Full story here: http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live...O.html?sid=101

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--Laura

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
Jeremiah 10:23 (NKJV)

We've heard of corporate mergers for struggling companies (e.g., airlines)... now denominational mergers?

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--Laura

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
Jeremiah 10:23 (NKJV)

Why not? They are so close in their beliefs anyway

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John 6:67-68: "Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, 'Would ye also go away?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.'"

I don't even know what the differences are. Can someone explain?

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--Laura

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
Jeremiah 10:23 (NKJV)

Someone correct me if I am wrong. They hold to many of the same false doctrines. The methodists arose out of the Episcopals and we know the details of lutherans. They both drag a great deal of baggage out of catholicism. Both engage in infant baptism, both "ordain" women as priests. Both hold to a "faith only" doctrine of salvation. Both hold that scripture is fine but church doctrine will overrule the Bible.

The lutheran church claims it is the mother of methodism. Both claim to be branches, and division is fine and dandy. And both cling to their creeds.

I know I didn't answer your question about being different. To me they are both equally useless, and equally wrong. But they do seem like they would get along.

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John 6:67-68: "Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, 'Would ye also go away?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.'"

I guess it is time for a few more threads in the denominations area!

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Romans 16:16 1 Thess. 5:17 1 Thess. 5:22 1 Tim. 6:12 2 Tim 2:15

Lutheran and Methodists are Catholic-lite, basically. They hold to he beliefs except the clergy is married and the congregants don't have to obey or believe anything.

Both baptize for the remission of sins; however, they baptise infants, which kinda makes the remission of sins baptism beside the point. That and the fact that it is generally by sprinkling or effusion. (They'll dunk you if you request it.)

Both use alcohol and both allow homosexuals to do as they please. I know of a church
that has a homosexual bible class teacher who is very well received.

I'm just trying to figure out what is sufficiently different between the two groups that they didn't just join together to start with. Why two separate groups? To me that implies some fundamental differences in doctrine, but then... maybe not?

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--Laura

O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
Jeremiah 10:23 (NKJV)

Laura,

At least in the South, the Methodists weren't always this way. I have some Methodist books from the turn of the century and they were dedicated to the Word (though wrong). For example, they did not use IM in the country churches until the mid-1800s and they had firey sermons that denounced others faiths such as Baptists and members of the Lord's church.

They believed in "family altars" and circuit-riding preachers, while Lutherans had priests and "high church." Methodists also believed in the Holy Spirit's gifts, though they didn't always know what to do with them. In addition, they were firm believers in the temperance movement years ago, while Lutherans were just junior Cathoics. Now, there isn't much difference since the Methodists branches joined together (North and South) and then joined with the United Brethern to form the UMC.

I grew up in the Methodist church but it was just Methodist way back then. They have always been liberal and sprinkling was/is the primary "baptism" although as Joe pointed out, they would immerse if requested. Even as a teenager, I had questions about the doctrine and method of worship but the questions were generally ignored. "You will learn as you grow older" was the most common catch phrase. In our small community in Texas, we had Lutherns, Episcopalians, Independant Baptist, etc. that all worshiped in the church. Brush arbor meetings in the summer drew crowds from all denominations and every once in a while, someone from the church of Christ across the street would venture over. I was told, when very young, that I was going to "hell" if I didn't start going to the church of Christ. Of course, this "bowed" my back and made me more reluctant to hear what "they" had to say. Wrong approach for me

It has taken years of study of the Bible to climb out of that "pit". I was fortunate that I met someone that lead me in the right direction and untimately into marriage and baptism by immersion. We have been together for 43 years and still study the Bible to better equip ourselves for the wolves of the outside world. I have family that are still Methodists and no matter how much I try, they are still unwilling to listen. Their "religion" is too convenient for the way of life they have chosen.

End of my confessional!

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For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim 2:5 (U-NASB)

Okay...if you haven't take a look in the denominational area for some interesting stuff.

BUT, remember this...all denominations really got thier stat from the catholic religion as thier leaders tried to "reform" the church. But the church of Christ was from the beginning and it needed to be RESTORED (but not in the sense that you think...like it was destroyed) not reformed.

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Romans 16:16 1 Thess. 5:17 1 Thess. 5:22 1 Tim. 6:12 2 Tim 2:15

I went to a Lutheran high school. They hold many doctrines similar to Catholics. They follow all of the Creeds.

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“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
Hebrews 11:6