Posted on 02/17/2011 6:14:50 PM PST by Gamecock
An AP article was sent to my computer which many might find interesting. Sometimes my computer dates things incorrectly, but never before has an article appeared this early. You will of course note that the writer shows a typical secular reporter’s ignorance about the Reformed faith, but otherwise it seems to be fairly written, though poorly edited in parts. Also, it would have been strengthened by more direct quotes from the actual participants, but I guess we should be glad for any press.
Here is the AP story: July 1, 2020
Classical Protestant Resurgence: how the PCA got its mojo back Part 4 of the Series, “Religion in Post-Obama America” Associated Press, Atlanta
Ten years ago, many thought that the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was at a crisis point. Years of stagnant growth and divisiveness had taken their toll. In an effort to stem the tide, many prominent men within the PCA urged it to change her tack or risk irrelevancy. An effort was made to broaden the PCA’s appeal by severing its ties with doctrinally similarly aligned, but smaller denominations in favor of cooperation with larger and growing movements.
However, a surprising thing happened. Unconvinced that such a change in tactics was called for, the denomination instead chose to reemphasize her distinctives -- doctrines such predestination of an “elect,” the baptizing of infants, and the necessity of churches being connected in regional bodies called presbyteries. Many feared that such a doctrinal approach would weaken the PCA and make it less appealing to the newer generations of Christians which appeared to be flocking to newer movements such as the so called “emergent” churches of the day and the Acts 29 Network (now on its third iteration as the Acts 31 network).
Perhaps a greater challenge to the PCA came from allies within the Southern Baptist Convention. A renewed interest in Calvinism among Baptists of various kinds – ironically fueled in part by the success of the PCA – stemmed some of the PCA’s momentum as many younger Calvinists chose to practice their faith in a Baptist context. The PCA was no longer the newest and coolest Calvinist kid on the block. It had lost its mojo.
It was understandable then that some of the PCA leaders, wishing to keep up a perceived momentum from its earlier decades of rapid growth (due in large part to whole churches transferring in from other denominations), pushed for the PCA to accommodate herself to changing demographic trends.
What could not have been foreseen was the growing cynicism of the newer generations towards the marketing which had been directed towards them by these newer movements. Many recognized that the “emerging” churches had essentially employed the same strategy of the much maligned Willow Creek “church growth” strategies popularized in the suburbs of the 1980s and 90s. Only this time, instead of syncretizing Christianity with the American suburban sub-culture, the emergents syncretized the Christian faith with the gentrification sub-culture of American cities. (See Part 2 of this Series: “How religion played a role in the re-segregating of the American urban landscape.”) As sociologists have since shown, both rounds of syncretism served to accommodate evangelical Christianity to the predominant relativism of American culture, to the extent that doctrinal distinctives were often played down in hopes of churches appearing more open minded and relevant to the issues of the day.
At the same time, many of these disillusioned younger Christians found themselves attracted to the bold Calvinism found among a variety of Baptist preachers of the time, men such as John Piper of Minneapolis, Mark Dever of Washington, D.C., and Marc Driscoll of Seattle. These ministers supported doctrines such as predestination and held to a strong view of the church, and yet rejected Presbyterian principles such as standing presbyteries and baptizing infants in favor of local church autonomy and baptizing only those who could recount some sort of credible conversion experience. And while these popular Baptist ministers cooperated with other denominations, they made no bones about their distinctive Baptist convictions. Such humble confidence in the midst of the emergent, relativist landscape proved attractive and successful.
Against this backdrop, the PCA held their annual General Assembly in late June of 2010. Leaders from across the denomination were urging a new direction and a renewed emphasis on numerical growth in order to “be part of what God is doing in the world.” After days of debate, the denominational rank and file rejected such an approach in favor of a return to their roots as a Calvinist denomination, including those convictions which distinguished them from both the emergent churches and their Calvinist Baptist allies.
At the same time, there was a renewed emphasis across the PCA on doing the simple things well – preaching from the Bible, emphasizing the doctrine of “justification by faith alone” as central to the Christian life, praying in small groups, and taking church discipline seriously (that members must uphold their vows to follow Christ or face correction from church leaders). An emphasis was placed on local ministry rather than embracing a one-size-fits-all national strategy.
But this counter-intuitive approach to church growth paid off. Younger Christians of all backgrounds were attracted to the authentic, simple approach to faith which did not overly concern itself with marketing or social trends. At the same time, they were drawn to the certainty and stability which the PCA presented, and increasingly convinced of the Biblical rationale for infant baptism and standing presbyteries, once the PCA began to aggressively promote its views. Of course, a fine line had to be walked, both not to alienate other Christian denominations and to ensure that its own members did not confuse secondary matters with more essential matters such as the divinity of Jesus. But somehow, they pulled it off, and have seen steady numerical growth 7 of the past 10 years.
With the precipitous decline of the historically larger PC(USA), the PCA now appears on the cusp of becoming the largest Presbyterian body in the United States, with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church not far behind.
Here is the AP story: July 1, 2020Just remember before you start counting your chickens, the PCUSA was faithful a hundred years ago. And the CRCNA was faithful a mere generation ago.
The PCUSA was ailing a century ago.
What's happening to PCUSA is the same thing that happened to Princeton University. Seems like all Orthodox institutions eventually go apostate once they reach a certain level of worldly success and enough generations pass. Sort of a law of spiritual entropy.
I didn't say that he was - that would be making it personal, and a violation of forum rules. But Marxism has always been hostile toward Christianity.
Nope, me neither. It’s probably just a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ;o)
True, but very few, if any, within saw it coming as fast as it came. They probably thought it couldn't happen to them. They allowed themselves to be led to destruction by seminary and denominational big wigs and “big steeple” pastors. In his book Cross Fingers, Gary North outlines how liberalism took over in the PCUSA. It began with confessional looseness and ended with the expulsion of conservatives in 1936. Part of the problem was with conservatives who declined to defend the Confession on all points, e.g., creationism. The PCA tolerates framework hypothesis and refuses to discipline churches with females deacons. It's all about incrementalism.
Spelling not withstanding, you got the message.
That is blasphemy.
Yup — whatever it is, it’s noisy. But, it’s a hollow noise if you know what I mean.
Hoss
FOTFLOL!!!!!!!!
I wish I had thought of that. Post of the day.
Quix, cue in the laughing smiley........
Now now . . .
PRISSY-NESS ABOUT SPELLING IS NEXT TO . . . UNGodliness.
or is it . . . let me check . . .
Why yest it IS!
Station #26 of the STATIONS OF THE WHITE HANKY:
26. ICON of the golden spell-check button in honor of PRISSY PONTIFICATIONS about poor Proddy spelling and majoring in minors and minoring in majors as major dogma of the Vatican Cult.
You mean like the religious orders who take a vow of poverty?
Oh, I get it. You mean the Church of The Unabomber Al Gore.
"Release My Second Chakra!"
Cheers!
You mean like the religious orders who take a vow of poverty?
Oh, I get it. You mean the Church of The Unabomber Al Gore.
"Release My Second Chakra!"
Cheers!
I do believe you are making your posts to Metmom personal - which is against the rules.
You are also dragging your little hobbyhorse taunts across threads - which is against the rules.
Finally, you are repeating false accusations even after being corrected numerous times on numerous threads. You are STALKING - and that is DEFINITELY against the rules. I think it is high time the Moderator chimes in on this issue.
Uh, the part about the coloring books costing three billion dollars?
A false charge of blasphemy was the crime for which Christ was killed. Do you even know the meaning of blasphemy? Where do you find the definition in Scripture? What gives you the right, the ability or power to declare blasphemy against anyone?
Blasphemy is directly opposed to the second commandment. It consists in uttering against God - inwardly or outwardly - words of hatred, reproach, or defiance; in speaking ill of God; in failing in respect toward him in one's speech; in misusing God's name. None of that in any way describes the ministerial priesthood of the Catholic Church. Just the opposite, Catholics do everything out of love and worship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The prohibition of blasphemy extends to language against Christ's Church, the saints, and sacred things. It is also blasphemous to make use of God's name to cover up criminal practices, to reduce peoples to servitude, to torture persons or put them to death. The misuse of God's name to commit a crime such as leading others into a Reformist heresy or into hatred of their Christian Brothers and Sisters, or to repudiate religion because of the lack of Beatitude by those who profess to be of God is equally blasphemous.
Yup. When asked to provide proof, none is given.
Ever.
And the attacks just keep coming. Besides, it's that hollow noise thing again anyway.
Hoss
If the PCA adds in 5,500 members each year, they will reach 1 million members in 118 yearsThere is much more happening in the PCA than just the steady growth. Several things that will cause an exponential growth over the next 20 years.
Thank you. I don’t take credit for it though, Paul said it first in I Corinthians 13.
Do the math. By 2008, the Catholic Church had paid out three billion dollars to settle priest abuse cases with accusers. The coloring books were produced in 2007, in the words of one article, to alert children to the danger of being sexually assaulted by a priest.
So if the coloring books are supposed to work, what did it cost the Church to not produce abuse-avoidance coloring books until 2007? Answer: three billion dollars.
"I hear kids can get a free copy of "Being Friends, Being Safe" at their local parish, but the coloring book cost the Catholic Church over three billion dollars to produce!"Oh, and I forgot these:
-- Alex Murphy, Post #94 in this thread.
You are also dragging your little hobbyhorse taunts across threads - which is against the rules.
Finally, you are repeating [VERY] false accusations even after being corrected numerous times on numerous threads. You are STALKING - and that is DEFINITELY against the rules. I think it is high time the Moderator chimes in on this issue.
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