More Presbyterian Shenanigans

https://theaquilareport.com/transferring-church-membership-is-not-a-violation-of-the-presbyterian-church-in-americas-membership-vows-a-gentle-rejoinder-to-an-earnest-man/

It's difficult to imagine anyone enjoying or benefitting from reading the linked piece on PCA membership. But there's something here that's noteworthy – something that reveals (at least in part) some of the deception and sleight-of-hand at work in Presbyterian membership constructs, and perhaps the bureaucratic mind.

Confessional Presbyterianism: A System of Syncretism, Tradition, and Bureaucracy

https://theaquilareport.com/second-thoughts-about-the-proposed-witness-overtures/

We've just passed General Assembly season in the Presbyterian world and thus there's a lot of talk about polity, discipline, and procedure and yet as this article demonstrates, most of it is off-base and has little if anything to do with actual New Testament polity, but is instead rooted in tradition and what amounts to a functional rejection of Scriptural Sufficiency.

The UCC Backlash: Conservative remnants within old Congregationalist, Hungarian, and German Reformed Congregations

https://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/june-15-2023-show-with-ed-boyle-micah-clouse-on-is-there-hope-for-the-united-church-of-christ/

A recent episode of Iron Sharpens Iron caught my eye as it called attention to some of the conservative remnants and their resistance to theological liberalism within the United Church of Christ (UCC).

The BCO or Presbyterianism's Canon Law

https://rfbwcf.substack.com/p/does-the-bible-trump-the-bco

The Book of Church Order (BCO) is utilised in various forms by various Presbyterian denominations and as such represents a fluid canon (or authoritative body of laws) that is parallel and in some cases equal to Scripture and functionally can often supersede it.

The Deacon Problem in Both Anglican and Baptist Circles (II)

But they're not the only group that has a problem with the diaconate. In Baptist circles there's also a great deal of confusion on this point. For them, the office of 'pastor' is akin to Paul's bishop in 1 Timothy 3.

The Deacon Problem in Both Anglican and Baptist Circles (I)

I recently had an exchange with a priest from the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). As our church situation has collapsed due to the degeneration of worship into therapy, politics, and entertainment and the fact that Trumpites are running rampant in many local congregations including our own, we've been looking for an alternative.

A Broken Ecclesiology

https://churchleaders.com/news/396413-reports-of-an-unsettling-trend-of-pastors-leaving-the-ministry.html

The broken ecclesiology that dominates the Evangelical scene is bearing a rotten harvest. Cultural attitudes and tensions, false expectations, and alternatives born of the technological age have created conditions in which men are leaving Church leadership for other 'ministries'. In some cases we must say good riddance but few seem willing or able to address the real reasons for this trend and identify the nature of the problem. It starts with an unbiblical ecclesiology – especially in the Evangelical and New Calvinist spheres.

The Context of MacArthur's Flawed Stand Regarding the Church, State and Covid-19

With regard to state mandates directed at churches, I completely support the rejection of state authority. The state has no business in the affairs of the Church but unfortunately the Church (generally speaking) has confused the issue on at least two fronts.

The Membership-Marriage Fallacy and Other Ecclesiastical Sophisms

https://www.reformation21.org/blog/join-or-die

The introduction to this article is not unsound. We must be part of a congregation but the question of 'joining' begs the question with regard to a denominational polity.

Membership Chaos within the Confessional Presbyterian Context (Part 2)

As you pursue communicant membership, rest assured that he who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). “May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thess. 5:23–24). Amen. 

Apart from the terminology and conceptualisation of 'communicant membership', the statement is not unsound. And yet it is lacking. To be fair it was not the author's intent to provide an exhaustive statement and yet I think this is important. He rightly emphasizes the need for good works and the Philippian exhortation is tied to the concept of perseverance – an idea that permeates the New Testament and yet must be distinguished from the deduced and popular but erroneous concept of eternal security.

Coronavirus Ecclesiology

updated 27 Mar 2020

As I continue to watch the developments and fallout from the Coronavirus episode I am coming to believe this is a watershed moment for the American Church.

Facebook Church

On the one hand it could be argued that the presently available technology is a blessing as due to the medical emergency it would seem (for a time) that churches are unable to congregate. If viewed strictly as a temporary measure, I could see some benefit from it as a 'better than nothing' but less than ideal (or adequate) alternative.

Wang Yi Isn't Being Persecuted, He's Being Punished (Part 1)

Early Rain Covenant Church leader Wang Yi has been sentenced to nine years in prison, a harsh sentence by any measure, but these are hard times in China. The Church is suffering a state clampdown and the state itself is under great stress. Great power politics, domestic politics, the threat of external war and internal dissent have created a volatile situation, and Wang Yi has walked right into the middle of it.

The 2007 PCA General Assembly Debate on Federal Vision Theology

Some time ago I discovered the audio for the debate and listened with considerable interest.

I found it interesting that it wasn't only the advocates of Federal Vision theology that were concerned with the actions of the General Assembly.  They simply requested that judgment would be delayed, that Scriptural proofs and exegetical work would be provided and that the committee would be revised to include at least a couple of voices who could advocate for the Federal Vision.

Disquiet in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)

I've recommended Jeff Riddle's work in the past. He's a Reformed or confessionally Calvinistic Baptist pastor out of Virginia.

By way of clarification I personally am an ex- or more probably post- Reformed Christian and most definitely not a Baptist in any sense, but there are some in those circles I can appreciate. I think Riddle demonstrates some wisdom when it comes to discussing certain topics but most of all I appreciate his work defending the traditional text and concepts like providential preservation as opposed to the pseudo-conservative position of inerrancy and its embrace of the Critical Text.

I listen to his Word Magazine podcasts and while at first I wasn't that interested in this particular topic, it pulled me in. He and a guest (Clevenger) are talking about developments within the Southern Baptist Convention, both of them are apparently ex-members.

The Presbyterian Fallacy

Recently I encountered (yet again) another example of what I have termed The Presbyterian Fallacy.

Briefly by way of context, Episcopal forms of Church government do not claim their authority is based on Scriptural exegesis. While they believe their polity is 'Biblical' in the sense that it 'flows' from Scripture, they will freely admit that it's not something that can be appealed to chapter and verse. They would argue the New Testament does not prescribe a specific form of polity. Or they might argue that the Apostles established a type of regional hierarchy which over time legitimately developed into the episcopacy.

Baptist Polity, The American Flag and Idols in Worship

A local Baptist Church recently and perhaps unknowingly called a Calvinist to occupy their pulpit. He's a good man and I've enjoyed conversing with him. To my very pleasant surprise he also revealed to me that he had removed the 'flags' from the front of the auditorium. The flags of course would refer to the American and so-called Christian flags that are almost ubiquitous in American Churches.

Why does this small town need yet another church?

Certainly a valid question, and the issues are complex but we can address them in brief.

The main issue the every Christian and congregation must wrestle with is that of Authority. On what basis do you decide and what criteria do you employ to determine Christian doctrine and life? What do we believe and how do we apply it?

What about claiming Tax-exempt 501c3 status?

Taking on this status allows organizations to collect money and yet be exempt from many of the normal tax requirements. The monies are used in a non-profit capacity. They service the administrative costs of the organization and fund the social interests the organization wishes to promote. Obviously there are restrictions and guidelines as far as what types of activities fall within this spectrum. In the United States religious organizations, churches and ministries are granted this status if they apply.

Does identifying as a Bible Church or Fellowship mean you are Fundamentalists?

The term fundamentalist has unfortunately been abused and largely hijacked. While we share the concerns of the early Fundamentalists in combating Modernism and Theological Liberalism, sadly the term has come to be associated with legalistic rigidity and often reactionary Conservative politics.