u/CamperGigi88

So I have been a Lutheran for about a year and a half coming out of Evangelical/Baptist/Non-d. I sometimes go back and listen to my former pastor preach online just to compare and contrast. He did a sermon about baptism being a 'first act of obedience', 'outward sign of an inward change', has nothing to do with water, etc. He went on to cite passages that he said some claim to be about water baptism, or point to baptism being salvific, but then goes on to say, 'what Jesus means here....or what this actually means is...'
Can I tell you the frustration this gives me because of how the book of Revelation was taught to me? It's like everything is flipped in evangelical churches. The things we should take by their plain meaning is explained away as meaning something else, and the things that are meant for allegory and illustration are taken quite literally. Try telling an evangelical that the 1000 years is not an exact number of years but meant to describe a long time. They'll practically think you're a heretic.
Sorry, I guess I shouldn't get upset, it's just that there were so many issues I struggled with, like salvation anxiety because I couldn't name the exact time and date I was saved. I feel sad for others like me who struggle so much with faith issues and don't know what they're missing.
I'm grateful that I found Confessional Lutheranism!

What do you do? What types of work and service do you perform? How long did it take you to become licensed? I was not raised Lutheran so I'm learning and have been a member for about a year and a half of a wonderful church. I had it in the back of my mind to look into serving after getting more familiar with everything, and then recently my pastor asked me if I would be interested in serving. I'm honored he thought of me. I'm praying about it and want to understand fully all that this involves. God bless, thanks in advance!

Will try to make this as short as possible:

I've been the faith leader of our household for 15 years. We have a 17 year old son.

My husband was raised 'born again' Christian but was never really too interested. He will tell you he is a believer, remembers some Scripture from the couple of years he went to Christian school, will tell anyone he believes...but beyond that has never had any interest in the things of God. He doesn't like going to church, he never reads the Bible and if I go on too long about something theological that is very interesting to me, he loses interest and get annoyed. He says he prays but will not pray out loud. I once asked him to pray (I always do the family prayer) and he got angry. He worked on Sundays for years so he had an excuse but now that he's retired I've requested he come to church.

I was raise nominally Catholic, fell away for many years and then returned to faith about 15 years ago. I attended a few Baptist/non-d churches over the years and when my husband did attend on a few occasions he was okay with these settings. He doesn't sing the beginning worship songs, but then gets to sit for the rest of the service as the preacher talked for about 45 minutes.

I struggled with faith until I discovered Confessional Lutheranism. I am over the moon with my church and finally feel like I'm in a scripturally sound place. The Sacraments, the Divine Service, it all is biblical to me and glorifying to God. Gospel centered, Jesus centered; it's just what I feel is right and so comforting to me.

I take my son, who is wandering from faith but I feel peace knowing he's hearing the Gospel so thoroughly. I've asked, for family unity's sake, that my husband attend. He's begrudgingly going, but hates it. "Robotic, ritualistic, too Catholic...." I've tried to explain the scripturally soundness of it but he says I'm "too deep into studying the Bible" and that it should be easy.

He says he wants to find a place we can all feel comfortable. Two things with that: One- he won't. It's not a priority for him to find a church. Two: If we actually did go back to something he's comfortable in, I will be heartbroken.

What is the right thing to do here?

Thanks for reading this novel.