Yes, It's Time To Ditch The 'Contemporary Worship' Service
Pastor Matt Richard called attention to more evidence that suggests that many young Christians are having "Sacramental yearnings" these days and highlighted previous reports that substantiate similar claims.
As a young Christian myself, and one who just recently escaped Evangelicalism to become a Confessional Lutheran, I can validate such assertions.
Truth is, it was a proper (a.k.a. Biblical) understanding of the Holy Sacraments that drew me back to the Lutheran Church in the first place.
It wasn't just a desire for liturgy and sacraments because they were previously downplayed or missing in Evangelical circles, but a desire to have the liturgy and sacraments as a part of each church service from a desire to want to receive God's gifts in the form of such means of grace.
Plus, once I learned that the Holy Sacraments were not "symbolic" at all and that they were objective, tangible "gifts from God" rather than "Proof of My Obedience To Him" (or something He does for me as opposed to something I do for Him) for the first time in my young Christian life, that glorious discovery provided me with undeniable assurance and comfort in something OBJECTIVE, and OUTSIDE of myself; something SOLELY dependent upon Christ and Christ alone.
So, yes, it's time to ditch the "Contemporary Worship" service and return to an historical "Divine Liturgy" church service where the Word of God is properly preached and the Sacraments are rightly administered to God's people.
Why is this such an important issue?
Why is this such an important issue? "God is present in our liturgy, offering His gifts of salvation" -- that's why, my dear friends.
Otherwise, we're left with the only alternative.
In a Lutheran Layman's terms, let's pursue unity in faith; a faith that informs our practice (Ephesians 4:1-16).
[NOTE: As you know, I am a newly converted Confessional Lutheran who recently escaped American Evangelicalism. That being said, please contact me ASAP if you believe that any of my "old beliefs" seem to have crept their way into any of the material you see published here, and especially if any of the content is not consistent with Lutheran doctrine -- in other words, if it's not consistent with God's Word -- so that I can correct those errors immediately and not lead any of His little ones astray. Thank you in advance for your time and help. Grace and peace to you and yours!]
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Sacramental Yearnings; Young Christians Are Desiring Historical Liturgy, Not Contemporary Worship
The Evangelical Exodus To Confessional Faith
Liturgy, Neither Alone Nor Neutral
Becoming a Liturgical Lutheran
As a young Christian myself, and one who just recently escaped Evangelicalism to become a Confessional Lutheran, I can validate such assertions.
Truth is, it was a proper (a.k.a. Biblical) understanding of the Holy Sacraments that drew me back to the Lutheran Church in the first place.
It wasn't just a desire for liturgy and sacraments because they were previously downplayed or missing in Evangelical circles, but a desire to have the liturgy and sacraments as a part of each church service from a desire to want to receive God's gifts in the form of such means of grace.
Plus, once I learned that the Holy Sacraments were not "symbolic" at all and that they were objective, tangible "gifts from God" rather than "Proof of My Obedience To Him" (or something He does for me as opposed to something I do for Him) for the first time in my young Christian life, that glorious discovery provided me with undeniable assurance and comfort in something OBJECTIVE, and OUTSIDE of myself; something SOLELY dependent upon Christ and Christ alone.
So, yes, it's time to ditch the "Contemporary Worship" service and return to an historical "Divine Liturgy" church service where the Word of God is properly preached and the Sacraments are rightly administered to God's people.
Why is this such an important issue?
The Church's liturgy is a humble expression and demonstration of the nature of the Kingdom. No matter how difficult our hymns, how untrained our organist, how weak our singing, God is present in our liturgy, offering His gifts of salvation. We dare not be seduced into thinking that the Kingdom comes by our own relevant production and performance. We must always maintain that the Kingdom is hidden under the humble means of God's proclamation of the new era of salvation in Jesus Christ through simple words, simple water, simple bread, and wine.
*- Dr. Arthur Just
Why is this such an important issue? "God is present in our liturgy, offering His gifts of salvation" -- that's why, my dear friends.
Otherwise, we're left with the only alternative.
A Parody of Our Modern Church Service
In a Lutheran Layman's terms, let's pursue unity in faith; a faith that informs our practice (Ephesians 4:1-16).
[NOTE: As you know, I am a newly converted Confessional Lutheran who recently escaped American Evangelicalism. That being said, please contact me ASAP if you believe that any of my "old beliefs" seem to have crept their way into any of the material you see published here, and especially if any of the content is not consistent with Lutheran doctrine -- in other words, if it's not consistent with God's Word -- so that I can correct those errors immediately and not lead any of His little ones astray. Thank you in advance for your time and help. Grace and peace to you and yours!]
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An excellent follow-up to read...
ReplyDeletehttp://lutherftw.blogspot.com/2014/01/were-all-sacramental-kind-of-unless.html
Grace And Peace,
Jeff