer that terminology!

Nice to meet you.

No matter where I am or where I go...I'm always a Calvinist reforming to scripture.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[NIrelandGillian]

I will remain a Baptist until jesus calls me home!

Good for you!

Gillian

 

[Jonaitis]

Hello,

Just wondering if people here were brought up in the Baptist denomination or joined it at a later date. I was brought up in the Religious Society of Friends, but attended many different churches in different locations over the years, but when my husband - he was brought up in the Brethren - and I were first married, we decided to go to the nearest evangelical church to where we were living, which happened to be Baptist and have remained Baptist ever since - 45 years in August this year.

Gillian

I didn't grow up with any sort of religious background, although I did explore other faiths like Judaism and Satanism. My family, though, were Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic, Jehovah Witness, and Mormon. When I was converted, I was first a Southern Baptist before changing to Reformed Baptist.

 

[Newtheran]

Hello,

Just wondering if people here were brought up in the Baptist denomination or joined it at a later date. I was brought up in the Religious Society of Friends, but attended many different churches in different locations over the years, but when my husband - he was brought up in the Brethren - and I were first married, we decided to go to the nearest evangelical church to where we were living, which happened to be Baptist and have remained Baptist ever since - 45 years in August this year.

Gillian

I was raised in a different religion. "got saved" in my teens (to use Baptist terminology). Left the Baptist church (after several decades) for confessional Lutheranism (LCMS) after doing quite a bit of research into church history and growing tired of the shallowness of modern evangelical worship.

 

[NIrelandGillian]

I didn't grow up with any sort of religious background, although I did explore other faiths like Judaism and Satanism. My family, though, were Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic, Jehovah Witness, and Mormon. When I was converted, I was first a Southern Baptist before changing to Reformed Baptist.

Can you tell me the difference between Southern Baptist and Reformed Baptist please?

Gillian

 

[NIrelandGillian]

I was raised in a different religion. "got saved" in my teens (to use Baptist terminology). Left the Baptist church (after several decades) for confessional Lutheranism (LCMS) after doing quite a bit of research into church history and growing tired of the shallowness of modern evangelical worship.

I haven't heard of confessional Lutheranism. Can you tell me more please?

Gilllian

 

[Danthemailman]

I was raised in the Roman Catholic church, then after receiving Christ through faith, I joined a Baptist church and attended there for quite a while, until that church moved to a different location and now I attend a non-denominational church that is similar to Baptist.

 

[Jonaitis]

Can you tell me the difference between Southern Baptist and Reformed Baptist please?

Gillian

I should have worded that better. You can be Reformed and a Southern Baptist, but you don't have to be a Southern Baptist to be Reformed or hold to the Reformed tradition.

 

[Ecclesiastian]

Pretty much. I was born into the Southern Baptist church but it kind of became spiritually unhealthy. They elected a pastor that wasn't much of a practicer of what he preached, and didn't preach that much anyhow. I moved to an Independent Baptist church last year and have been much more alive spiritually since then, and finally followed through on getting baptized and partaking of the Eucharist. I'm still more Southern Baptist than Independent Baptist theologically though.

 

[RevDr]

No. Although I am a Baptist Minister (in UK) now, I started out in an Anglican church. When I went to University I started to think about believers baptism and that becamse the start of the journey to being a baptist. However, before training for ordination, when myself and my wife moved house we were always open to the Lord's leading to discern which church we should go to (although we had a clear personal preference that did not always turn out to be the one we went to)

 

[lismore]

I was born into the Roman Catholic Church, but while I was still young my family had a spiritual awakening and left, spending some time in a non-Denominational Charismatic Church which started as a Home Church. When then came to an end I spent some time in AOG, spent eight years there and left due to some bad spiritual experiences. In 2008 I must have visited 25 churches, before moving to a Baptist Church in 2009. The Baptist Church I find is the most scriptural focused and the people are the kindest out of all the churches I have been to.

 

[NIrelandGillian]

I was raised in the Roman Catholic church, then after receiving Christ through faith, I joined a Baptist church and attended there for quite a while, until that church moved to a different location and now I attend a non-denominational church that is similar to Baptist.

That's interesting. I'm glad you found a church which was similar to the Baptist church you had been attending. I trust you receive good teaching and experience good fellowship there.

Gillian

 

[Newtheran]

I haven't heard of confessional Lutheranism. Can you tell me more please?

Gilllian

Sure.

"Simple Answer: Someone whose religion is in congruence with the canonical Scriptures and the Lutheran confessions found in the “Book of Concord.” The adjective “confessional” comes from the noun “Lutheran confessions,” not from the “confessional” office, i.e., the Office of the Keys."

What is a “Confessional Lutheran”? | Steadfast Lutherans

Today, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Wisconsin Synod (WELS) are the two primary Confessional Lutheran denominations in the US. The need for the qualifier is that there is another denomination (Exposed Blog) that uses the name Lutheran but has a very different view of the Book of Concord (and, for that matter, many other things).

 

[NIrelandGillian]

I was born into the Roman Catholic Church, but while I was still young my family had a spiritual awakening and left, spending some time in a non-Denominational Charismatic Church which started as a Home Church. When then came to an end I spent some time in AOG, spent eight years there and left due to some bad spiritual experiences. In 2008 I must have visited 25 churches, before moving to a Baptist Church in 2009. The Baptist Church I find is the most scriptural focused and the people are the kindest out of all the churches I have been to.

So glad you found a church focussed on Scripture and where people show kindness.

 

[NIrelandGillian]

Sure.

"Simple Answer: Someone whose religion is in congruence with the canonical Scriptures and the Lutheran confessions found in the “Book of Concord.” The adjective “confessional” comes from the noun “Lutheran confessions,” not from the “confessional” office, i.e., the Office of the Keys."

What is a “Confessional Lutheran”? | Steadfast Lutherans

Today, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Wisconsin Synod (WELS) are the two primary Confessional Lutheran denominations in the US. The need for the qualifier is that there is another denomination (Exposed Blog) that uses the name Lutheran but has a very different view of the Book of Concord (and, for that matter, many other things).

Thank you. I tried opening the link to the daily reading for today from the Book of Concord, but all I got was mostly a blank page. I also didn't have any success finding anything about steadfast Lutherans.

I would be interested to know if there are many Lutherans where you are, also if there are any Lutheran worship songs you would recommend, although I know that's going off topic.

Gillian

 

[Newtheran]

Thank you. I tried opening the link to the daily reading for today from the Book of Concord, but all I got was mostly a blank page. I also didn't have any success finding anything about steadfast Lutherans.

I would be interested to know if there are many Lutherans where you are, also if there are any Lutheran worship songs you would recommend, although I know that's going off topic.

Gillian

As far as the hymns go...

The Top 25 Hymns Lutherans Sing

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God 656/657
Amazing Grace 744
Beautiful Savior 537
Children of the Heavenly Father 725
Crown Him with Many Crowns 525
Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice 556
Go, My Children, with My Blessing 922
God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It 594
I Know That My Redeemer Lives 461
Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure 533
Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus 685
Lift High the Cross 837
Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word 655
Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds 465
O Lord, We Praise Thee 617
O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright 395
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded 449/450
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow 805
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty 790
Savior of the Nations, Come 332
Silent Night, Holy Night 363
Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness 636
The Church’s One Foundation 644
The Tree of Life 561
Thy Strong Word 578

You should be able to look them up on Youtube; the numbers refer to their numbering in the Lutheran Service Book.

Here's a slightly humorous look at Lutheran hymnody. Slightly.

This is one of my personal favorites...it's a piece sung prior to our service being dismissed after receiving communion at the divine service every week...

"O Lord, now let Your servant
Depart in heav’nly peace,
For I have seen the glory
Of Your redeeming grace:
A light to lead the Gentiles
Unto Your holy hill,
The glory of Your people,
Your chosen Israel."

"Nunc Dimittis
Another Lutheran contribution to the church's liturgy is the use of the Nunc Dimittis as the post-communion canticle: “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace.”

At first glance it appears that we're taking the words of Simeon completely out of context. After all, what does his experience have to do with ours?

How can Holy Communion ever compare to Simeon's unique honor of holding the infant Jesus in his arms during the child's first visit to the temple at the tender age of 40 days (Luke 2:25-38)?

Of course, we would love to have been in the temple and shared in the experience with Simeon. For that matter, we would give anything to have been the first — along with the shepherds — to see the infant Jesus, or to have been with the Magi as they offered their gifts to him.

But, as Luther so insightfully taught, we don't find Christ in those places. Through the events of his incarnation, birth, crucifixion, and resurrection our Lord has accomplished our salvation.

But the benefits of his saving work — forgiveness, life, and salvation — are distributed to us through his means of grace, his Word and Sacraments. We can't go back to stand with Simeon in the temple. The good news is that we don't have to.

So when, following our reception of the Lord's Supper, we sing Simeon's ancient song of faith — “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace” — nothing could be more appropriate. Indeed, our eyes have seen his salvation. Better yet, we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8).

So, what could be better than holding the infant Jesus in our arms? How about eating and drinking his body and blood given for the forgiveness of our sins? This truly is heaven on earth, because here we have Jesus and all his benefits."

Welcome to the Book of Concord

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As far as a 'lot" of Lutherans, not really...just like you don't see a "lot" of Orthodox. As far as confessional Lutheranism goes, our services are relatively long, with weekly participation in the Lord's Supper. We're very similar to the Orthodox in that respect, consider it sort of like grad school for serious Christians. If you're looking for a pop concert and a Sunday morning social hour once a week - or a church that's going to compromise to the culture of the day, we aren't it.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Please understand, I mean no disrespect, but is very rare that Catholic walks away from the Catholic church.

Such a thing is hardly unusual in any part of the Christian world, in my experience.