I listened to the obvious pride and sense of wonder in his voice, and it starkly contrasted my sense of concern and worry for his young son. Gary, a Baptist friend of mine, was relating how his six-year-old son had confessed a belief in Christ. "Daddy," his son had said, "I think I want to invite Jesus into my heart." 

If you know any Baptists, you may have heard similar words and had the same misgivings I had. Jesus is on the wrong side of this equation. But how can we enlighten our Baptist friends? A Lutheran Looks at Baptists would have been a great help for me as I tried to counsel my friend. I would have had a better understanding of the Baptist faith, and my arguments could have been better designed. 

Pastor Eric Hartzell's book deliberates the differences between the teachings of the Baptist church and those of the Lutheran church. Among other issues, it examines how a Baptist views his personal role in his own salvation, how a child comes to belief in Christ, how a good Baptist will live his life, and why Baptism and the Lord's Supper are viewed so differently.

The scope of the book does not allow a comprehensive coverage of every detail, but it does a good job of hitting the big issues. While this is not an indepth study nor does it allow exact Bible passages that you might use as you talk with your Baptist friend, it will give you a high-level view of how he or she thinks and where his or her errors originated.

Let us rejoice in the fact that the Baptist faith confesses Jesus Christ as Savior! Let us also be prepared to demonstrate the differences in our faith. A Lutheran Looks at Baptists is an excellent place to start.