This past Sunday evening there was much rejoicing. Two of our children were baptized!

Acts 2:38-39
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

They were asked several questions in front of a small congregation and gave their testimony in that way. I video taped the questions EXCEPT for the first two questions (I couldn't remember how to work my camera). The questions not on the video are:
1. What is the sign of baptism? Answer: Washing with water
2. What does the washing with water represent? Answer: that we are untied with Christ and cleansed from sin by his blood.
You can listen to the rest....


Here are a few pictures.....

The service was concluded with someone playing Amazing Grace on their trumpet, which of course, brought tears to my eyes.

Labels: Catechism, children, Christianity, Family, Sacraments

Within the Protestant church there are many misunderstandings and disagreement over the mode & meaning baptism. Sometimes it is important to focus on the things we can agree upon. I can remember one of the best examples of this is when my husband and a fellow minister jointly preached a sermon on baptism. The commonalities between Credobaptism and Paedobaptism and the promise of God's grace as expressed and experienced through them were explained without tearing each other down. Many people were encouraged and educated. I found this page to be a great example of unity between the Credobaptist and Paedobaptist. On the Reformation 21 blog there is a list of 17 statements that can be agreed on by both. This list is compiled by a Mark Dever(SBC) and a David Coffin(PCA).

Labels: Christianity, Encouragement, Sacraments

This is a follow-up to a previous posting entitled Pharisee or Not?. I have had several emails and comments regarding this post and I feel as if the point that I am trying to get across is being lost. My point, at the heart of it, has nothing to do with alcohol; it is the practice of observing the Lord’s Supper and our customs. I know several people who refuse to take communion because:
(1) they won't drink any alcohol and think communion should only be served with grape juice, or
(2) communion should only be served with wine, or
(3) bread should be used instead of wafers…and in fact the bread must be unleavened.

My point was that these sorts of things should not hinder or stop us from having fellowship with a particular church or communing with God through The Lord's Supper. If these things do hinder us then we need to evaluate whether they are truely of God, according to the Scriptures, or whether they are simply self imposed good moral convictions based solely on our tradition, particular upbringing and/or church custom. Basically, are they scriptural? If they are not scriptural then our personal bias should be put aside at times (like when visiting a church that practices the Lord’s Supper differently) for a full scriptural view, so that our personal bias/tradition/custom doesn’t interfere with our taking of the Lord's Supper, even if we do not like the elements and what is served.

On a side note: Some seemto have taken offense at my use of the word pride. I used that word specifically because I have heard several people use that word when saying "it is not a pride thing but conviction". I used the word because that is the word others had used in making reference to this issue; and I am not referring to any one individual in particular either. As I said, I have heard this statement made on several occasions by various people across several denominational lines.

I wanted this to be a public discussion of views amongst other believers and did not mean it as a personal attack. This is why it was posted publically and not addressed to any one individual. It seems to me that maybe some have taken this as a personal attack. I want to assure you it was not directed at anyone in particular.

I hope we can keep talking openly and honestly because I truly believe this will help all of us grow spiritually as we wrestle with these issues and our comfort zones are stretched.
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Labels: Christianity, Sacraments

We have begun attending a church that instead of using grape juice for Communion uses wine for the Lord's Supper. Now I am not a drinker but this does not bother me in the least. It has put me to thinking on this subject lately though. I was once told by someone that they would never take communion in a church that only offered wine. She proceeded to tell me that she had never had any type of alcoholic drink in her entire life and that it was just something she committed to abstaining from. This is very commendable,I completely understand her conviction to avoid alcoholic drink and applaud her on following through with her conviction. However, I have a nagging concern the more I think about this. She also told me that this was not a pride thing it is just something she committed herself to doing. The more I ponder her statements, the more I have begun to feel that it is indeed a pride thing. When we begin to put our own personal righteousness in higher importance than communing with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at His table we have become like the Pharisees.

What are your thoughts on this????

Labels: Christianity, Sacraments