I think about this denomination thing often. I joke that every time I read a book where an author tells stories about their Christian faith tradition, I decide that’s the denomination I want to be. Visiting churches has become a hobby of mine.

 

What am I really seeking in all this wandering?

 

Recently, I had this idea to list the things my Southern Baptist upbringing didn’t teach me. Beautiful expressions of faith, often exercising all five of our God-given senses. I immediately balked at the concept. Southern Baptists gave me a solid foundation and because of their teaching, I have a thriving, wonderful walk with Jesus. If I were a betting woman, I’d wager you weren’t taught about all the things on this list either.

 

Yet my heart cry is to commune with Jesus in every way I can. It’s not about criticizing the faith of my childhood.

 

Except that’s what it was. The faith of a child. For every aspect of faith the Southern Baptists didn’t give me, they still did give me good things. Through an emphasis on the Lottie Moon offering and GA’s, they gave me a heart for worldwide missions. I gained a wealth of Bible knowledge; including so many Bible stories, the memorization of verses and familiarity with important passages of Scripture. At seven years old, I asked Jesus to be my personal Savior and I meant it. I cannot say enough about the sweet fellowship and the amazing potluck dinners. (Where else can you go and get four different kinds of meatloaf in one sitting?) Perhaps most importantly, they gave me faith wings.

 

Did you know when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the doors of Wittenberg Castle Church, he didn’t plan on leaving the Catholic Church and starting a whole protestant movement? He wanted to start a conversation. Maybe John Calvin, John Wesley, and so many other church founders were just looking for more of Jesus within the walls of the church.

 

Perhaps I’ll never settle my denominational unrest this side of heaven. I don’t feel I can call only one faith tradition home, which should come as no surprise. After all, as believers, we aren’t home yet.

 

 

1) Liturgical tradition

 

2) Stations of the Cross

 

3) Ash Wednesday Service

 

4) Prayer Kneelers

 

5) Midnight Christmas Eve Mass

 

6) Praying the Rosary

 

7) Mantilla

 

8) Wine for Communion

 

9) Apostle’s Creed

 

10) Nicene Creed

 

11) Daily Examen

 

12) Anointing with oil

 

13) Blessings from a Priest

 

14) Infant Baptism

 

15) Holy Water

 

 

16) Church Calendar

 

17) Season of Lent

 

18) Fish on Fridays (during Lent)

 

19) Advent

 

20) Christmastide

 

21) Eastertide

 

22) Pentecost Sunday

 

23) Ordinary Time

 

24) Education about the saints

 

25) Confession

 

26) Prostration as an act of worship

 

27) Incense

 

28) Lighting of Candles

 

29) Lamentation

 

30) Feasting

 

31) Service in Latin

 

32) Passover Seder

33) Purim

 

34) Sukkoth

 

35) Hanukkah

 

36) Rosh Hashanah

 

37) Prayer Shawl (Tallit)

 

38) Mezuzah

 

39) Menorah

 

40) Bat Mitzvah

 

41) Tefillin

 

42) Service in Hebrew

 

43) Education about Martin Luther & other reformers 

 

44) Apocrypha

 

45) Catechism

 

46) Homemade Bread for Lord’s Supper

 

47) Female Pastors

 

48) Dancing

 

49) Theological Discussions over Craft Beer

 

50) Formal, traditional prayers

 

51) Prayer Book

 

52) The story of Jael

 

53) The story of Phoebe

 

54) The story of Junia

 

55) The story of Jephthah

 

56) Prayer Bench

 

57) Modern-day prophets

 

58) Speaking in tongues

 

59) Icons

 

60) Venerating the Icons

 

61) Orthodox Rosary (Jesus Prayer) 

62) Prayer Rope

 

63) Antidoron

 

64) Monasteries

 

65) Service in Greek