I have been quiet and away

There was alot happening my life in the past few weeks and I have been too busy to get online long enough to post a blog. There were economic issues as well as other issues that impacted my life.

One of the areas that I was busy is trying to find a local church for BOTH my wife (who is catholic) and I (Reformed). For 5 years, my wife and I have been visiting many churches around the area. There were some that had potential but didn't work out. My wife and I think we found a home church that we BOTH can enjoy together. We have tried many different denominations and churches. We think we found one that we BOTH can enjoy worshiping together every Sunday.

Most Christian denominations and movements share common beliefs in the major aspects of the Christian faith, while differing in many secondary doctrines. We are attending the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) local church. Lutherans are a sometimes neglected group of evangelicals, since they lie somewhere in between Arminianism and Calvinism in their view of divine sovereignty, and embrace neither dispensationalism nor covenant theology in their understanding how the Old and New Testaments relate to one another. Their liturgical worship and their understanding of baptism and the Lord’s Supper bear some resemblance to Catholic practice, but their doctrine of salvation is emphatically Protestant. Ultimately, Lutheranism is best understood on its own terms rather than by comparison to other systems.

Lutheran seems almost unknown in American Christianity. Catholics, Episcopalians, Baptists, Charismatics, and Calvinists are well-represented. Within Protestantism, Calvinists attack Lutherans for “not going far enough in the Reformation,” for keeping papistical practices and idolatrous worship. Arminians attack Lutherans for not believing in the freedom of the will and for leaving the door open to anti-nominianism. Charismatics think Lutherans are “cold.” Fundamentalists say Lutherans are strong on doctrine but weak on morals. Lutherans condemn Arminians for not believing in predestination and Calvinists for believing in double predestination. Catholics and Charismatics are considered alike in believing that the Holy Spirit reveals Himself in human beings, apart from the Word. Fundamentalists are savaged for their legalism.

We are attending classes to learn more about Lutheran doctrines and the local church's beliefs.

I will keep you posted.

Jim