I credit my parents in bringing me to church and Sunday school on a regular basis. I was raised with liturgy and hymns. I grew up appreciating the sense of worshipping across the ages with the invisible Christian church and of being reminded each Sunday the basics of our faith in God.
In college, I began attending the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship meetings. We sang songs that reminded me of the ones we used to sing at summer church camp. We also watched movies that were basically designed to scare people into making a decision for Christ so that they wouldn't go to hell. I attended a local Bible church just outside of town. It was completely independent of any oversight by any governing body, except for the elders of the church. Every service was filled with old Baptist hymns and Bible-based sermons; we were supposed to have our Bibles out and ready with pens and paper during his sermons. This little Bible church was adamantly opposed to a printed service outline or ever having anything resembling a liturgy. The pastor never wanted to be tied down to an order of worship; he wanted to be ready to change topics whenever the spirit moved him. I attended many, many Bible studies at this church.
After about a year and a half, I had seen enough troubling events (pastor refused to take direction from church elders, pastor's life was not in good order, some church members falling in and out of sin over and over again, no governing authority outside of the church, etc.). I began attended the on-campus Lutheran worship center and was comforted once again by tradition. I loved being part of corporate worship, with emphasis placed on God and not on the individual worshipper. Once I got my own car, I began driving to the sponsoring ELCA church to attend services with a natural body of believers - adults, students, children. I still was mostly unaware of any synodical changes going on from the recent merger, as most young adults would be. I finished my college studies while attending this ELCA church, but I did keep attending the weekly campus InterVaristy meetings. I loved getting together with my Evangelical Christian friends to sing and pray. These same friends did not attend my Lutheran church on Sunday mornings, but remained at the little Bible church. This didn't bother me at all. I saw myself as melding my traditional lutheran upbringing with the best of the evangelical Christian world. I was too young and too untrained to see any problem with an ecumenical worldview. I would continue this pattern of buffet-style faith and worship until it nearly drained me of my faith twenty years later.
Monday, June 14, 2004
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
My faith journey, part III - Grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone
One reason I began this weblog was to begin to put into words my thoughts and experiences in the Christian faith. In particular, I'm trying to write my story of going from being raised a mainstream lutheran to becoming an evangelical who eventually returned to her ELCA church (along with many other evangelicals who were given free reign to change the church) and then finally found a home in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod as a confessional lutheran.
I've already written about being raised mainstream lutheran and becoming an evangelical. Today, with the help of a friend, I was able to put together the third part of my journey: going from the ELCA to the ELS. The middle part of my story covers twenty years, so I'll need some more time to work on that post. It has been very difficult to verbalize my feelings towards the changing ELCA. It complicates my task to learn that the changes in the ELCA go beyond me and my life time:back many, many generations over more than a century and a half.
The current situation in the ELCA is depressing. In fact, it is beyond depressing to live firsthand in the expansive moral morass. For me, words cannot describe the absolute state of confusion which is glorified there. I personally experienced incorporation of the false teachings of Robert Schuller , use of the Alpha program for confirmation in place of Luther's small catechism , using Baptist curriculum for Sunday School, abandoning formal confirmation classes because kids and their families complained it was too boring, loss of the liturgy for hand-clapping, emotional performances and meaningless songs, the impending vote next year to ordain and bless practicing homosexuals, etc. I knew for five years that I had to leave, but I kept thinking that I owed it to my home church to stay and try to be a positive influence.
Although it was hard to leave after 30 years of membership at my home church, I did it to protect my own salvation and for the benefit of my children. I now experience much joy at the biblical truths preached and practiced at confessional lutheran congregations, such as King of Grace. I know, after 20 years of searching through churches, that there is no perfect church and never will be on this earth.
I was attracted to King of Grace and confessional lutheranism because the Word is faithfully preached and taught. It's strength is turning people to God's Word. I have confidence that Scripture will be the final word on changes made in the ELS. It's grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone and Christ alone - that's what I like about our church. I feel such freedom in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and at King of Grace: freedom that comes from the peace of mind knowing that the Word is being clearly taught to me and my family, not on somebody's whim or interpretation. I know that my husband and I will grow old in this church and see our grandchildren baptized and confirmed at this church.
Since I am an avid fan of the Q&A section of the WELS website (see link below), I am aware of the many divisions in the more conservative Lutheran synods. I don't pretend to understand them and, in fact, I think that the arguers should realize that there are many newcomers to confessional lutheranism who have very little idea what all the fighting is about between WELS/ELS and LC/MS, etc. Not to belittle the arguments, since they surely stem from legitimate complaints, but God has obviously brought many new people into the church since then. I hope to see more evangelicals turn to confessional lutheranism. I also pray that long-standing members are always so patient with those of us relearning scriptural truths. So far, so good!
I've already written about being raised mainstream lutheran and becoming an evangelical. Today, with the help of a friend, I was able to put together the third part of my journey: going from the ELCA to the ELS. The middle part of my story covers twenty years, so I'll need some more time to work on that post. It has been very difficult to verbalize my feelings towards the changing ELCA. It complicates my task to learn that the changes in the ELCA go beyond me and my life time:back many, many generations over more than a century and a half.
The current situation in the ELCA is depressing. In fact, it is beyond depressing to live firsthand in the expansive moral morass. For me, words cannot describe the absolute state of confusion which is glorified there. I personally experienced incorporation of the false teachings of Robert Schuller , use of the Alpha program for confirmation in place of Luther's small catechism , using Baptist curriculum for Sunday School, abandoning formal confirmation classes because kids and their families complained it was too boring, loss of the liturgy for hand-clapping, emotional performances and meaningless songs, the impending vote next year to ordain and bless practicing homosexuals, etc. I knew for five years that I had to leave, but I kept thinking that I owed it to my home church to stay and try to be a positive influence.
Although it was hard to leave after 30 years of membership at my home church, I did it to protect my own salvation and for the benefit of my children. I now experience much joy at the biblical truths preached and practiced at confessional lutheran congregations, such as King of Grace. I know, after 20 years of searching through churches, that there is no perfect church and never will be on this earth.
I was attracted to King of Grace and confessional lutheranism because the Word is faithfully preached and taught. It's strength is turning people to God's Word. I have confidence that Scripture will be the final word on changes made in the ELS. It's grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone and Christ alone - that's what I like about our church. I feel such freedom in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and at King of Grace: freedom that comes from the peace of mind knowing that the Word is being clearly taught to me and my family, not on somebody's whim or interpretation. I know that my husband and I will grow old in this church and see our grandchildren baptized and confirmed at this church.
Since I am an avid fan of the Q&A section of the WELS website (see link below), I am aware of the many divisions in the more conservative Lutheran synods. I don't pretend to understand them and, in fact, I think that the arguers should realize that there are many newcomers to confessional lutheranism who have very little idea what all the fighting is about between WELS/ELS and LC/MS, etc. Not to belittle the arguments, since they surely stem from legitimate complaints, but God has obviously brought many new people into the church since then. I hope to see more evangelicals turn to confessional lutheranism. I also pray that long-standing members are always so patient with those of us relearning scriptural truths. So far, so good!
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
An Anniversary of Sorts - Part I of my faith journey
It has been one year since we left the ELCA. This past year has been the most spiritual rich of my life. I have learned so much and yet I feel like I'm just starting.
My life thus far...
My husband and I were raised lutheran (LCA and ELC). We were taught Luther's Small Catechism, memorized creeds and scripture and were confirmed in 10th grade in somber ceremonies. There were a few confirmands who seemed, to me, to be a bit overly religious for our age. The adults were impressed with those kids and had them speak at the confirmation service. After confirmation, we were still strongly "encouraged" to attend church, but at least we didn't have to sit through boring confirmation classes. Being teens, we didn't notice the talks the adults were having about a merger. I remember being told that the ELC had become the ELCA, but it meant nothing to me. I'm sure my mom tried to explain it to me. Our church didn't seem to change to me once we became part of the ELCA. Our pastors seemed old and boring to me, except for Pastor Maynard Nelson. For some reason, I paid attention to his sermons. He was the only one who didn't "preach" about world hunger or social justice; he actually preached from the Bible. It was his ability to preach the gospel that eventually brought me back to that ELCA church after years of searching through the evangelical, baptist and protestant world.
In my second year of college, through the influence of some new friends, I learned that it was "bad" to be lutheran. My new friends told that I needed to be born again. I was vulnerable to this teaching because I had spent the past year and a half listening to false friends who told me that life was just a big party. This turned about to be a lie and brought me lots of heartache. I was now confronted with my unconfessed sins and my friends seemed to be offering me hope of a fresh start. At the time I thought I had become born again through my "sinner's prayer". The one thought that I remember from that night was thinking, "I was taught about God and the Bible, but I thought He ceased to exist years ago and what was described in the Bible was just fiction." I had a very clear sense, all of a sudden, that God was real, He knew who I was and the Bible accounts were real. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't learn for 23 more years that the reason I knew those things was because God's Holy Spirit already existed in me, due to my parents bringing me to the Holy waters of baptism, to Sunday School and to confirmation; and that the only way I could possibly confess Jesus Christ as Lord was because of the Holy Spirit already in me. This one false teaching kept me from peace for 23 years and this very prevalent teaching among campus ministries will put my kids into good lutheran colleges! Still, I was on the right track. At least I wasn't looking for fellowship in the bars! I became actively involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. My goal became to rid my life of its sins, praise God, study the Bible and try to convert others. I attended an independent Bible church, because "everyone" knew that independent was best. I told people who asked that I was raised lutheran, but now I was a Christian. When I told my mom that I had become a Christian, she chuckled and asked what I was before. She knew that she had raised me in Christian faith. I think she was just glad that I was seeking God rather than parties. More later...
My life thus far...
My husband and I were raised lutheran (LCA and ELC). We were taught Luther's Small Catechism, memorized creeds and scripture and were confirmed in 10th grade in somber ceremonies. There were a few confirmands who seemed, to me, to be a bit overly religious for our age. The adults were impressed with those kids and had them speak at the confirmation service. After confirmation, we were still strongly "encouraged" to attend church, but at least we didn't have to sit through boring confirmation classes. Being teens, we didn't notice the talks the adults were having about a merger. I remember being told that the ELC had become the ELCA, but it meant nothing to me. I'm sure my mom tried to explain it to me. Our church didn't seem to change to me once we became part of the ELCA. Our pastors seemed old and boring to me, except for Pastor Maynard Nelson. For some reason, I paid attention to his sermons. He was the only one who didn't "preach" about world hunger or social justice; he actually preached from the Bible. It was his ability to preach the gospel that eventually brought me back to that ELCA church after years of searching through the evangelical, baptist and protestant world.
In my second year of college, through the influence of some new friends, I learned that it was "bad" to be lutheran. My new friends told that I needed to be born again. I was vulnerable to this teaching because I had spent the past year and a half listening to false friends who told me that life was just a big party. This turned about to be a lie and brought me lots of heartache. I was now confronted with my unconfessed sins and my friends seemed to be offering me hope of a fresh start. At the time I thought I had become born again through my "sinner's prayer". The one thought that I remember from that night was thinking, "I was taught about God and the Bible, but I thought He ceased to exist years ago and what was described in the Bible was just fiction." I had a very clear sense, all of a sudden, that God was real, He knew who I was and the Bible accounts were real. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't learn for 23 more years that the reason I knew those things was because God's Holy Spirit already existed in me, due to my parents bringing me to the Holy waters of baptism, to Sunday School and to confirmation; and that the only way I could possibly confess Jesus Christ as Lord was because of the Holy Spirit already in me. This one false teaching kept me from peace for 23 years and this very prevalent teaching among campus ministries will put my kids into good lutheran colleges! Still, I was on the right track. At least I wasn't looking for fellowship in the bars! I became actively involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. My goal became to rid my life of its sins, praise God, study the Bible and try to convert others. I attended an independent Bible church, because "everyone" knew that independent was best. I told people who asked that I was raised lutheran, but now I was a Christian. When I told my mom that I had become a Christian, she chuckled and asked what I was before. She knew that she had raised me in Christian faith. I think she was just glad that I was seeking God rather than parties. More later...
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