Howdy All!

[GNITAC]

Hi All:

Just wanted to take a moment and introduce myself....to the extent I can. I don't want to go into a huge amount of specifics, as this might embarrass my family. I still consider them good people, if misguided.

So I'm a forty-something male living in the Lone Star State. I was baptized into the CofC at age 16I was a firm believer of all the "fire and brimstone", and that "we" were the True Church.
I was educated at a CofC college.

When I moved out of my parents house, I joined a more liberal "CofC", thinking they were all the same. What a difference. I began to think maybe the "hardline" group didn't know it all after all. Many things happened to get me there.

I met a young lady who was raised CofC too. She invited me to go to her Methodist church, where they paid her to attend (She worked in the nursery). Long story short, we celebrate out 9th anniversary next month, and we eventually joined the Methodist congregation....Our son was baptized there, which almost caused my father to have a heart attack, to see a SIX YEAR OLD (gasp) get SPRINKLED (GASP) by a WOMAN (HYPERVENTILATE).

So I no longer consider myself CofC, though I'm not a Methodist either. In fact, a lot of the Methodists are amazed by my Biblical knowledge. I still consider myself Non-Denominational, in that no one denomination "gets it completely right" in my book. I simply consider myself a follower of Christ, a flawed imitation, to be made perfect at a later date.

[Shrubbery]

Welcome! I had to laugh at the baptism story. The cherry on top would have been if it were a lesbian woman! Though I don't think that flies in the Methodist church yet. Go over to the Episcopal church for that.

[GNITAC]

Welcome! I had to laugh at the baptism story. The cherry on top would have been if it were a lesbian woman! Though I don't think that flies in the Methodist church yet. Go over to the Episcopal church for that.

Never thought of that.....but then maybe some things are too far. I mean, I don't wanna KILL the old guy.

[SolaDude]

Welcome GNITAC!....hey, one thing I noticed was that you were baptized at age 16...wow, when I was growing up in the CofC the pressure was always REALLY on the young people to be baptized by 12 or 13, i.e., "the age of accountability"....did you ever feel any pressure to get baptized before 16?? Just curious....

[GNITAC]

Welcome GNITAC!....hey, one thing I noticed was that you were baptized at age 16...wow, when I was growing up in the CofC the pressure was always REALLY on the young people to be baptized by 12 or 13, i.e., "the age of accountability"....did you ever feel any pressure to get baptized before 16?? Just curious....

Well, we didn't start attending until I was about 13.....that's a long story. So they at least gave me a break there.

[Shrubbery]

In my congregation, I think 16 is a more common age for baptism than 13. In fact, of the middle school class right now (kids ranging from 11-14), only one kid is baptized, and that happened when he was 10 and attending another congregation.

[teresa]

Welcome to the board.

[Moogy]

Welcome to the board. I was raised in the NICOC and left about 35 years ago. I landed in the Methodist Church also, as imperfect as it is. When I had my son baptized at 9 months (by a female pastor), I certainly did NOT invite my parents. I even removed the post-baptism picture from his photo album when I showed the other pictures to my folks.

[B.H.]

I grew up across the street from a Methodist parsonage belonging to a small Methodist Church in my town. Nothing shocked me about the Methodists.

[Ivy]

Welcome!! Glad to have you.