Attending two Lutheran churches.

[Tigger]

A little advice and input from my friends at CH. I attend two Lutheran churches most Sundays because the one where my wife and I are members at is a bit liberal for me. It's LCMC-Lutheran congregations in missions for Christ. This association of Lutheran churches broke off from the ELCA over the ordination of practicing Gay clergy. The LCMC are not confessional Lutherans and practice open communion and ordain female pastors. Also they don't 'at least at my congregation' normally preach 'Law & Gospel' although they would agree with the principle.

A little history about my journey with Christ. I was brought up in a nominally practicing RC family. We mainly only attended church on Christmas and Easter but I considered myself Catholic. When I was about 30 I met a guy who could articulate Evangelical Christianity. Baptist and Calvary Chapel style theology. At that time my ex-wife and I started and became members of an ELCA church back in the early 90's because it was evangelical but still had a Catholic feel to it that I was used too but we weren't taught the distinctions of confessional Lutheranism. Since then I've attended almost every denomination out there and divorced that wife. Why you might ask, because some women are the devil! LOL!!!



Anyway since then I've remarried to a wonderful woman that I consider grace personified. She's from Venezuela and as very typical people from those countries are very RC family/culture oriented. Although when I met her she was completely disillusioned with the whole 'church thing'. Now since my conversion to Christ I've always been 'on fire for the Lord' which my wife has always been supportive of and at one point I became and Eastern Orthodox catechumen for about six months. Orthodoxy was too rigorous for me so when I started looking for a new 'home church' I decided with my Orthodox exposure to church history, I wanted an evangelical church that was liturgical and sacramental. That's when we found our current LCMC church.

The more I've learned about Lutheran distinctions the more I've gravitated to confessional Lutheranism. I've visited all of the LCMS congregations in a reasonable driving distance and have found one I'm really impressed with the pastors sermons. (I could upload a video or two if anyone is interested) Now my wife who is like I said very supportive really likes our current congregation. She actually enjoys going to church there which is very important to me and I'd hate to do anything that might curb her new found faith in Christ. She did visit the LCMS church once at a night service of Epiphany and was actually taking notes. That touched my heart so she's not against that congregation but she has strong ties to our current church and she's not the theology junky I am so Lutheran distinctions aren't as important to her as they are to me.

So here I am attending the 8am service at the LCMS church and meeting my wife, mother and sister at the LCMC church for the 11:15am service. My mother and sister also like the LCMC church which is important to me and probably wouldn't like the LCMS one and would stop attending church all together.

In order for me to start taking communion at the LCMS church I'd have to stop taking communion at the LCMC church which would be a bit awkward.

 

[psalms 91]

I can relate, I go to a Pentecostal church qnd a Methodist church

 

[Lamb]

Is your wife willing to maybe start attending some of the events held at the LCMS church to get acquainted with the members and feel more at home? Sometimes you have to ease into a new congregation as a couple.

 

[Tigger]

Is your wife willing to maybe start attending some of the events held at the LCMS church to get acquainted with the members and feel more at home? Sometimes you have to ease into a new congregation as a couple.

Yeah that's what I'm thinking too. I've been watching the church's service calendar for other 'Fiest Day' services held in the evening like the Epiphany service we went to to get her more aquatinted with the congregation without forcing her to miss regular service at our current congregation.

 

[Tigger]

I can relate, I go to a Pentecostal church qnd a Methodist church

That's interesting, what's the draw for each tradition for you or is it something else that compels you to each one?

 

[psalms 91]

The Pentecostal because of the depth of the teaching and the people. the Methodist is because I am used more there as the Pentecostal church is very small. The people are great and they have a praise band that is really good. I feel God both places

 

[Lamb]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking too. I've been watching the church's service calendar for other 'Fiest Day' services held in the evening like the Epiphany service we went to to get her more aquatinted with the congregation without forcing her to miss regular service at our current congregation.

Is there a bible study during the week you can attend? Most Lutheran bible studies have treats afterward

 

[Tigger]

Is there a bible study during the week you can attend? Most Lutheran bible studies have treats afterward

Good idea but the only one listed is at someone's house who lives in the opposite direction from the church than we do and would be about a fourty five minute drive.

 

[Lamb]

Good idea but the only one listed is at someone's house who lives in the opposite direction from the church than we do and would be about a fourty five minute drive.

Yeah, that's a long drive especially if they are evening meetings. My church is anywhere from 35-50 minutes away depending on traffic. I wish I could go to more events and bible studies but it takes up so much time. My previous church was 6 minutes away so I was always at the church doing something. But now that we've moved I don't want to be at the church when my husband and I really only have each other out here and evenings and weekends are time for us to spend together. I kind of have a feeling God planned it like this for now.

You could do home bible studies if you aren't already doing them? CPH has some great study guides!

 

[Tigger]

I kind of have a feeling God planned it like this for now.

^This is what was I feeling about our situation as well^

With my wife, mother and sister 'being fed' at our current congregation I think its best if I leave things well enough alone. I like the pastors and congregation I just would prefer a confessional church. I'll keep attending both congregations until something changes and then I'll make a move at that time. I might chat with the LCMS pastor about this more at some point. Previously we'd been in contact by email and text and then we had a pretty good sit down face to face and he said at that time if I ever felt like chatting again to just give him a holler.

 

[Lamb]

^This is what was I feeling about our situation as well^

With my wife, mother and sister 'being fed' at our current congregation I think its best if I leave things well enough alone. I like the pastors and congregation I just would prefer a confessional church. I'll keep attending both congregations until something changes and then I'll make a move at that time. I might chat with the LCMS pastor about this more at some point. Previously we'd been in contact by email and text and then we had a pretty good sit down face to face and he said at that time if I ever felt like chatting again to just give him a holler.

Keep your eyes open at the current church in case some outside influences change their doctrine. It can sneak up on members and because they've been there so long they're reluctant to leave. That happened at a friend's church. She didn't want to leave her friends even though she knew what was happening wasn't biblical in her congregation.

 

[Tigger]

Keep your eyes open at the current church in case some outside influences change their doctrine. It can sneak up on members and because they've been there so long they're reluctant to leave. That happened at a friend's church. She didn't want to leave her friends even though she knew what was happening wasn't biblical in her congregation.

Yes I agree. What I like to do is we usually go to lunch after service and I'll ask them what they thought of the sermon so I get to hear how they are perceiving things. Most of the times the sermons are good and occasionally great and I like to help bring out the biblical concept covered by the pastor. When the Lutheran distinction is missed from the sermon I'll explain what the official Lutheran approach is without trying to come off to negative.