The Book of Common Prayer, in its service for Ash Wednesday, includes the following proclamation:
Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. The season of Lent is that time of preparation.
Lent is still a fairly new concept for some Baptists. True enough, we Baptists haven’t always been quick to embrace the ancient traditions and practices of the early church. But an increasing number of us are realizing the profound spiritual benefits of observing Lent alongside our more liturgical Christian brothers and sisters. And for good cause! The basic components of Lent (prayer, fasting, and self-denial) are sound spiritual disciplines outlined multiple times in scripture. These practices are designed to help us realize the virtue of humility, bringing us closer to God. This is the ultimate purpose of Lent: To bring us spiritually closer to God so that we may more fully celebrate the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. Continue reading Baptists Doing Lent?
First Baptist Church of Wood River 