Ray Sexton

@PatrickMahomes He is risen indeed! I hope your family has a wonderful Easter!

He is Risen! 🙏🏽✝️

@PastorBenMeyer @a_concordia Respect

These guys again drove their tractors to church to celebrate the resurrection

Good morning! He has Risen!

@citrusinspector Nope.

@_SextonRay Make Paedocommunion Great Again

Why is there so many Lutherans that are against early communion?😞 (ages; 10-14).

@RevTShinnick Yep

@_SextonRay Pietism

@ConvincedO That’s also a problem. People think that’s extremely early.

@_SextonRay That's... very late.

The biggest irony of it all is it’s mostly the elderly members that have a problem with it. The same generations that used to hate contemporary worship, defended the practice of closed communion, and believed in the importance of early communion. Now I feel like it’s come to the point where it’s my generation that is trying to preserve traditional Lutheranism.

It is an interesting question. At my previous congregation we had managed to move first communion up, but only by one year prior to the Rite of Confirmation with only a bit of resistance. But the moment we suggested moving even earlier, people really dug in against it.

@drs_lcb59antscs Yep, It’s not only the lack of understanding Lutheran traditions. It’s also the lack of discipline in the house

@_SextonRay Oh, and the answer as to why many aren't ready sooner is the lack of in-home/family catechesis.

@drs_lcb59antscs I want to puke when people say this.🤦🏻‍♂️ So you’re saying we should deprive Christs sacrament from kids who are ready to take it because it might hurt your child’s “FEELINGS?”

@_SextonRay Many people view it as a criticism of their parenting. "These kids are ready but mine aren't and I don't want them to be left out." My church has an earlier process, where the default confirmation happens at 6th grade but parents may start sooner if they deem their child ready.

Exactly! Dr. Todd Beirman is a member of my church and nailed that point to the ground in our last meeting. Not only do we want our children to receive the sacrament as early as possible to receive Christ's eternal gifts, but we also must encourage households to help the child develop in its faith in the church as early as possible and prevent the bad habit of treating confirmation like a high school homework assignment. The process of confirmation is not solely up to the pastor. It is also the responsibility of the parents.

@_SextonRay Yes, and keeping confirmation at age 14 is the epitome of “insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.” For 14 years we’ve taught them the Sacrament isn’t THAT important by our actions. They believe our actions rather than our words.

It’s a shame. My church currently is talking through whether we should open up a new confirmation class for kids down to 10 years old (we have always just confirmed high school freshmen), and there are quite a few people that are not educated in scripture or the Book of Concord. During meetings, a couple of people, including my dad, will quote the Book of Concord, while my pastor also will also try to educate people who disagree with early communion. But people in my church are just so stuck in their tradition and bad experiences in the past that they refuse to budge.

@_SextonRay It is RIDICULOUS. Look up in the Triglotta the words of Bugenhagen introducing the Danish translation of the SC. “That, after this confession is made, also the little children of about 8 years OR LESS should be admitted to the table of Him who said: Suffer the children…” p. 82

@the_luthmander @LutheranAnswers @LutheranAnswers, is this true?🤔

Friends, for those who continue to question: Our review shows an unauthorized login from an unknown browser/computer outside our network during the time of the disputed replies. 1/2

@RedProdigal Wise words

@_SextonRay Perhaps because it is. Just very slow acting. Just sayin'

I’m currently drinking a Red Bull for the first time. It tastes like poison.

A mistake that I have made in the past is idolizing the LCMS by thinking it is a perfect synod. Be aware of the many LCMS churches that practice false teachings. They exist. No matter how big or popular a poisonous church body is, search for a traditional church that is faithful to the Bible and the book of Concord.