Baptists that Use the Liturgy

As Lutherans continue to jettison the beautiful liturgy, evangelicals pick up this discarded treasure along the way and discover the gem we so willingly lost. Some apparently found it a while back - even the Baptists, a seemingly anti-creedal/ anti-liturgical church if there ever was one. In one of the letters to the editor in the July 2008 issue of Christianity Today, one reader writes a familiar lament often heard by confessional Lutherans:

"Raised in a dully affiliated Southern Baptist/American Baptist church that followed the liturgy, I have searched ever since for Protestant churches steeped in this tradition as I've moved around the country. Along the way, I've tried to return to my Baptist roots more than once, but have repeatedly experienced worship services that not only lack any liturgical elements, but also have a carnival-like atmosphere in which the focus is more on the people than on God. Just to cite one obvious example: Why do so many Bible churches set aside no time for formal Scripture readings as part of the service, rather than as a mere segue into the pastor's sermon? While emphasizing our personal relationship with God, some churches neglect God's power and mystery evoked by the liturgy, which Galli described so well."

Now the only thing we need to do for this poor soul is to find him a good Lutheran church. His letter is signed from Milford, Virginia. Anyone want to look up J. Steven Moore and invite him to church?

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