Through Intolerant Elle and the Christian Carnival, I found a blog called Brutally Honest. I was very intrigued by his post, What Am I?. In this post, Rick considers whether to let others place the label of evangelical on him. Here is half the post, as a teaser:
Joe Carter has started a "church directory" of sorts. A list of bloggers who consider themselves evangelicals and want that information out in the 'sphere."
" ?sphere.
I graduated from obnoxious evangelicalism nearly 15 years ago to something somewhat less so as I "matured in the faith" and my obnoxiousness whittled away at my... "effectiveness".
I'm a different person today. I've not "evangelized" anyone in the more traditional sense in... well... let's say a very long time...
When I saw Joe's post, I considered adding Brutally Honest to the list. I mean, it'd be another way to publicize the blog and perhaps get more traffic this way.
But the more I thought about it, the more I thought it might be dishonest of me. I'm no longer sure that I can claim to be an evangelical. Oh, I'm certainly a believer in Christ, and I think more people ought to be believers, but I can't say that I'm as... enamored... with pursuing others, with "getting them saved", with "bringing people to Christ".
I'm now more and more convinced that this notion is... I dunno... for me, a bit silly. It may not be for others. I'm open to that. But for me, it seems to be something I will no longer do.Yes, to my evangelical friends, this is... heretical to some I'm sure.
Sounds like another evangelical refugee to me. I am am posting this here in hopes that he will find it and find our group of evangelical refugees. He can start with What Is An Evangelical? and Beggars All. Hope he finds that there are many others out there like himself.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
What difference does it make if Jonah was swallowed by a fish?
From our topical study tonight on the Seduction of Christianity: The Inerrancy of Scripture
1. The Bible in its entirety is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. The Scriptures are to be used to interpret Scripture. The Holy Spirit is the true interpreter of the Bible. The Holy Scriptures are profitable "for teaching, for refutation, for correction adn for training in righteousness." The Bible is the supreme and final authority in all theological matters.
2. The entire Bible is Christ centric. The Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. Christ is the center of the Bible and of all interpretation. The centrality of justification by faith is the chief article of biblical revelation. In the Holy Scriptures, God speaks a word of Law and a word of Gospel.
3. The Bible comes to us in human speech, so the laws of human speech (grammar, syntax) are to be observed. (This point stresses the important of knowing Hebrew and Greek.)
4. All doctrines must be based on clear passages. Obscure, figurative, and symbolic passages are to be understood in the light of clear passages.
5. Scripture is to be interpreted by the Analogy of Faith (the sum total of all clear passages).
6. No passage is to be taken out of its context.
7. Each passage has one spirit-intended meaning.
8. The literal meaning is the usual and normal one.
Some lessons learned from the struggle for inerrancy in American Lutheranism
What can we learn from the battle over inerrancy in American Lutheranism to avoid suffering the same losses which have occurred elsewhere? Additional recommended reading: What's Going On Among the Lutherans?
2. Official statements proclaiming belief in the inerrancy of Scripture are of no value if theologians are allowed to ignore them and to teach that the Bible is full of errors.
3. If theologians and pastors are allowed to reject the inerrancy of Scripture, very soon every other doctrine is under attack, including even the doctrine of justification and the reality of Jesus' resurrection.
4. Devout Lutherans who believe in the inerrancy of Scripture cannot preserve the true teachings of the Bible for themselves, for their children, and for future generations unless they separate themselves from false teachers who deny these truths.
5. Loyalty to Lutheran Confessions is an important mark of true Lutheranism, but it is not a substitute for a clear stand on the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture nor for a consistent practice based on the Scripture alone.
6. The crucial first step for any group of Lutherans trying to restore and maintain sound confessional Lutheranism, which holds to all of the teachings of the Bible, is to be sure that they share a common understanding of the inerrancy of Scripture. This understanding must be based on Scripture's own statements about its origin and character, not on human opinions.
Scripture is our only source of faith and life - the truth.
A summary of principles of biblical interpretation
1. The Bible in its entirety is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. The Scriptures are to be used to interpret Scripture. The Holy Spirit is the true interpreter of the Bible. The Holy Scriptures are profitable "for teaching, for refutation, for correction adn for training in righteousness." The Bible is the supreme and final authority in all theological matters.
2. The entire Bible is Christ centric. The Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. Christ is the center of the Bible and of all interpretation. The centrality of justification by faith is the chief article of biblical revelation. In the Holy Scriptures, God speaks a word of Law and a word of Gospel.
3. The Bible comes to us in human speech, so the laws of human speech (grammar, syntax) are to be observed. (This point stresses the important of knowing Hebrew and Greek.)
4. All doctrines must be based on clear passages. Obscure, figurative, and symbolic passages are to be understood in the light of clear passages.
5. Scripture is to be interpreted by the Analogy of Faith (the sum total of all clear passages).
6. No passage is to be taken out of its context.
7. Each passage has one spirit-intended meaning.
8. The literal meaning is the usual and normal one.
Some lessons learned from the struggle for inerrancy in American Lutheranism
What can we learn from the battle over inerrancy in American Lutheranism to avoid suffering the same losses which have occurred elsewhere? Additional recommended reading: What's Going On Among the Lutherans?
1. Theologians who reject the inerrancy of Scripture usually try to hide their unbelief from devout pastors and lay people by using language which makes it sound as if they believe in inspiration even though they believe the Bible is full of errors.
2. Official statements proclaiming belief in the inerrancy of Scripture are of no value if theologians are allowed to ignore them and to teach that the Bible is full of errors.
3. If theologians and pastors are allowed to reject the inerrancy of Scripture, very soon every other doctrine is under attack, including even the doctrine of justification and the reality of Jesus' resurrection.
4. Devout Lutherans who believe in the inerrancy of Scripture cannot preserve the true teachings of the Bible for themselves, for their children, and for future generations unless they separate themselves from false teachers who deny these truths.
5. Loyalty to Lutheran Confessions is an important mark of true Lutheranism, but it is not a substitute for a clear stand on the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture nor for a consistent practice based on the Scripture alone.
6. The crucial first step for any group of Lutherans trying to restore and maintain sound confessional Lutheranism, which holds to all of the teachings of the Bible, is to be sure that they share a common understanding of the inerrancy of Scripture. This understanding must be based on Scripture's own statements about its origin and character, not on human opinions.
What Can We Do?
This is my favorite part. It well describes the activities of confessional Lutherans and bloggers in particular, in my opinion. I think it provides the justification for much of what we try to do in our blogs. It is also a good checklist for our daily lives.
1. Teach the doctrine. The doctrine of inspiration and inerrancy can't be tucked away in old dogmatic books. It belongs in our sermons, in our Bible classes, in our catechism classes and in our popular publications. Teaching the whole truth includes testifying against error and exposing the deceptive language of false teachers.
2. Stress the importance of doctrine. I am sure most of you have been asked, "What difference does it make if Jonah was swallowed by a fish?" We must make it clear that God's Word hangs together as a whole. If we dismiss the historicity of such accounts as the story of Jonah, there is no reason not to apply the same canons of judgment to the words and works of Christ, as the Jesus Seminar has demonstrated.
3. Be on guard against heterodox influences. Preach the whole counsel of God. The doctrine of the Word does not stand alone. If one teaching falls, the wave of error spreads out over others. When any teaching of Scripture is denied, the clarity and authority of Scripture are undermined.
4. Continue to testify to the whole church. Because of our love for their souls we should continue to sound the warning against the deadly results of the historical-critical method and also to the victims of heterodox churches.
5. Pray. Finally, we must realize that though we are to work energetically and faithfully, the victory does not depend on us, but on the power of the Spirit.
6. Use the Word devotionally. Our confidence in the clarity and power of the Word grows as we use it devotionally.
The above has been transcribed from the handout for this week's class ( 1/18/05). Feel free to comment, but if you have any problems with what is written here, I will have to refer you to my pastor.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Word of the Day: vitiate
vi·ti·ate
Pronunciation: 'vi-shE-"At
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -at·ed; -at·ing: to make ineffective
Example: Any false doctrine vitiates the Gospel.
Meaning:
To reduce the value or impair the quality of.
To corrupt morally; debase.
To make ineffective; invalidate.
See Synonyms at corrupt.
[Latin vitire, vitit-, from vitium, fault.]
viti·a·ble (vsh--bl) adj. viti·ation n. viti·ator n.
Pronunciation: 'vi-shE-"At
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -at·ed; -at·ing: to make ineffective
Example: Any false doctrine vitiates the Gospel.
Meaning:
To reduce the value or impair the quality of.
To corrupt morally; debase.
To make ineffective; invalidate.
See Synonyms at corrupt.
[Latin vitire, vitit-, from vitium, fault.]
viti·a·ble (vsh--bl) adj. viti·ation n. viti·ator n.
Why does McChurch bother me?
There is a very interesting debate and much commentary to the God(Trademark) article from the Chicago Tribune this past Sunday. Are we accusing Willow Creek of false teaching? Because if we are, then we are justified in criticizing and shouldn't try to excuse it as a poor, but genuine, proclamation of the gospel. If the cross is being removed and if sinners aren't being confronted with their sinful condition (as has been mentioned by others), then I think it meets the criteria. If we are not, then we should treat them as partners in the gospel. I am only asking questions here, not condemning. I need to learn more about this.
Visit and join in!
Bunnie Diehl
Territorial Bloggings
My earlier post
Bob Waters
Beggars All
Visit and join in!
Bunnie Diehl
Territorial Bloggings
My earlier post
Bob Waters
Beggars All
Monday, January 17, 2005
God (Trade Mark)
Bunnie Diehl posts on the article, GOD (Trade Mark): It worked for burgers, now churches try franchising, written by by Patrick Kampert, Chicago Tribune staff reporter and published January 16, 2005. She wrote a good commentary on her blog.
McChurch!
The Chicago Tribune had a fascinating article today about how "non-denominational" evangelical churches have begun franchising in the Chicago area. The article, which I couldn't find online, began: "Scott and Michelle Knollenberg of Plainfield can spend their Sundays letting national chains cater to their every need -- physical, material and now, spiritual." The Knollenbergs are members of the non-denominational denomination Community Christian Church. Other non-denominational denominations include Willow Creek, New Life and Harvest Bible Chapel. The Knollenbergs say that their non-denominational denomination is not backward, like other Christian churches. Indeed, their non-denominational denomination's church features a (YAWN) coffee shop in the foyer. The Chicago Tribune says the Knollenbergs don't fit the "judgemental fundamentalist" stereotype because they would turn the TV station if a televangelist was on. Their church -- along with Willow Creek non-denominational denomination churches -- "put a priority on delivering a highly professional presentation to audiences that have grown up with 16-screen cineplexes, big-budget musicals and elaborate concerts." Christology abounds! I mean, Pop-culturology abounds!
I was intriged by the "backwards" comment. When did American evangelicals ever appear backward, unless a "progressive" was doing the judging? Unless the American evangelical is the "progressive" doing the judging: "Jim Hilmer, a Florida marketing consultant and a former executive for Blockbuster and the Leo Burnett ad agency, is impressed by the trend. 'I think it's very inventive for the church world,' he said. 'Most churches are pretty staid and tradition-bound.' I found his comments ironic, because after 20 years of American-evangelical style contemporary worship, scripturally-based tradition was what I was craving. I think this comments reveals the elitist attitude I came to find in among some in the American evangelical movement. Thanks to the blogosphere I have learned of so many others who came to despise the movement and seek truly "authentic" worship in the church.
McChurch!
The Chicago Tribune had a fascinating article today about how "non-denominational" evangelical churches have begun franchising in the Chicago area. The article, which I couldn't find online, began: "Scott and Michelle Knollenberg of Plainfield can spend their Sundays letting national chains cater to their every need -- physical, material and now, spiritual." The Knollenbergs are members of the non-denominational denomination Community Christian Church. Other non-denominational denominations include Willow Creek, New Life and Harvest Bible Chapel. The Knollenbergs say that their non-denominational denomination is not backward, like other Christian churches. Indeed, their non-denominational denomination's church features a (YAWN) coffee shop in the foyer. The Chicago Tribune says the Knollenbergs don't fit the "judgemental fundamentalist" stereotype because they would turn the TV station if a televangelist was on. Their church -- along with Willow Creek non-denominational denomination churches -- "put a priority on delivering a highly professional presentation to audiences that have grown up with 16-screen cineplexes, big-budget musicals and elaborate concerts." Christology abounds! I mean, Pop-culturology abounds!
I was intriged by the "backwards" comment. When did American evangelicals ever appear backward, unless a "progressive" was doing the judging? Unless the American evangelical is the "progressive" doing the judging: "Jim Hilmer, a Florida marketing consultant and a former executive for Blockbuster and the Leo Burnett ad agency, is impressed by the trend. 'I think it's very inventive for the church world,' he said. 'Most churches are pretty staid and tradition-bound.' I found his comments ironic, because after 20 years of American-evangelical style contemporary worship, scripturally-based tradition was what I was craving. I think this comments reveals the elitist attitude I came to find in among some in the American evangelical movement. Thanks to the blogosphere I have learned of so many others who came to despise the movement and seek truly "authentic" worship in the church.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Brian Braatz offers law and gospel for us today - read it!
I definitely needed to hear Brian's words of law and gospel today.
This is the sad reality of our lives: "Despite all that God has done for us, and continues to do for us, and has yet to do for us but will, we stick it in his face. We don't need him. We don't want him."
And yet the law's harsh words are comforting because when I am faced with my unchangeable state here on earth, I am also immediately pointed to the cross. There I meet a God who loves me so much and provided the atonement for my condition. That good old law and gospel works very time, doesn't it.
This is the sad reality of our lives: "Despite all that God has done for us, and continues to do for us, and has yet to do for us but will, we stick it in his face. We don't need him. We don't want him."
And yet the law's harsh words are comforting because when I am faced with my unchangeable state here on earth, I am also immediately pointed to the cross. There I meet a God who loves me so much and provided the atonement for my condition. That good old law and gospel works very time, doesn't it.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Theology of the Cross versus theology of glory related to Unitarianism
My church's Wednesday study group focused tonight on the theology of the cross compared to the theology of glory. I took lots of notes and am working on a good post. The chart used by John H. of Confessing Evangelical was featured in the pastor's handout! It originally came from Don Matzat, I believe.
Anyway, as I was scribbling notes and looking at the descriptions in the bible of people practicing the theology of glory, I started to wonder about Unitarians and their rejection of Jesus as God because God would just never lower himself to come to earth, become a lowly human and die for our sins. I need to re-read my grandfather's book, "Why I am a Unitarian". In that sad book, my grandfather (not the one who just died in the Lord, but my other one who died in 1988) had penciled in numerous comments about how God would never lower himself to come to earth as a human and die for us. I've kept that book turned around in my bookshelf for years. I have difficulty reading my beloved grandfather's writings; they make me shudder and feel physically ill to my stomach. I really don't want my kids to find the book, but I just can't throw it out. I don't want to hide it, either; it stands as a testament to someone who, while baptized and raised as a Christian, came to doubt God's love. He died an awful, painful cancerous death as an old man and no one knows if he ever repented on his death bed. He was not at peace at all. He fought it to the bitter end, my father told me. He said it was one of the most awful things he has seen. That, ultimately, is where the theology of glory leads. Please don't post my comments about my grandfather on your blog...just let this stay here. It's too sad and personal, but definitely worth sharing.
Anyway, as I was scribbling notes and looking at the descriptions in the bible of people practicing the theology of glory, I started to wonder about Unitarians and their rejection of Jesus as God because God would just never lower himself to come to earth, become a lowly human and die for our sins. I need to re-read my grandfather's book, "Why I am a Unitarian". In that sad book, my grandfather (not the one who just died in the Lord, but my other one who died in 1988) had penciled in numerous comments about how God would never lower himself to come to earth as a human and die for us. I've kept that book turned around in my bookshelf for years. I have difficulty reading my beloved grandfather's writings; they make me shudder and feel physically ill to my stomach. I really don't want my kids to find the book, but I just can't throw it out. I don't want to hide it, either; it stands as a testament to someone who, while baptized and raised as a Christian, came to doubt God's love. He died an awful, painful cancerous death as an old man and no one knows if he ever repented on his death bed. He was not at peace at all. He fought it to the bitter end, my father told me. He said it was one of the most awful things he has seen. That, ultimately, is where the theology of glory leads. Please don't post my comments about my grandfather on your blog...just let this stay here. It's too sad and personal, but definitely worth sharing.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Cleaning up theological litter project #1
Glen Piper posts on those annoying, yet compelling little prayer chain-emails we ALL receive.
I found this post funny because I was doing that today. Someone sent me a nice and sweet, but flawed prayer and I started to edit it. However, I was at work and after a couple of minutes I gave up and got back to work. Here it is:
Pick 4 & Send Back to Me!
God still sits on the throne. Each and everyone one of us are going through tough times right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.
My instructions were to pick four people that wanted God to bless, and I picked you.
Please pass this to at least four people you want to be blessed and a copy back to me. This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another.
The prayer:
Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings.
In Jesus' precious name.
Amen.
Can you pick out the flawed parts? I really only found two, but they are biggies.
I found this post funny because I was doing that today. Someone sent me a nice and sweet, but flawed prayer and I started to edit it. However, I was at work and after a couple of minutes I gave up and got back to work. Here it is:
Pick 4 & Send Back to Me!
God still sits on the throne. Each and everyone one of us are going through tough times right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.
My instructions were to pick four people that wanted God to bless, and I picked you.
Please pass this to at least four people you want to be blessed and a copy back to me. This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another.
The prayer:
Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings.
In Jesus' precious name.
Amen.
Can you pick out the flawed parts? I really only found two, but they are biggies.
Mattworks on the gospel, sin and baptism
Good post from Mattworks after a hiatus...
It's been awhile since I've last posted...last year in fact, but I wanted to wait until the comments worked again. I just returned from the WELS Campus Ministry TCW (Travel/Canvass/Witness) rally in Houston, TX. It was attended by about 70 college students from all over the United States. We had the opportunity to meet eachother, worship with eachother, and tell other people the Gospel together. It was a great time and I met some great people. You can find a super fun photo album of the trip here:http://photos.yahoo.com/mattreichardt@sbcglobal.net/
While it was great, I couldn't help but feel some guilt. The guilt being that it always seems to take something like this to get me back to where I need to be. I hate it that God always needs to kick me in the face. Paul shares my struggle in Romans where he writes, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good...For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing."
Answer: Gospel
Keep reading...
Good quote:
Mattworks on baptism: Baptism is a daily thing, not just a one time thing. It's quite the dichotomy. Water saves and drowns.
It's been awhile since I've last posted...last year in fact, but I wanted to wait until the comments worked again. I just returned from the WELS Campus Ministry TCW (Travel/Canvass/Witness) rally in Houston, TX. It was attended by about 70 college students from all over the United States. We had the opportunity to meet eachother, worship with eachother, and tell other people the Gospel together. It was a great time and I met some great people. You can find a super fun photo album of the trip here:http://photos.yahoo.com/mattreichardt@sbcglobal.net/
While it was great, I couldn't help but feel some guilt. The guilt being that it always seems to take something like this to get me back to where I need to be. I hate it that God always needs to kick me in the face. Paul shares my struggle in Romans where he writes, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good...For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing."
Answer: Gospel
Keep reading...
Good quote:
Mattworks on baptism: Baptism is a daily thing, not just a one time thing. It's quite the dichotomy. Water saves and drowns.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Required Reading: Glen Piper on being a father
Glen Piper writes:
I’m afraid that the reason for the decline in the depth & quality of what we teach our children is due, not because of the kids, but rather due to our shortcomings & unwillingness to do the hard work of ensuring that our children are equipped with a proper catechetical foundation.
I must admit that I struggle with this every day, as I try to faithfully fulfill my duties as a Christian father & head of the household. I fail more often than not, but I will keep trying. I desperately want my children to know & understand the rich promises that God has made them, and the wonderous gifts He has given them, beginning with their Baptism. The Spirit can use someone even as flawed & sinful as me as an instrument of His will – and for that I am thankful.
The Piper household is blessed to have a good spiritual leader in Glen!
I’m afraid that the reason for the decline in the depth & quality of what we teach our children is due, not because of the kids, but rather due to our shortcomings & unwillingness to do the hard work of ensuring that our children are equipped with a proper catechetical foundation.
I must admit that I struggle with this every day, as I try to faithfully fulfill my duties as a Christian father & head of the household. I fail more often than not, but I will keep trying. I desperately want my children to know & understand the rich promises that God has made them, and the wonderous gifts He has given them, beginning with their Baptism. The Spirit can use someone even as flawed & sinful as me as an instrument of His will – and for that I am thankful.
The Piper household is blessed to have a good spiritual leader in Glen!
Why I don't think I'm a Theologian
Glen,
You make a good point. I should probably explain that, since my conversion to Confessional Lutheran practice, I have gained an understanding of what it means to be a Christian: to love and worship God, to share my beliefs with others, to defend the gospel and to preach and teach the gospel. I think that I am qualified and compelled to do the first three, but I am not qualified to do the last one outside of children and other women. Does that sound strange to you? I realize that I do end up appearing to teach at times, but I am actually defending or sharing the gospel. Why am I concerned about not appearing to give men spiritual instruction? Well, there is the biblical mandate, of course, but I am aided in accepting that mandate by the numerous abuses of men or women teaching and preaching when they had no business doing so. I am not against women teaching, particularly in educational settings. It's just that at age 44, I am sometimes overwhelmed by how much I do not know about God and God's Holy Word.
I think the Lutheran church does an outstanding job of teaching and training their pastors. My pastors can read Hebrew, Greek and who knows what else. They know that Bible inside and outside, as much as a mere man can, and they know in their hearts. I think that men have a God-given gift in this area, whether they are a pastor or not. God designed men and women so beautifully and complimentarily, giving each of us important gifts to sustain us here on earth. All of my pastors have read my blogs and have encouraged me to continue. They remind me that we all have a duty, male or female, to defend the gospel and share it with others. Confessional Lutheran pastors do such a great job of teaching and preaching - they don't need my help, except to bring others in need to them. So...that's why I like to say "I'm not a theologian." What I really should say, I suppose, is "I'm not a pastor."
The passage below comes from WELS.net.
It should come as no surprise that when Christians leave their homes and gather for worship, fellowship, and instruction in God's house, God doesn't abandon or reverse the order he has established for the home but prescribes it also for the church (I Corinthians 14:33-35). Those who have been given headship and responsibilities in the home have that same position in the church -- under Christ, of course.
Christian men consider their church to be their spiritual family. They regard the female members of their congregation as their sisters in Christ. If there is a considerable age difference, they will even treat them with the love and respect which a Christian son ought to show his mother (I Timothy 5:2).
In that loving spirit, they will assume their God-given responsibility in the church for the good of all the members. They will cheerfully, even sacrificially, give of their time and energy to oversee the business of God's house, to see to it that God's Word is taught in truth and that programs of Bible study and instruction in sound doctrine are made available to all members of their spiritual family. They will foster good stewardship and fellowship, promote and participate in energetic programs of outreach and evangelism, and show loving concern for the physical and spiritual welfare of every member. They will strive to be men full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3) and will seek that Spirit and wisdom from the Holy Scriptures.
Just as Christian husbands strive to bring joy into the lives of their God-given wives, so Christian men in the congregation will consider the spiritual needs of their sisters in Christ and will strive to do all in their power to make their worship and fellowship edifying and delightful. They will also do all they can to recognize the gifts of their spiritual sisters, seek their input, develop programs in which those gifts can be used in a God-pleasing way in the service of the Lord and of his church, and encourage them to joyfully participate in such service.
Just as in the Christian home so also in the Christian church, Christian women will recognize the headship of their brothers in Christ. They will cheerfully help and serve in any way they can and, in loving obedience to Christ the true head of the church, accept the Scriptural restriction that they are not permitted to teach or have authority over the man (I Timothy 2:11-12). For the strength to do this they too will turn to Christ, to the Word and to the Spirit.
As Christian men and women worship and serve together in this way in the church they will experience what Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:16: "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does his work."
I'm open to comments here. I am new to Confessional Lutheranism and am definitely NOT new to overreacting. ha! BTW, I do not consider blogs to be teaching; they are for sharing and defending the gospel or any other things you want. Women are a great part of the Confessional Lutheran blogosphere!
You make a good point. I should probably explain that, since my conversion to Confessional Lutheran practice, I have gained an understanding of what it means to be a Christian: to love and worship God, to share my beliefs with others, to defend the gospel and to preach and teach the gospel. I think that I am qualified and compelled to do the first three, but I am not qualified to do the last one outside of children and other women. Does that sound strange to you? I realize that I do end up appearing to teach at times, but I am actually defending or sharing the gospel. Why am I concerned about not appearing to give men spiritual instruction? Well, there is the biblical mandate, of course, but I am aided in accepting that mandate by the numerous abuses of men or women teaching and preaching when they had no business doing so. I am not against women teaching, particularly in educational settings. It's just that at age 44, I am sometimes overwhelmed by how much I do not know about God and God's Holy Word.
I think the Lutheran church does an outstanding job of teaching and training their pastors. My pastors can read Hebrew, Greek and who knows what else. They know that Bible inside and outside, as much as a mere man can, and they know in their hearts. I think that men have a God-given gift in this area, whether they are a pastor or not. God designed men and women so beautifully and complimentarily, giving each of us important gifts to sustain us here on earth. All of my pastors have read my blogs and have encouraged me to continue. They remind me that we all have a duty, male or female, to defend the gospel and share it with others. Confessional Lutheran pastors do such a great job of teaching and preaching - they don't need my help, except to bring others in need to them. So...that's why I like to say "I'm not a theologian." What I really should say, I suppose, is "I'm not a pastor."
The passage below comes from WELS.net.
It should come as no surprise that when Christians leave their homes and gather for worship, fellowship, and instruction in God's house, God doesn't abandon or reverse the order he has established for the home but prescribes it also for the church (I Corinthians 14:33-35). Those who have been given headship and responsibilities in the home have that same position in the church -- under Christ, of course.
Christian men consider their church to be their spiritual family. They regard the female members of their congregation as their sisters in Christ. If there is a considerable age difference, they will even treat them with the love and respect which a Christian son ought to show his mother (I Timothy 5:2).
In that loving spirit, they will assume their God-given responsibility in the church for the good of all the members. They will cheerfully, even sacrificially, give of their time and energy to oversee the business of God's house, to see to it that God's Word is taught in truth and that programs of Bible study and instruction in sound doctrine are made available to all members of their spiritual family. They will foster good stewardship and fellowship, promote and participate in energetic programs of outreach and evangelism, and show loving concern for the physical and spiritual welfare of every member. They will strive to be men full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3) and will seek that Spirit and wisdom from the Holy Scriptures.
Just as Christian husbands strive to bring joy into the lives of their God-given wives, so Christian men in the congregation will consider the spiritual needs of their sisters in Christ and will strive to do all in their power to make their worship and fellowship edifying and delightful. They will also do all they can to recognize the gifts of their spiritual sisters, seek their input, develop programs in which those gifts can be used in a God-pleasing way in the service of the Lord and of his church, and encourage them to joyfully participate in such service.
Just as in the Christian home so also in the Christian church, Christian women will recognize the headship of their brothers in Christ. They will cheerfully help and serve in any way they can and, in loving obedience to Christ the true head of the church, accept the Scriptural restriction that they are not permitted to teach or have authority over the man (I Timothy 2:11-12). For the strength to do this they too will turn to Christ, to the Word and to the Spirit.
As Christian men and women worship and serve together in this way in the church they will experience what Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:16: "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does his work."
I'm open to comments here. I am new to Confessional Lutheranism and am definitely NOT new to overreacting. ha! BTW, I do not consider blogs to be teaching; they are for sharing and defending the gospel or any other things you want. Women are a great part of the Confessional Lutheran blogosphere!
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
All Theology isn't Christology!
Chris Williams does a stunningly poignant job of linking back to the very words of Christ. This post caught my eye because I am starting a new Bible study tonight on The Seduction of Christianity. We are using a resource book by the same title by Dave Hunt. I have not enjoyed previewing this book; it is so filled with milleniallist propaganda, that I quit reading it. I do trust my pastor to lead us through the topics from a Confessional Christian Worldview. The Bible will be our guide.
John 5:39 -47
39You diligently study[a] the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41“I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God[b]?
45“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
John 5:39 -47
39You diligently study[a] the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41“I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God[b]?
45“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
How to teach our children
In response to a post by Bunnie Diehl on the capability of young children to learn deep scriptural truths, I am featuring an article that I have long linked to: Reforming Youth Ministry, written David Fields featured on Modern Reformation. My favorite quote from this article:
"Don't be afraid to teach the doctrines of the faith. Our students are capable of handling more than we give them credit for. They are at a point in their life where they want to "question" life. Let's give them biblical truths to deal with. Let them wrestle and search the scriptures for answers to their questions. We must all be sure we are properly equipping those in our ministry. Our young believers crave the nourishment of God's Word so they may grow (1 Pt 2:2). Give it to them! Paul says "Woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel!" (1 Cor 9:16)"
Thankfully, this is the approach of my kids' schools (Lutheran) and our church confirmation program. It's tough learning and all the kids meet the challenge! Besides, most of us adults can use the refresher as we help our kids with the work. I am so thankful, also, for Luther's Small Catechism. It has been a valuable teaching tool for us as parents.
"Don't be afraid to teach the doctrines of the faith. Our students are capable of handling more than we give them credit for. They are at a point in their life where they want to "question" life. Let's give them biblical truths to deal with. Let them wrestle and search the scriptures for answers to their questions. We must all be sure we are properly equipping those in our ministry. Our young believers crave the nourishment of God's Word so they may grow (1 Pt 2:2). Give it to them! Paul says "Woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel!" (1 Cor 9:16)"
Thankfully, this is the approach of my kids' schools (Lutheran) and our church confirmation program. It's tough learning and all the kids meet the challenge! Besides, most of us adults can use the refresher as we help our kids with the work. I am so thankful, also, for Luther's Small Catechism. It has been a valuable teaching tool for us as parents.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Bloggers' exchange on Romans 10:9
Recently, I was discussing Romans 10:9 with a reader of Bunnie Diehl's blog. The discussion followed a post from a Beggars All post on the apparently volatile, but very intriguing subject of Lutheranism versus Pietism. The original piece was written by Chaplain Dean Kavouras who serves Cleveland's Fire Division, Police Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is also assitant pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Cleveland. Pietism has been a pet subject of mine for a few months now, so I read the article, post and comments with interest. The author of the article on pietism seemed to question the salvation of pietists. I, personally, wouldn't have taken the article that far, but he did. He wrote,
Will Pietists be saved? Will they go to heaven? If they are baptized (which they may not be) and if they don’t believe what their churches teach them, they will be saved (Mark 16:15). Lutheran theologians have noted that there is often a ‘happy inconsistency’ in that men don’t always believe what their churches teach, and that having been exposed to the Word of God they somehow manage to find Christ (Christ finds them). Does this justify the false doctrine and practice which Pietists teach? Does this ‘happy inconsistency’ justify the robbing souls of comfort that takes place in Pietistic circles? No. Does this ‘happy inconsistency’ mean that Lutherans should be indifferent to doctrine and preach a ‘sub’, Pietistic, Gospel? Not at all. Rather we should, and by God’s grace do, continue in our Lord’s Word because we have been made His disciples, indeed.
Will Pietists be saved? Will they go to heaven? If they are baptized (which they may not be) and if they don’t believe what their churches teach them, they will be saved (Mark 16:15). Lutheran theologians have noted that there is often a ‘happy inconsistency’ in that men don’t always believe what their churches teach, and that having been exposed to the Word of God they somehow manage to find Christ (Christ finds them). Does this justify the false doctrine and practice which Pietists teach? Does this ‘happy inconsistency’ justify the robbing souls of comfort that takes place in Pietistic circles? No. Does this ‘happy inconsistency’ mean that Lutherans should be indifferent to doctrine and preach a ‘sub’, Pietistic, Gospel? Not at all. Rather we should, and by God’s grace do, continue in our Lord’s Word because we have been made His disciples, indeed.
Before you react to the chaplain's statement, consider the comment made by a reader on Bunnie's blog:
Bunnie,
...The fellow who wrote the article questions whether these Pietists will be saved. If they have met the requirements of Romans 10:9, I believe they will be saved. Don't you?
Bugs
That is the point of the discussion that I chose to join in. I try not to judge the salvation of other Christians because 1. I can't possibly do so and 2. I hate to do the very thing I was taught as a generic evangelical: to judge another's Christian's salvation by subjecting their faith to the "decision" test. I wrote a response to Bugs,
Bugs,
I re-read the whole chapter of Romans 10 and I don't think it is accurate to summarize Romans 10:9 by saying it is a requirement to be met. I believe it says the opposite: You can only profess with your mouth and believe with your heart if you have faith. And since the bible also makes it clear that faith is a gift from God that we cannot possible give or attain for ourselves, then it wouldn't be accurate to say that Romans 10:9 is a requirement to be met.
Romans 10: 5-13 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Theresa
Bugs, as all good bloggers do, had a reply:
Theresa,
You're probably right, "requirement" may be the wrong word. I agree with your statement, that you must have (God given) faith before you can sincerely "profess with your mouth and believe with your heart", but it says if you do those things you will be saved. It does not say, be baptised, take sacraments, go to church, etc. I expect those things will follow if you are saved.
I can understand that Lutherans and others may differ with that viewpoint. That's fine. I certainly don't question their salvation because of it. But the chaplain in this article questions the salvation of those who don't see this his way. I think he's out of line to do so. Do you see my point?
Bugs
So, my reply to Bugs is that I wouldn't do what the chaplain has done in questioning the salvation of pietists, although I see the point he is making. I do believe that pietism has the potential to destroy or harm one's faith, as much as other false teachings. I also was reminded again that it is often very inaccurate to quote one verse out of God's Word and try to make doctrine out of it. That is one of the best lessons I've learned since joining a confessional Lutheran church - to let scripture interpret scripture and don't just single out a verse and apply your own logic to it. My exchange with Bugs did cause me to further study Romans 10 to firm up my position on it. It is a great chapter and I'm glad Bugs' comments chased me to God Word. Here are some comments by Confessional Lutheran theologians on Romans 10:9, in the format of question and answer:
Question A: This morning, I was speaking with a person who is a member of a Christian church. I was sharing with him that Scripture teaches that God works faith into the heart of the believer and, therefore, God is completely responsible for our salvation. I then told him that, because of this fundamental teaching, we regard "decision theology" or the call to "accept Jesus into your heart" as flawed ways of communicating the Scriptural truth of how sinners are saved. My friend then asked how Lutherans would interpret Romans 10:9-13. This passage, taken on its own, seems to support my friends view. What would be a proper response to his question?
Answer: There are probably two things that you might share with your friend. One is to point out that the context of Ro10:9-13 shows that this passage is not talking about how a person comes to faith. Instead, it is emphasizing over and over again that we are not saved by what we do (v2, v3b, v5, v6b, v7), but by putting our whole trust in what God did for us in Christ (v3a, v4, v6a, v8, vv10-13). The other thing to share would be those passages that tell us that faith is not a decision we make, but a miracle worked in us by the Holy Spirit whom God gives to us as a gift of his grace: 1 Co 2:14, Ro 5:5, 1 Co 12:3, Eph 2:8.
Question B: HELP! I am very distressed. I have been raised in the WELS, however my boyfriend comes from basically a non-denominational background. We're trying to find agreement on Baptism. ( and it just so happens that my pastor is out of town) I am all for infant baptism, but he has several issues with it: His arguments are: Don't you have to repent before you can be forgiven, and how do you receive forgiveness you aren't asking for? And how can we receive gifts if we don't know what they are? He is constantly referring to Romans 10:9 that you must confess Christ to receive salvation. We also differ in our views of how we come to faith. He tells me we have to "ask" or "accept" Christ. I know that just because I decide I am forgiven that doesn't make it true (its been true since Easter). I know that my only power is to reject God. Is it accurate to say, then, that you come to faith when you stop rejecting God? and that to stop rejecting isn't the same as accepting (as in just because I stop walking forwards it doesn't mean I'm walking backwards?)
Answer: It would be good for you to talk with your pastor about this because in a face-to-face conversation there can be more give and take so that all of your questions can be answered.Your question is not answered in a scriptural way by any statement that says or implies that we have some personal worth or responsibility for salvation. It is not that believing or accepting Jesus is not rejecting him.It is rather that Jesus is the one who has done it all. You refer to that in your statement about the resurrection. God gets all the glory and responsibility and praise for our salvation. There are no conditions that we must fulfill for God to convert us or to save us. Conditions would mean that we have done something to save ourselves -- like repenting or believing or not rejecting or not as strongly as we used to.Please consider: I Cor. 12:3 "no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit." Whether it is repentance or believing or accepting or whatever, the Lord works through his word to accomplish his ends. That is the message of Romans 10. It is the power of the word of God to work salvation. (10:17) The word of God is the Holy Spirit's tool -- we call it a means of grace.The Bible also refers to Baptism as a means of grace -- a means by which or through which God the Holy Spirit gives us grace. Infant Baptism is a pure gift of God's grace -- the child does not even ask for it. God simply gives it.It is always a miracle that God brings any of us sinners to faith in Jesus and to salvation. It is a miracle of God's grace. Repentance is a part of that miracle. Faith is a part of that miracle. When adults are baptized they can confess their sins and their faith and even request baptism for themselves. Children cannot speak to confess sins or faith or request baptism. Yet we have the words of God in Acts 2:38-39. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." Therefore, we baptize little children. They are a part of the everyone -- "you and your children and for all who are far off." We trust that God will work his miracle of repentance and faith in the "everyone", which includes infants, as he has promised. "The promise is for you and your children."
This last question and answer is my favorite.
Question C: Please explain Romans 10:9 to me. It has been used to support decision theology and a better understanding of it will help me greatly.
Romans 10 begins with Paul's heartfelt prayer that his fellow Israelites might be saved (v1). However, since they reject the free gift of salvation that God provides them and want to earn their own salvation by what they do, they lose salvation (vv2-3). In v4, Paul summarizes the only way of salvation: Christ gives us righteousness (God's acquittal of our sins) and everyone who accepts this free gift by faith is saved. In vv5-8, Paul emphasizes that salvation is not ours by some heroic deeds we must perform like ascending to heaven. Instead, it is the simple message of forgiveness that is accepted by faith. Then verses 9 and 10 remind the Romans and us that faith is confessing Jesus with our mouths and believing on him with our hearts, not deeds we perform to earn God's forgiveness.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Bunnie Diehl: The Voice in the Wilderness
Read this passage below and then click on this link to read a sermon entitled "The Voice in the Wilderness". Thanks to Bunnie Diehl for sharing this sermon.
John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ
Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.[a]”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”[b]
Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
"I baptize with[c] water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Footnotes:
John 1:20 Or Messiah. “The Christ” (Greek) and “the Messiah” (Hebrew) both mean “the Anointed One”; also in verse 25.
John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33
John 1:19-28 (New International Version)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ
Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.[a]”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”[b]
Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
"I baptize with[c] water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Footnotes:
John 1:20 Or Messiah. “The Christ” (Greek) and “the Messiah” (Hebrew) both mean “the Anointed One”; also in verse 25.
John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33
John 1:19-28 (New International Version)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Piper pipes in on "What is an Evangelical?"
Glen Piper adds three excellent posts to the current hashing of Michael Horton's article "What is an Evangelical" and the several blogs discussing it right now. Great posts, Glen!
What is an Evangelical?
...the fact that they’ve co-opted the word “evangelical” is a pet peeve of mine. As “evangel” means “good news,” then “evangelical” means (roughly/loosely) “person of the good news.” In fact, “Evangelical” was a favorite descriptor of Luther & the Reformation fathers. This is why you will see so many older Lutheran congregations with the word “Evangelical” in their formal names. The co-opting of the word by the Methobapticostals is a relatively recent phenomena, and one that is quite sad & frustrating for true, orthodox, Evanglicals. Read on...
There is no such thing as dead orthodoxy
In a recent comment thread over at Love & Blunder, someone made a comment about the danger of “dead orthodoxy.” This bothered me, and after a little bit of pondering/thought, I figured out why. There’s no such thing as “dead” orthodoxy. Orthodox, in the theological context, means “right teaching” — how could “right teaching” be dead? Read on...
Christians and Shame
Ok, a bunch of recent postings in the blogosphere have coalesced in my mind, and are about to emerge…
In some previous postings, I’ve referenced recent entries by Theresa (Be Strong in the Grace) and Rob (Love & Blunder) that dealt with the question of “What is an “Evangelical?” These two blogs were, in turn, influenced by discussions over at Beggars All. These three blogs (six bloggers total, I believe…) share a common shared history within the Reformed/Arminian morass that is contemporary American “Evangelicalism” (aka: “Methobapticostalism"). Read on...
What is an Evangelical?
...the fact that they’ve co-opted the word “evangelical” is a pet peeve of mine. As “evangel” means “good news,” then “evangelical” means (roughly/loosely) “person of the good news.” In fact, “Evangelical” was a favorite descriptor of Luther & the Reformation fathers. This is why you will see so many older Lutheran congregations with the word “Evangelical” in their formal names. The co-opting of the word by the Methobapticostals is a relatively recent phenomena, and one that is quite sad & frustrating for true, orthodox, Evanglicals. Read on...
There is no such thing as dead orthodoxy
In a recent comment thread over at Love & Blunder, someone made a comment about the danger of “dead orthodoxy.” This bothered me, and after a little bit of pondering/thought, I figured out why. There’s no such thing as “dead” orthodoxy. Orthodox, in the theological context, means “right teaching” — how could “right teaching” be dead? Read on...
Christians and Shame
Ok, a bunch of recent postings in the blogosphere have coalesced in my mind, and are about to emerge…
In some previous postings, I’ve referenced recent entries by Theresa (Be Strong in the Grace) and Rob (Love & Blunder) that dealt with the question of “What is an “Evangelical?” These two blogs were, in turn, influenced by discussions over at Beggars All. These three blogs (six bloggers total, I believe…) share a common shared history within the Reformed/Arminian morass that is contemporary American “Evangelicalism” (aka: “Methobapticostalism"). Read on...
Love and Blunder on "What is an Evangelical?"
Be sure to check out the respectful and loving discourse on sacraments and Michael Horton's article, "What is an Evangelical?" at Love and Blunder
Monday, December 20, 2004
Fernando Ortega on baptism/KTIS radio and my faith
One of my favorite singer/songwriters, Fernando Ortega, writes in his online journal about baptism - a timely post for those of us pondering baptism and what it means. He begins, "Yesterday (Dec. 16) was Beethoven's birthday. He was baptized the very next day on Dec. 17th. That's pretty quick by any standards. That's a pretty telling statement right there." If baptism the day after a birth is deemed pretty quick, I think it indicates a view that God is not capable to create faith in the heart of an infant through baptism. Yet Fernando obviously recognizes that it is important to be baptized, "I have been baptized 3 times...Presbyterian... Pentecostal...(and)... Baptist... Whatever the case, I feel very covered in that regard." How is it that he feels covered now? He seems to be implying, in an unstated way, that baptism accomplishes something (covers), yet that covering does not apply to infants and young children.
Still, I think that Fernando Ortega is one of the most gifted writers and musicians of my time. I have 2 or 3 of his CD's. He sings from Baptist theology, as do many of my pre-Lutheran Christian artists. I live in Minnesota and have listened to KTIS my entire adult life. KTIS is operated by Northwestern College, a well-known Baptist college. All their favorite artists seem to be Baptist, so it is not surprising that my exposure to Christian music is from the Baptist tradition. I don't even listen to KTIS anymore for my own sanity, but artists like Fernando Ortega and Sara Groves will always be my favorites.
So great was KTIS' influence in my faith life that I nearly continued straight on Golden Valley Road to Oak Grove Baptist Church rather than turn right onto Douglas Drive to King of Grace Lutheran Church one morning two springs ago when I was really lost without a church home and searching for truth. One of the KTIS morning announcers is a pastor there and often spoke lovingly of his church. However, I knew the Baptist teaching on baptism and I knew I couldn't live with that, so I continued on to King of Grace. One of my first questions to Pastor Ekhoff was "If I become a confessional Lutheran, will I be allowed to listen to KTIS anymore?" Can you picture the utter confusion and conflicting teachings swirling around in my brain and my soul that I would ask such a ridiculou question??? I mean, did I think that spies would be deployed to listen to the new recruits' music choices? I'm sure he paused to stifle his laughter and then he softly said "You would find it on in my house." He did go on to add that it is important to recognize the teachings behind songs, but that there is nothing wrong with enjoying some contmeporary Christian music.
After several months of refusing to listen to CCM, I can now listen to my old favorites. One of my favorite hymns sung by Fernando Ortega is Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent (click on Albums, Storm and then on the song to hear a 30 second bit). This hymn was recently featured by Twylah at Lutheran in a Tipi blog and mentioned again by John at Confessing Evangelical. Here is a review of my favorite album, Storm, on ChristianityToday.com,
Descended from a distinguished line of New Mexican artisans, Fernando places a high priority on artistic excellence. His God-given talent as a master storyteller, gifted vocalist, and worship leader has earned him two Dove Awards and numerous #1 singles. In Storm, he once again weaves poetic lyrics with heartfelt melodies to create a unique tapestry of reflection, adoration, and praise. Beginning with "Traveler," Fernando takes you on a musical odyssey, sweeping you to the heights of worship on the wings of "Our Great God," and then leading you to the center of your soul with "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent." The Celtic overtones of the instrumental "Cristina's Dream" will draw you into a contemplative world, while "This Time Next Year" explores the landscape of family life. His beautiful duet with Amy Grant on "Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy" brings past and present together in a contemporary rendition of a timeless hymn. Observing that "sometimes you have to know the storm to really know the light," Fernando offers you illuminating guidance through the tempests of life so you can behold the radiance of God."
I highly recommend the Storm album! He also has a very fun and creative website, FernadoOrtega.com.
Still, I think that Fernando Ortega is one of the most gifted writers and musicians of my time. I have 2 or 3 of his CD's. He sings from Baptist theology, as do many of my pre-Lutheran Christian artists. I live in Minnesota and have listened to KTIS my entire adult life. KTIS is operated by Northwestern College, a well-known Baptist college. All their favorite artists seem to be Baptist, so it is not surprising that my exposure to Christian music is from the Baptist tradition. I don't even listen to KTIS anymore for my own sanity, but artists like Fernando Ortega and Sara Groves will always be my favorites.
So great was KTIS' influence in my faith life that I nearly continued straight on Golden Valley Road to Oak Grove Baptist Church rather than turn right onto Douglas Drive to King of Grace Lutheran Church one morning two springs ago when I was really lost without a church home and searching for truth. One of the KTIS morning announcers is a pastor there and often spoke lovingly of his church. However, I knew the Baptist teaching on baptism and I knew I couldn't live with that, so I continued on to King of Grace. One of my first questions to Pastor Ekhoff was "If I become a confessional Lutheran, will I be allowed to listen to KTIS anymore?" Can you picture the utter confusion and conflicting teachings swirling around in my brain and my soul that I would ask such a ridiculou question??? I mean, did I think that spies would be deployed to listen to the new recruits' music choices? I'm sure he paused to stifle his laughter and then he softly said "You would find it on in my house." He did go on to add that it is important to recognize the teachings behind songs, but that there is nothing wrong with enjoying some contmeporary Christian music.
After several months of refusing to listen to CCM, I can now listen to my old favorites. One of my favorite hymns sung by Fernando Ortega is Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent (click on Albums, Storm and then on the song to hear a 30 second bit). This hymn was recently featured by Twylah at Lutheran in a Tipi blog and mentioned again by John at Confessing Evangelical. Here is a review of my favorite album, Storm, on ChristianityToday.com,
Descended from a distinguished line of New Mexican artisans, Fernando places a high priority on artistic excellence. His God-given talent as a master storyteller, gifted vocalist, and worship leader has earned him two Dove Awards and numerous #1 singles. In Storm, he once again weaves poetic lyrics with heartfelt melodies to create a unique tapestry of reflection, adoration, and praise. Beginning with "Traveler," Fernando takes you on a musical odyssey, sweeping you to the heights of worship on the wings of "Our Great God," and then leading you to the center of your soul with "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent." The Celtic overtones of the instrumental "Cristina's Dream" will draw you into a contemplative world, while "This Time Next Year" explores the landscape of family life. His beautiful duet with Amy Grant on "Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy" brings past and present together in a contemporary rendition of a timeless hymn. Observing that "sometimes you have to know the storm to really know the light," Fernando offers you illuminating guidance through the tempests of life so you can behold the radiance of God."
I highly recommend the Storm album! He also has a very fun and creative website, FernadoOrtega.com.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Baptism as a Grace Imperative
Daniel over at Random Thoughts of a Confessional Lutheran blog writes on Grace Imperatives.
"Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are also grace imperatives. Christ himself commands both sacraments to us. It takes faith, however, to grasp these commands. Since faith is also a gift of God, we are now in the situation needing a gift in order to embrace other gifts that God promises. God gives us gifts so He can give us more gifts. That is where grace is primary in this whole scheme. Grace is given so we may trust the commands of God so that more grace can be given."
I will never, never forget the shock, awe, overwhelming guilt and overflowing thankfulness I experienced the morning my husband and I were taught this in our Bible Information Class. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that I had been rejecting Christ's commands. I turned to my husband and asked for his forgiveness. You see, he had tried to convince me to baptize our children for years, along with his once-LCMS mother, but I proudly defended myself and proclaimed that I was giving my children the gift of being able to decide to be Christians themselves. There was no turning back for us at that point. I think we became confessional Lutherans right then and there.
For the hundredth time...Required reading for readers of this blog: The Miracle of Holy Baptism by John H. at Confessing Evangelical. I think Grace Imperatives will also become required reading! Good job, Daniel. Thanks for teaching us this important concept.
"Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are also grace imperatives. Christ himself commands both sacraments to us. It takes faith, however, to grasp these commands. Since faith is also a gift of God, we are now in the situation needing a gift in order to embrace other gifts that God promises. God gives us gifts so He can give us more gifts. That is where grace is primary in this whole scheme. Grace is given so we may trust the commands of God so that more grace can be given."
I will never, never forget the shock, awe, overwhelming guilt and overflowing thankfulness I experienced the morning my husband and I were taught this in our Bible Information Class. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that I had been rejecting Christ's commands. I turned to my husband and asked for his forgiveness. You see, he had tried to convince me to baptize our children for years, along with his once-LCMS mother, but I proudly defended myself and proclaimed that I was giving my children the gift of being able to decide to be Christians themselves. There was no turning back for us at that point. I think we became confessional Lutherans right then and there.
For the hundredth time...Required reading for readers of this blog: The Miracle of Holy Baptism by John H. at Confessing Evangelical. I think Grace Imperatives will also become required reading! Good job, Daniel. Thanks for teaching us this important concept.
What is an EVANGELICAL and is my anger justified?
Rob of Beggars All blog has an excellent post on Michael Horton's article, "What is an evangelical?". I've had that article linked on this blog for several months, but I am glad of the reminder to re-read it. This topic has been on my mind frequently since becoming a confessional lutheran two years ago. I used to emphasize the word "evangelical" whenever someone would ask me about my faith, ex. "I'm an EVANGELICAL Christian." Then I would quickly add, "We are attending a Lutheran church right now because God has called us to be a witness there. "Other "EVANGELICAL" Christians knew just what I meant, because many believe that one is not a legitimate Christian unless one has "accepted Jesus Christ as personal savior". Or as Horton puts it, "And as for "Grace Alone," most evangelicals today believe that something--free will, a decision, a prayer, a walk down an aisle, a second blessing, something we do for God that will give us the confidence that we are in His favor. Doctrines like election, justification, and regeneration are hardly ever discussed because they paint the picture of a humanity that is helpless and that cannot even cooperate with God in the matter of salvation. If we are to be saved, it is God and God alone who must do it."
Although Horton's article was written nearly fifteen years, his words are still timely. In fact, it would seem to me that the situation has gotten worse. Horton wrote in 1992, "Since "The Year of the Evangelical," corresponding to our nation's Bicentennial in 1976, the term (in North America, at least) has come to identify those who highlight a particular brand of politics, a moralistic and often legalistic approach to life, and a sort of ersatz, "corny" style of evangelism." Horton goes on to help us understand what the term "evangelical" actually means and why it is important to know what it means.
He ends his article with an observation that I have often made since converting to confessional Lutheranism - Why am I so angry and is it OK to be angry? When turning to the confessional Lutheran tradition, I was angry and feeling very lost. I felt betrayed by pastors and churches I had trusted. (For any new readers, I have already written extensively on my experiences. Just dig around in the archives.) I also felt abandoned by my current church; it was leaving Lutheran traditions behind so quickly that I was basically forced to leave or lose my soul. "Many people wonder why "Reformation" folks appear angry. Nobody wants to be around angry people--and I certainly don't want to be known as an "angry" person." says Horton. I remind myself of that every single time I sit down to write something in this blog.
I've often mentioned that the reason I began this online journal was to try to put my story onto paper (the electronic kind) and sort things out. My new church has helped me to learn that, first and foremost, I'm a sinner and I've been a sinner my whole life. That explains a lot of my mistakes...duh! Secondly, although I was blessed with parents who brought me to the saving waters of baptism and brought me to hear God's word preached and taught, my spiritual education was lacking other areas. So, the fact that I was never perfect to start with and that I was lacking in my spiritual education left me quite open for devasting mistakes in actions and judgements. Thankfully, God is still in control and is still quite able to teach and guide sinners like me. So, I've been able to move from being an angry person to being able to blame myself and move on. If anyone in my past who had spiritual authority over me has taught me things that were false, God will deal with them. He won't need my help.
Still, the anger creeps in once in a while. Just recently, I heard a first hand account of a Catholic high-school exchange student from Central America. She lived with an "EVANGELICAL" family for several weeks and she had some amazing things to say. Her host family regularly "witnessed" to her and told her that she would not go to heaven unless she had accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior. They regularly showed her "Christian" videos and talked with her afterwards about "becoming born-again." She was told that her Catholic Bible was not a real bible and gave her a different one. She was so relieved when I encouraged her with the reminder that she became born-again when she was baptized. She was surprised to hear that I had been an "EVANGELICAL" Christian for twenty years, but had become Lutheran two years ago. We had many good talks about how God is able to work faith in infants through baptism and how she was already saved. We discussed Holy Communion, too. I was also able to discuss Mary's role with her and she did tell me that in her country, worship of Mary was not as big of a thing as it is in Mexico. Through my talks with her about God, baptism and the nature of faith, I had no doubt that God's Holy Spirit was already working in her heart. I plan to encourage her in her faith through email. Is my anger at the ridiculous actions of these self-proclaimed "EVANGELICALS" justified? Have I been angry, yet not sinned? I think so.
Although Horton's article was written nearly fifteen years, his words are still timely. In fact, it would seem to me that the situation has gotten worse. Horton wrote in 1992, "Since "The Year of the Evangelical," corresponding to our nation's Bicentennial in 1976, the term (in North America, at least) has come to identify those who highlight a particular brand of politics, a moralistic and often legalistic approach to life, and a sort of ersatz, "corny" style of evangelism." Horton goes on to help us understand what the term "evangelical" actually means and why it is important to know what it means.
He ends his article with an observation that I have often made since converting to confessional Lutheranism - Why am I so angry and is it OK to be angry? When turning to the confessional Lutheran tradition, I was angry and feeling very lost. I felt betrayed by pastors and churches I had trusted. (For any new readers, I have already written extensively on my experiences. Just dig around in the archives.) I also felt abandoned by my current church; it was leaving Lutheran traditions behind so quickly that I was basically forced to leave or lose my soul. "Many people wonder why "Reformation" folks appear angry. Nobody wants to be around angry people--and I certainly don't want to be known as an "angry" person." says Horton. I remind myself of that every single time I sit down to write something in this blog.
I've often mentioned that the reason I began this online journal was to try to put my story onto paper (the electronic kind) and sort things out. My new church has helped me to learn that, first and foremost, I'm a sinner and I've been a sinner my whole life. That explains a lot of my mistakes...duh! Secondly, although I was blessed with parents who brought me to the saving waters of baptism and brought me to hear God's word preached and taught, my spiritual education was lacking other areas. So, the fact that I was never perfect to start with and that I was lacking in my spiritual education left me quite open for devasting mistakes in actions and judgements. Thankfully, God is still in control and is still quite able to teach and guide sinners like me. So, I've been able to move from being an angry person to being able to blame myself and move on. If anyone in my past who had spiritual authority over me has taught me things that were false, God will deal with them. He won't need my help.
Still, the anger creeps in once in a while. Just recently, I heard a first hand account of a Catholic high-school exchange student from Central America. She lived with an "EVANGELICAL" family for several weeks and she had some amazing things to say. Her host family regularly "witnessed" to her and told her that she would not go to heaven unless she had accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior. They regularly showed her "Christian" videos and talked with her afterwards about "becoming born-again." She was told that her Catholic Bible was not a real bible and gave her a different one. She was so relieved when I encouraged her with the reminder that she became born-again when she was baptized. She was surprised to hear that I had been an "EVANGELICAL" Christian for twenty years, but had become Lutheran two years ago. We had many good talks about how God is able to work faith in infants through baptism and how she was already saved. We discussed Holy Communion, too. I was also able to discuss Mary's role with her and she did tell me that in her country, worship of Mary was not as big of a thing as it is in Mexico. Through my talks with her about God, baptism and the nature of faith, I had no doubt that God's Holy Spirit was already working in her heart. I plan to encourage her in her faith through email. Is my anger at the ridiculous actions of these self-proclaimed "EVANGELICALS" justified? Have I been angry, yet not sinned? I think so.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
The Journeys of Paul
Thanks, again, to Blinn for the link to The Journeys of Paul.
"Explore the world of the Apostle Paul. Sites are listed in the order that they appear in Acts. Some major cities also include a "tour" option so that you can get a closer look at the places in which Paul worked."
"Explore the world of the Apostle Paul. Sites are listed in the order that they appear in Acts. Some major cities also include a "tour" option so that you can get a closer look at the places in which Paul worked."
Visit the Cities of Revelations
Thanks to Blinn for the link to this excellent reference tool.
The Cities of Revelation web page is a tour of the seven cities of the book of Revelation.
"Revelation was first written for Christians living in seven cities in Asia Minor, in what today is the country of Turkey. The book was penned by a Christian named John, who had visions on the island of Patmos near the end of the first century A.D. Although many readers assume that Revelation contains coded predictions of the future, John first wrote to help Christians deal with matters of faith and life in the cities in which they lived. Knowing about these cities can help make Revelation's message more vivid, just as learning about life in Corinth, Philippi, and other places helps make Paul's letters come alive. This tour of the seven cities is designed to open the door into the world that was first addressed by Revelation's visions.
The Cities of Revelation web page is a tour of the seven cities of the book of Revelation.
"Revelation was first written for Christians living in seven cities in Asia Minor, in what today is the country of Turkey. The book was penned by a Christian named John, who had visions on the island of Patmos near the end of the first century A.D. Although many readers assume that Revelation contains coded predictions of the future, John first wrote to help Christians deal with matters of faith and life in the cities in which they lived. Knowing about these cities can help make Revelation's message more vivid, just as learning about life in Corinth, Philippi, and other places helps make Paul's letters come alive. This tour of the seven cities is designed to open the door into the world that was first addressed by Revelation's visions.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
This week's required reading: Christ is the Word; He became flesh and dwelt among us.
Rob Brazier, of Love and Blunder blog, writes about the incarnation of Christ. This is a great Christmas post! He writes that "the most fundamental difference between the doctrine of my modern evangelical upbringing and my current understanding as a confessional Lutheran is the incarnation of Christ. What I was misunderstanding for many years: Christ is the Word, He became flesh, and dwelt among us."
Excerpt:
"Confusion about Christ's incarnation leads to confusion about faith itself. Because of such an incomplete understanding of who Christ is, where He is, and what He does, I was often confused about the nature of faith. Rather than a gift given from God, I saw faith as something I had to work to get more of. When I didn't feel like I was successful, I questioned whether I was even a Christian."Until recently, I had no idea what "faith comes by hearing" really meant. Whenever my conscience was assailed, I was told to turn inward, to my shifting perception of my faith, rather than to the objective reality of Christ's work on the cross, and his real presence in the preached word, communion, and baptism."
This is my story! I sometimes feel selfish to be glad to find others who suffered through poor and incomplete Christian teachings. Yet, we made it through to write about it all, didn't we. And in enough time not to mess up our own kids! (Although a good Christian man just reminded me that we will find other ways to mess up our kids- thanks, Andy, for bringing me back down to reality.)
Listen to Rob's advice. Read it aloud to someone:
"Sit still in church, listen to the words the pastor speaks, and you can almost hear God breathing. When the pastor pronounces us forgiven, we are hearing in his voice the voice of the Word, the Son of God who laid the foundations of the world, spun the stars into the sky, drew up high mountains from the low ground, and onto the desert spilled the waters of the seas. In that place, Christ is closer than any lover, He is putting Himself into us and us into Himself."
After the confession and absolution, one of our pastors says "We have approached God. Now God approaches you with His Word." He proclaims this with a huge smile on his face and joy in his voice. It gets me every time. Each Sunday, that chill goes down my spine with the realization that God is still speaking to us, right there in our Bibles. Open and read.
Excerpt:
"Confusion about Christ's incarnation leads to confusion about faith itself. Because of such an incomplete understanding of who Christ is, where He is, and what He does, I was often confused about the nature of faith. Rather than a gift given from God, I saw faith as something I had to work to get more of. When I didn't feel like I was successful, I questioned whether I was even a Christian."Until recently, I had no idea what "faith comes by hearing" really meant. Whenever my conscience was assailed, I was told to turn inward, to my shifting perception of my faith, rather than to the objective reality of Christ's work on the cross, and his real presence in the preached word, communion, and baptism."
This is my story! I sometimes feel selfish to be glad to find others who suffered through poor and incomplete Christian teachings. Yet, we made it through to write about it all, didn't we. And in enough time not to mess up our own kids! (Although a good Christian man just reminded me that we will find other ways to mess up our kids- thanks, Andy, for bringing me back down to reality.)
Listen to Rob's advice. Read it aloud to someone:
"Sit still in church, listen to the words the pastor speaks, and you can almost hear God breathing. When the pastor pronounces us forgiven, we are hearing in his voice the voice of the Word, the Son of God who laid the foundations of the world, spun the stars into the sky, drew up high mountains from the low ground, and onto the desert spilled the waters of the seas. In that place, Christ is closer than any lover, He is putting Himself into us and us into Himself."
After the confession and absolution, one of our pastors says "We have approached God. Now God approaches you with His Word." He proclaims this with a huge smile on his face and joy in his voice. It gets me every time. Each Sunday, that chill goes down my spine with the realization that God is still speaking to us, right there in our Bibles. Open and read.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Little Olivia becomes my sister in Christ
I won't try to add anything to this beautiful post by Olivia's mom, and fellow sister in Christ, Devona on the baptism of Olivia this past Sunday. Folks, you either believe that God has the power to save through baptism or you don't. It's really very simple.
Then, Pastor poured the water over Olivia's head, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Olivia woke up, and I got nervous that this was when she screams at the top of her lungs. Nope, not our little sinner. She just smiled sleepily, and went back to sleep. She just wanted to be sure she didn't miss the moment
Then, Pastor poured the water over Olivia's head, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Olivia woke up, and I got nervous that this was when she screams at the top of her lungs. Nope, not our little sinner. She just smiled sleepily, and went back to sleep. She just wanted to be sure she didn't miss the moment
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
What's a Christian to do about Sermon Lite preaching?
Jason at Theology Geek blog shares his experience in making the switch to a confessional Lutheran church. He also shares some of his doubts, which is a very honest thing to do.
The Lutherans have a wonderful theology and heritage that I am very thankful for. Furthermore, I know that even if the sermon is poor one week, I will still be able to confess my sins, receive absolution, and hear the gospel. Not to mention, I can get my fill of good theology from Luther and from others. However, what my mind keeps coming to is what about the theology that is given from the pulpit? Is it going to be watered-down? Is it going to be constrained by the boundaries of political correctness, and seeker-sensitivity?
I know Jason would never hear anything watered-down from the pulpit of my church, God-willing, but maybe I won't always live near a church with three really great pastors. Jason is on the right track when he reminds himself that, at a confessional Lutheran church, he will always be able to confess his sins, receive absolution and hear the gospel proclaimed.
The Lutherans have a wonderful theology and heritage that I am very thankful for. Furthermore, I know that even if the sermon is poor one week, I will still be able to confess my sins, receive absolution, and hear the gospel. Not to mention, I can get my fill of good theology from Luther and from others. However, what my mind keeps coming to is what about the theology that is given from the pulpit? Is it going to be watered-down? Is it going to be constrained by the boundaries of political correctness, and seeker-sensitivity?
I know Jason would never hear anything watered-down from the pulpit of my church, God-willing, but maybe I won't always live near a church with three really great pastors. Jason is on the right track when he reminds himself that, at a confessional Lutheran church, he will always be able to confess his sins, receive absolution and hear the gospel proclaimed.
Monday, December 06, 2004
If I won't boycot Target, then how then shall I live?
I may be beating a dead horse here (repeating a topic too much), but I have been moved by reading fellow bloggers pleas for others to boycott Target. Since I've gone on record as not supportive of the Salvation Army, I have been forced to ask myself: "OK, then how will you help others this Christmas and in the future?" That little voice is my conscience and I am trying to answer it. Here is what I've found so far...
I John 3: 16 - 20: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Martin Luther on The Outward Man and The Inner Man.
This post will be a work in progress.
I John 3: 16 - 20: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Martin Luther on The Outward Man and The Inner Man.
This post will be a work in progress.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Re-educating Theresa
It has been such a enlightening, strengthening journey to move from seeing God in one way to experiencing God in a much fuller way. That is how I describe my transformation from a self-described ecumenical "lutheran" evangelical to a confessional Lutheran. My transformation took place during the time when my daughter attended a confessional Lutheran grade school for her 7th and 8th grade years. In looking for a parochial school for her, I had closely examined the doctrine of this particular church/school. I told myself that I didn't want to get part way through the year and discover that they had some odd belief that I couldn't tolerate. I read through each statement of belief and couldn't find anything I disagreed with. In hindsight, I don't see how I was fully reading each statement. I don't think I had ever read through doctrinal statements with such careful attention and understanding (as limited as that may be) as I do now. Now, each and every word means something and I pay attention.
In the first year (7th grade), we remained at our old church. (I already written extensively about that here.) My daugher took a religion class and religion was interspersed throughout her entire learning day. She had a well-educated and opinionated teacher and sometimes my daughter would come home repeating statements her teacher had made that day. Some of his statements (about ecumenicalism, the ELCA, communion practices, nature of salvation, etc) struck a nerve with me and I would tell me daughter that if he really knew US he wouldn't say such a thing. Concurrently, I would study his claims with the bible and other resources. I became a great fan of the Wels Q&A site and read nearly every post every made to that section.
In the meantime, I was becoming painfully aware of the doctrinal problems (or lack of consistent and/or scriptural doctrine!) in my own church, upset by changes in the confirmation program and disgusted with a social justice worker/female pastor who refuses to pray for our troops and leaders at all. We left that church in June of 2003 and began attending the church which ran my daughter's school. My husband and I took the Bible Information Class over the summer- our pastors met with us in a private class and really took time to teach and explain what the Bible says on each doctrinal point.
By the fall, my daughter was allowed to joined the confirmation class and be on track to be confirmed that spring. I was likely the only parent who got so excited to study each lesson with her confirmand! I also soaked up each religion lesson she was assigned in school. I was asked to teach Sunday School, but refused until I could learn and absorb more instruction. I attend as many Bible studies as our family's schedule allows (I hope that doesn't sound like pride. I'm such a sinner in need of solid training that I get excited for any learning opportunity.)
Now, a year later, my son has started confirmation, as well as 7th grade at the school, and I get to learn things again with him. Praise God that I have this opportunity to learn with my kids; I hope that all parents use their kids' confirmation programs to re-learn (or learn) the solid biblical truths taught there. We all need to be able to read, understand and repeat to others the beliefs of our churches.
Yet again, I've found a article that puts into words the thoughts moving around in my head. Rick Ritchie, at Old Solar ezine, writes about his advice to a friend making the switch to confessional Lutheranism in Get a New Grid:
"You've been learning a lot of Reformation doctrine lately. But it seems to me you are hanging Reformation doctrines onto the grid of your old theology. I think it's time to throw out your old grid and get a new one.” I said this once to a co-worker at a Christian bookstore where theological conversation was common. My friend's background was in the holiness churches, but he had been studying Reformation doctrines and listening to the White Horse Inn radio broadcast and attending theology lectures. His study had moved him to embrace several doctrines at odds with his tradition. Sometime after I made my statement and he had joined a church more in line with his new beliefs, he said that I had given him the most helpful advice anyone ever gave him on that journey. Continue reading Rick's article...
I am adding Rick's article to this blog in hopes that it will be a resource for others making a similar journey. As my favorite morning radio host says, "Get wisdom. Get understanding. Guard her and she will serve you well."
In the first year (7th grade), we remained at our old church. (I already written extensively about that here.) My daugher took a religion class and religion was interspersed throughout her entire learning day. She had a well-educated and opinionated teacher and sometimes my daughter would come home repeating statements her teacher had made that day. Some of his statements (about ecumenicalism, the ELCA, communion practices, nature of salvation, etc) struck a nerve with me and I would tell me daughter that if he really knew US he wouldn't say such a thing. Concurrently, I would study his claims with the bible and other resources. I became a great fan of the Wels Q&A site and read nearly every post every made to that section.
In the meantime, I was becoming painfully aware of the doctrinal problems (or lack of consistent and/or scriptural doctrine!) in my own church, upset by changes in the confirmation program and disgusted with a social justice worker/female pastor who refuses to pray for our troops and leaders at all. We left that church in June of 2003 and began attending the church which ran my daughter's school. My husband and I took the Bible Information Class over the summer- our pastors met with us in a private class and really took time to teach and explain what the Bible says on each doctrinal point.
By the fall, my daughter was allowed to joined the confirmation class and be on track to be confirmed that spring. I was likely the only parent who got so excited to study each lesson with her confirmand! I also soaked up each religion lesson she was assigned in school. I was asked to teach Sunday School, but refused until I could learn and absorb more instruction. I attend as many Bible studies as our family's schedule allows (I hope that doesn't sound like pride. I'm such a sinner in need of solid training that I get excited for any learning opportunity.)
Now, a year later, my son has started confirmation, as well as 7th grade at the school, and I get to learn things again with him. Praise God that I have this opportunity to learn with my kids; I hope that all parents use their kids' confirmation programs to re-learn (or learn) the solid biblical truths taught there. We all need to be able to read, understand and repeat to others the beliefs of our churches.
Yet again, I've found a article that puts into words the thoughts moving around in my head. Rick Ritchie, at Old Solar ezine, writes about his advice to a friend making the switch to confessional Lutheranism in Get a New Grid:
"You've been learning a lot of Reformation doctrine lately. But it seems to me you are hanging Reformation doctrines onto the grid of your old theology. I think it's time to throw out your old grid and get a new one.” I said this once to a co-worker at a Christian bookstore where theological conversation was common. My friend's background was in the holiness churches, but he had been studying Reformation doctrines and listening to the White Horse Inn radio broadcast and attending theology lectures. His study had moved him to embrace several doctrines at odds with his tradition. Sometime after I made my statement and he had joined a church more in line with his new beliefs, he said that I had given him the most helpful advice anyone ever gave him on that journey. Continue reading Rick's article...
I am adding Rick's article to this blog in hopes that it will be a resource for others making a similar journey. As my favorite morning radio host says, "Get wisdom. Get understanding. Guard her and she will serve you well."
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Introducing Theology Geek blog
Today, I stumbled upon Theology Geek blog by Jason S. Evans. Actually, I believe that somebody... I think Daniel of Random Confessions blog, introduced him a while back on his blog as well, but I can't find that post. Anyway, I checked out Jason's blog because of this comment posted to Here We Stand's post by Chris Williams on How To Get People to Care...?
I am just coming into Lutheranism from being a reformed Baptist. My previous church actually grew tremendously when theology started being taught from the pulpit and on Wednesday nights. I think a lot of people want more out of church than a country club, but most churches are so "purpose driven", all they get is bland country-club Christianity. I think if the pastor or someone in the congregation is a good Bible teacher, then some of deeper things should be explored. There's nothing wrong with studying a book on systematic theology or the Book of Concord with your congregation. At least the congregation will know that this stuff is important, and not just the irrelevant thoughts of a bunch of old dead guys.
I am always interested, intrigued and encouraged when I find other recent coverts to true Lutheranism from "generic evangelicalism" and I try to highlight them on this blog as an encouragement for others. I am still reading through his blog and will continue this holiday weekend (when I'm not at the rink for son's big hockey tournament!).
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
I am just coming into Lutheranism from being a reformed Baptist. My previous church actually grew tremendously when theology started being taught from the pulpit and on Wednesday nights. I think a lot of people want more out of church than a country club, but most churches are so "purpose driven", all they get is bland country-club Christianity. I think if the pastor or someone in the congregation is a good Bible teacher, then some of deeper things should be explored. There's nothing wrong with studying a book on systematic theology or the Book of Concord with your congregation. At least the congregation will know that this stuff is important, and not just the irrelevant thoughts of a bunch of old dead guys.
I am always interested, intrigued and encouraged when I find other recent coverts to true Lutheranism from "generic evangelicalism" and I try to highlight them on this blog as an encouragement for others. I am still reading through his blog and will continue this holiday weekend (when I'm not at the rink for son's big hockey tournament!).
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Two great posts on the power of God's Holy Word
More Than Words by Rob of Love and Blunder
The Proclaimed and Present Word by John of Confessing Evangelical
The confessional Lutheran church taught me this: When the Word is invoked, Christ is truly present. We have more than a symbol of Christ, we have Him in truth. Until very recently in my faith life, I never fully understood the power of God. His power has literally silenced me. I am finally safe resting in His arms. I no longer try to help or manipulate God by my actions. The day I stopped "trying" to be a good Christian, He started to work through me. I have seen seven family members come to Christ in less than two years, after twenty years of my pathetic attempts to "be a good witness" to them.Truly excellent posts, Rob and John. Thanks for teaching me. I am very thankful.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Introducing Beggars All blog
There is yet another confessional lutheran blog in the blogosphere. Please check out Beggars All. It is written by three men, Rob, Mike, Karl. They explain their joint blogging purpose:
1. The name of this blog is "Beggars All", which is an allusion to the last words of Martin Luther: "Wir sind Bettler, das ist war!" ("We are beggars all. That is true.") In what ways can you and I say, with Luther, "That is true!"
2. Then let's outline our own strange experiences with American Evangelicalism. Why have we both been made, by God's grace, Evangelical refugees?
Please read My Father's Day by Rob. It is a very touching story of father and son. (warning: strong kleenex/crying at work alert!). Mike writes an interesting commentary on the Navigators and his experiences with them. Also read, Does the Church have a Sanctuary?. I think Karl must manage the commentaries.
Beggars All was recently highlighted in Bunnie Diehl's blog, as an Ablaze story of the week, and prompted numerous comments by her readers.
1. The name of this blog is "Beggars All", which is an allusion to the last words of Martin Luther: "Wir sind Bettler, das ist war!" ("We are beggars all. That is true.") In what ways can you and I say, with Luther, "That is true!"
2. Then let's outline our own strange experiences with American Evangelicalism. Why have we both been made, by God's grace, Evangelical refugees?
Please read My Father's Day by Rob. It is a very touching story of father and son. (warning: strong kleenex/crying at work alert!). Mike writes an interesting commentary on the Navigators and his experiences with them. Also read, Does the Church have a Sanctuary?. I think Karl must manage the commentaries.
Beggars All was recently highlighted in Bunnie Diehl's blog, as an Ablaze story of the week, and prompted numerous comments by her readers.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi
This new blog, Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, will be my new morning devotions for a while
It bills itself as daily meditations on the sanctoral calendar and lectionary as found in the Lutheran Service Book. The writer describes himself as Contra Mundum.
I am nothing but a simple Lutheran seminarian and vicar. Join me on my pilgrimage through the daily lectionary. May the Holy Spirit stengthen our faith as we meditate upon His Holy Word.
I highly recommend this blog, if not for the outstanding artwork alone.
I've noticed lots of interesting rants in the Confessional Lutheran blogosphere regarding the Emergent Church concept, so as follow-up reading, check out "Why the Lutheran Church is a liturgical church." and the discussion on same at John's Confessing Evangelical blog (see his post, "The Medium, the message and the Divine Service.") Also interesting reads are Rob's latest posts on the emerging church concept on Love and Blunder blog: Church: The rules have changed; Emerging E*CA; and An Emerging Question.
It bills itself as daily meditations on the sanctoral calendar and lectionary as found in the Lutheran Service Book. The writer describes himself as Contra Mundum.
I am nothing but a simple Lutheran seminarian and vicar. Join me on my pilgrimage through the daily lectionary. May the Holy Spirit stengthen our faith as we meditate upon His Holy Word.
I highly recommend this blog, if not for the outstanding artwork alone.
I've noticed lots of interesting rants in the Confessional Lutheran blogosphere regarding the Emergent Church concept, so as follow-up reading, check out "Why the Lutheran Church is a liturgical church." and the discussion on same at John's Confessing Evangelical blog (see his post, "The Medium, the message and the Divine Service.") Also interesting reads are Rob's latest posts on the emerging church concept on Love and Blunder blog: Church: The rules have changed; Emerging E*CA; and An Emerging Question.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Holy Communion or Ice Hockey?
Yesterday, ice hockey won out over holy communion. Yes, ice hockey won out because, unlike my church, my son will get kicked off his team for not showing up to games unless we come up with a really good excuse...like a funeral in Canada - and we already used that one last Thursday. Actually, my church offers a Monday night service for those of us who came up with really great excuses for missing church on Sunday. OK, I'm not one of those people with a really great excuse, but our pastors really make it clear to us that worshipping on Monday night, on occasion, or any other day or night, is a choice. It is not commanded to worship at 10:45am on Sunday mornings. Still, I show up 99% of the time at that very hour.
The only problem I have with evening church is that I FALL ASLEEP! I don't want to, but during the sermon I really fight sleepiness. I don't think God did mean for us to worship at night or he would have given us a different internal body clock. At 7pm, my body is starting to wind down and if I sit down for very long, even in church, I get very sleepy. Still, I'm very thankful that my church offers me the opportunity to strenghten my faith through corporate confession, absolution and holy communion. Praise God for this opportunity tonight. I'll just have to order a double espresso at Caribou beforehand.
What Confessional Lutherans believe about Holy Communion (or why I jump at the chance to take holy communion):
Lutherans believe and teach that in the other Sacrament, Holy Communion, the Lord Jesus Christ, according to How own plain Word, gives us His body and blood for the remission of sins; that the Lutheran belief, call the 'Real Presence', does not imply, either by transubstantiation or consubstantiation, any king of change in the visible elements, that the bread remains bread and the wine remains wine, but by virtue of Jesus word of institution, this bread is the Body and this wine is His blood; that all who eat and drink at the Lord's Table receive His body and blood in and with the bread and wine, those who believe to the strengthening of their faith, those who reject to their condemnation; and that this Sacrament ought therefore to be withheld from those who are unable to examine themselves in the Christian faith.
References: Matthew 26: 26-28; Mark 14: 24; 1Corinthians 11: 24-25; 1Corinthians 11: 26-28; Matthew 7: 6; 1 Corinthians 11: 29.
Borrowed from the ELCE and ELS websites, and Confessing Evangelical.
The only problem I have with evening church is that I FALL ASLEEP! I don't want to, but during the sermon I really fight sleepiness. I don't think God did mean for us to worship at night or he would have given us a different internal body clock. At 7pm, my body is starting to wind down and if I sit down for very long, even in church, I get very sleepy. Still, I'm very thankful that my church offers me the opportunity to strenghten my faith through corporate confession, absolution and holy communion. Praise God for this opportunity tonight. I'll just have to order a double espresso at Caribou beforehand.
What Confessional Lutherans believe about Holy Communion (or why I jump at the chance to take holy communion):
According to Christ's Word and institution, His body and blood are truly present, distributed and received in the Lord's Supper, under the forms of bread and wine. This Supper is intended for Christians who know and adhere to theteachings of God's Word, who are able to examine themselves on the basis of that Word,and who repent of their sins and look to Christ alone for forgiveness. The body and blood of Christ are offered and received in this Sacrament for the remission of sins and for the strengthening of faith. The forgiveness of sins which is offered by God through the Means of Grace can be rejected by an unbelieving heart, but it is received for salvation by all who believe in Christ.
Also,
Lutherans believe and teach that in the other Sacrament, Holy Communion, the Lord Jesus Christ, according to How own plain Word, gives us His body and blood for the remission of sins; that the Lutheran belief, call the 'Real Presence', does not imply, either by transubstantiation or consubstantiation, any king of change in the visible elements, that the bread remains bread and the wine remains wine, but by virtue of Jesus word of institution, this bread is the Body and this wine is His blood; that all who eat and drink at the Lord's Table receive His body and blood in and with the bread and wine, those who believe to the strengthening of their faith, those who reject to their condemnation; and that this Sacrament ought therefore to be withheld from those who are unable to examine themselves in the Christian faith.
References: Matthew 26: 26-28; Mark 14: 24; 1Corinthians 11: 24-25; 1Corinthians 11: 26-28; Matthew 7: 6; 1 Corinthians 11: 29.
Borrowed from the ELCE and ELS websites, and Confessing Evangelical.
Monday, November 08, 2004
Be Strong in the Grace
This passage is the cornerstone of this blog.
Timothy 2
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Timothy 2
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Friday, November 05, 2004
Letter (and post) of repentance
A little while ago on Kiihnworld, I wrote with disgust about two Episcopal priests who were involved openly in the Druid religion. There was a lot of buzz in various religious blogs and I got lots of hits from this post. I felt a little proud to be involved in a very small way in exposing a travesty. I must confess that I underestimated God’s power to continue to work in the life of someone who had received faith through the holy waters of baptism. I confess that I doubted that this man would even care what God thought of his activities. I was so wrong; God has power to work in the heart of this man and He did! The saving waters of baptism are the one thing I withheld from my children and that is the one main thing I repented when I became a confessional Lutheran Christian. I had doubted God’s power to create faith in an infant, even when the Bible clearly says the Holy Spirit does this. I repent that I have once again doubted God's power in saving an individual and working faith through him. I suppose I am jaded from years of seeing myself and others doubt God and make wrong choices, but that is no excuse. I ask Reverand William Melnyk to forgive me when I chastised him openly, but forgot to pray for him. Obviously, he had others praying for him who knew his faith and loved him.
A Letter of Repentance from The Rev. William Melnyk
November 4, 2004
This morning, the IRD received a copy of the following letter of repentance sent from Rev. William Melnyk to his bishop. We are grateful for his humble and direct letter. We hope that the leaders of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Women’s Ministries will likewise repent of that office’s promotion of neo-paganism. We also hope that this direct act of recantation of wrong and reaffirmation of the historic faith of the Church will serve as a model for other Episcopal leaders who have been called to express regret for their actions in the context of “the repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation enjoined on us by Christ” (Windsor Report, paragraph 134).
To the IRD, I have today sent this letter to my Bishop. My wife [The Rev. Glyn Lorraine Ruppe-Melnyk] has sent a similar letter:
Dear Bishop,
Recently it has been brought to light by several agencies and individuals that I have been involved in work with Druid organizations in the United States and England, exploring the relationships between Christian and pre-Christian Druid spirituality and theology. These individuals and agencies have presented you with pages of documentation of my activities from the internet. You and I have discussed this material, and you have pointed out to me that it is the opinion of the church that my involvement, writings, and activities go beyond the bounds expected of a Christian and a Christian priest.
I affirm to you with all my heart it was never my intention to engage in such error, but only to help others who had lost connection to the Church to find a way to reconnect. I also thought that there was much in our early British heritage that could help those of us in the Church to broaden our understanding of Anglican tradition.
I was wrong. I repent of and recant without qualification anything and everything I may have said or done which is found to be in conflict with the Baptismal Covenant, and the historical Creeds of the Church. With God as my witness, I reaffirm my belief in the historical creeds of the Church, and the Baptismal Covenant, and reaffirm to you my faith, as expressed in that covenant. I am resigning my membership in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, as a sign of my repentance.
I have been a follower of Jesus Christ since my Baptism in 1947, and a faithful Deacon and Priest of the Church, with the exception of the error admitted above, since 1981. It is my desire to continue as such, and I ask for the mercy of the Church, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sincerely,
The Rev. W. William Melnyk
I now take pains to publicly affirm this statement, and to thank the contributors to the various Anglican weblogs for bringing this to my attention and helping me to see the truth.
Here is a link to Titus 1:9 which posts this same letter and has an interesting bunch of running comments from the readers. I don't know if I will post on this again because it seems that there is a strong conservative element within the Episcopal church and they are handling it themselves.
A Letter of Repentance from The Rev. William Melnyk
November 4, 2004
This morning, the IRD received a copy of the following letter of repentance sent from Rev. William Melnyk to his bishop. We are grateful for his humble and direct letter. We hope that the leaders of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Women’s Ministries will likewise repent of that office’s promotion of neo-paganism. We also hope that this direct act of recantation of wrong and reaffirmation of the historic faith of the Church will serve as a model for other Episcopal leaders who have been called to express regret for their actions in the context of “the repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation enjoined on us by Christ” (Windsor Report, paragraph 134).
To the IRD, I have today sent this letter to my Bishop. My wife [The Rev. Glyn Lorraine Ruppe-Melnyk] has sent a similar letter:
Dear Bishop,
Recently it has been brought to light by several agencies and individuals that I have been involved in work with Druid organizations in the United States and England, exploring the relationships between Christian and pre-Christian Druid spirituality and theology. These individuals and agencies have presented you with pages of documentation of my activities from the internet. You and I have discussed this material, and you have pointed out to me that it is the opinion of the church that my involvement, writings, and activities go beyond the bounds expected of a Christian and a Christian priest.
I affirm to you with all my heart it was never my intention to engage in such error, but only to help others who had lost connection to the Church to find a way to reconnect. I also thought that there was much in our early British heritage that could help those of us in the Church to broaden our understanding of Anglican tradition.
I was wrong. I repent of and recant without qualification anything and everything I may have said or done which is found to be in conflict with the Baptismal Covenant, and the historical Creeds of the Church. With God as my witness, I reaffirm my belief in the historical creeds of the Church, and the Baptismal Covenant, and reaffirm to you my faith, as expressed in that covenant. I am resigning my membership in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, as a sign of my repentance.
I have been a follower of Jesus Christ since my Baptism in 1947, and a faithful Deacon and Priest of the Church, with the exception of the error admitted above, since 1981. It is my desire to continue as such, and I ask for the mercy of the Church, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sincerely,
The Rev. W. William Melnyk
I now take pains to publicly affirm this statement, and to thank the contributors to the various Anglican weblogs for bringing this to my attention and helping me to see the truth.
Here is a link to Titus 1:9 which posts this same letter and has an interesting bunch of running comments from the readers. I don't know if I will post on this again because it seems that there is a strong conservative element within the Episcopal church and they are handling it themselves.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Speaking the truth in love...
Since discovering the confessional Lutheran approach to faith in Christ, so many of my lingering questions have been answered. Not all my questions, but a lot of them.
Questions that have been answered
Why don't I become a more perfect Christian the longer I am a Christian? When is my child old enough or ready enough to be baptized? Or, how do I know I am really a good enough Christian to enter heaven? Why do the children of really great Christian parents totally reject Christianity? Why do I need to listen to CCM to keep myself emotionally connected to God? Why do seemingly solid, years-strong Christians fall the hardest into sin? Why is so and so an alcoholic or drug addict when s/he has been a Christian for so many years? Why don't I speak in tongues? Why do people get cancer and die? Why is a child killed in a car accident? What is a sacrament? How could Holy Baptism create faith in an infant? How can Holy Communion strengthen my faith? I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture...
I tell you the truth that it took 22 years for me to find a church that had the answers to these questions.
Have I discovered a secret sect? Have I joined an isolationist cult? No! I just finally found a church that teaches I am a sinner living in a sinful world, permanently separated from God and incapable of saving myself. My church tells me that God loves me so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place, so that I could live forever in heaven with Him. I could go on and on, but I think you've heard this story....
Questions that have been answered
Why don't I become a more perfect Christian the longer I am a Christian? When is my child old enough or ready enough to be baptized? Or, how do I know I am really a good enough Christian to enter heaven? Why do the children of really great Christian parents totally reject Christianity? Why do I need to listen to CCM to keep myself emotionally connected to God? Why do seemingly solid, years-strong Christians fall the hardest into sin? Why is so and so an alcoholic or drug addict when s/he has been a Christian for so many years? Why don't I speak in tongues? Why do people get cancer and die? Why is a child killed in a car accident? What is a sacrament? How could Holy Baptism create faith in an infant? How can Holy Communion strengthen my faith? I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture...
I tell you the truth that it took 22 years for me to find a church that had the answers to these questions.
Have I discovered a secret sect? Have I joined an isolationist cult? No! I just finally found a church that teaches I am a sinner living in a sinful world, permanently separated from God and incapable of saving myself. My church tells me that God loves me so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place, so that I could live forever in heaven with Him. I could go on and on, but I think you've heard this story....
Boy: Will you be my nasty girl? Girl: I can't because my God is an awesome God!
Rob, of Love and Blunder, has an excellent commentary on a recent article posted at Associated Baptist Press. The article is entitled Speakers predict sermons will change in next wave of postmodern worship. Seems like lots of my evangelical readers have been blessed with rock-solid churches, but that was not my experience. Many of the mega-churches seem to be throwing out Jesus and the Word and replacing it with logic and reasoning, mixed in with emotion-based entertainment; this change is found in worship and in the education programs of the church, such as confirmation and Sunday school.
If this post's title doesn't make sense, read the related posts below. If you are in a rush, I will just summarize those posts by saying that the world we and our kids face today is tough and they need to know more than trendy songs. Our God is an Awesome God is a catchy tune, but does it prepare us for facing sin and temptation on a daily basis? Maybe. But, knowing "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." would be more a little more useful when a teen is pressuring another teen for sex. We all need to be well-trained in God's Word, since that is how He speaks to us today. My church just added a year to the formal confirmation training, which along with fun events and singing, involves scripture memorization and thorough three-year study of God's Holy Word and Luther's Small Catechism. (Don't be thrown off by the study of Luther's Small Catechism; it is a thorough summary of the Christian faith and is useful for instructing new and young Christians.) The program is taught by our pastors and includes lots of discussion and pratical application. Our pastors even utilize all the senses to help the kids stay awake and interested. But it is often boring, just as any in-depth training can be at times. We parents encourage our kids and remind them of how important and useful their confirmation program is. We study the lessons together and relearn it ourselves.
My daughter recently learned the Latin word, confirmare. I was struck by its meaning: to strengthen, to declare, to make firm. That is what we do in confirmation: strengthen our kids and then they declare that they want to continue as adult Christian members of the church, then the pastor introduces them as such. The three years of hard work pays off and we all celebrate the end of their childhood training and the beginning of lifelong learning of scriptures.
Related posts:
Lack of doctrine among U.S. teens
Redefining Confirmation
Confirmation Follow-up
If this post's title doesn't make sense, read the related posts below. If you are in a rush, I will just summarize those posts by saying that the world we and our kids face today is tough and they need to know more than trendy songs. Our God is an Awesome God is a catchy tune, but does it prepare us for facing sin and temptation on a daily basis? Maybe. But, knowing "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." would be more a little more useful when a teen is pressuring another teen for sex. We all need to be well-trained in God's Word, since that is how He speaks to us today. My church just added a year to the formal confirmation training, which along with fun events and singing, involves scripture memorization and thorough three-year study of God's Holy Word and Luther's Small Catechism. (Don't be thrown off by the study of Luther's Small Catechism; it is a thorough summary of the Christian faith and is useful for instructing new and young Christians.) The program is taught by our pastors and includes lots of discussion and pratical application. Our pastors even utilize all the senses to help the kids stay awake and interested. But it is often boring, just as any in-depth training can be at times. We parents encourage our kids and remind them of how important and useful their confirmation program is. We study the lessons together and relearn it ourselves.
My daughter recently learned the Latin word, confirmare. I was struck by its meaning: to strengthen, to declare, to make firm. That is what we do in confirmation: strengthen our kids and then they declare that they want to continue as adult Christian members of the church, then the pastor introduces them as such. The three years of hard work pays off and we all celebrate the end of their childhood training and the beginning of lifelong learning of scriptures.
Related posts:
Lack of doctrine among U.S. teens
Redefining Confirmation
Confirmation Follow-up
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Do you love me?
Thanks to Glen, I am posting this little quiz. Since I am introducing Glen to you through this quiz, I think it would be fair to say that this quiz is not representative of the offerings of his confessional lutheran blog. I have chosen his post,Context Matters, as my favorite.
Click “Comment” on this post and do this:
1. Tell me one thing you love (like is fine, too) about me and/or my blog. I realize that most of us actually don't "know" each other, so don't let this question trip you up.
2. Tell me two things you love about yourself. This one I’m particularly interested in, so make it good. I mean it. No self-deprecation allowed!
3. Do this in your blog so I can return the favor - and if you’ve already done it, tell me so, so that I can go back and give you some love.
4. Consider just randomly telling people why (and that) you love them. Spread some real compliments.
I like this last point. I hope to visit all my links this month and tell the person what I like about their blog. We should all encourage each other to keep up the good work.
Click “Comment” on this post and do this:
1. Tell me one thing you love (like is fine, too) about me and/or my blog. I realize that most of us actually don't "know" each other, so don't let this question trip you up.
2. Tell me two things you love about yourself. This one I’m particularly interested in, so make it good. I mean it. No self-deprecation allowed!
3. Do this in your blog so I can return the favor - and if you’ve already done it, tell me so, so that I can go back and give you some love.
4. Consider just randomly telling people why (and that) you love them. Spread some real compliments.
I like this last point. I hope to visit all my links this month and tell the person what I like about their blog. We should all encourage each other to keep up the good work.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Why you should vote...
My totally awesome church sent this great message to me in our November newsletter which I received today...
"The Apostle Paul has very firm instruction for us in the matter of government: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves, " Romans 13:1,2".
"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor," Romans 13:7"
"It is our responsibility to respect, honor and participate in the election process. Prayerfully vote your conscience on November 2nd. On November 3rd, as you learn who won and who lost, remember that God is in charge. His will be done regardless of what man may design, but He does act through His people."
Also...
"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse where he pleases. Proverbs 21:1"
And...
"The LORD is still in control! He will use, guide and direct, even if it appears bad to us, for the sake of precious souls and for the spread of His holy and saving Gospel. It has always been that way and will always remain that way until the kingdom of the left hand (earthly rule as Luther called it) bows to the Kingdom of the right hand (Jesus' rule made visible at the end of time). Then there will be no need for earthly kingdoms - heaven will be our home."
Finally...
"So, exercise your right and responsibility and vote your heart. Then at the end of November, gather on Thanksgiving Day and give thanks - no matter who is elected - that we are so blessed in our wide and free and happy land where the LORD is still in control of our greatest blessings!"
"The Apostle Paul has very firm instruction for us in the matter of government: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves, " Romans 13:1,2".
"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor," Romans 13:7"
"It is our responsibility to respect, honor and participate in the election process. Prayerfully vote your conscience on November 2nd. On November 3rd, as you learn who won and who lost, remember that God is in charge. His will be done regardless of what man may design, but He does act through His people."
Also...
"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse where he pleases. Proverbs 21:1"
And...
"The LORD is still in control! He will use, guide and direct, even if it appears bad to us, for the sake of precious souls and for the spread of His holy and saving Gospel. It has always been that way and will always remain that way until the kingdom of the left hand (earthly rule as Luther called it) bows to the Kingdom of the right hand (Jesus' rule made visible at the end of time). Then there will be no need for earthly kingdoms - heaven will be our home."
Finally...
"So, exercise your right and responsibility and vote your heart. Then at the end of November, gather on Thanksgiving Day and give thanks - no matter who is elected - that we are so blessed in our wide and free and happy land where the LORD is still in control of our greatest blessings!"
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