Classical Protestant Resurgence: how the PCA got its mojo back

The Aquila Report ^ | 24 May 2010 | Chris Hutchinson

[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.

[Cronos]

You can also read this:WHY THE PCA IS NOT A DULY CONSTITUTED CHURCH

and Why Faithful Christians Should Separate From This Corrupt "Communion"

[Cronos]

There are lots of Presbyterians:

• PCA
• OPC
• EPC
• WEPC
• BPC
• CPC
• CRPC
• ERPC
• FPCNA
• PCC
• PRCNA
• RPCGA
• RPCUS
• RPCHP
• UPCNA
• UCPC
• WPCUS
• PCUSA

etc. etc. the vast majority are the PCUSA.

[Cronos]

It's such a pity that we would hear from the OPC that the PCA is headed down the way of the PCUSA.

homosexual "marriages" in this are just wrong.

[Cronos]

And what of this talk of deaconnesses? Why does the OPC dislike you guys for this? Do they hold to the "woman, don't speak in Church"? Do you, PCA types allow this?

[Cronos]

Isn’t it strange about the pca waffle on infant baptism?

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

At least change to the PCA. The PCUSA deserves to die for being part of the group of NCC churches who are not really churches at all but are really nothing more than political organizations that are there to advance socialism and communism. Please study the National Council of Churches.

• African Methodist Episcopal Church
• The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
• Alliance of Baptists
• American Baptist Churches in the USA
• Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Church of the Brethren
• The Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
• The Episcopal Church
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Friends United Meeting
• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Hungarian Reformed Church in America
• International Council of Community Churches
• Korean Presbyterian Church in America
• Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Mar Thoma Church
• Moravian Church in America Northern Province and Southern Province
• National Baptist Convention of America
• National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
• National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
• Polish National Catholic Church of America
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
• Reformed Church in America
• Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada
• The Swedenborgian Church
• Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America
• United Church of Christ
• The United Methodist Church •

[Cronos]

Ma'am, the problem is that the PCA and the OPC states that "The liberal church teaching of free will has infected the Lutherans, too, in contradiction to what Martin Luther taught from Scripture"

They are anti-LCMS, anti-WELS. Not only do the PCA/OPC members believe the above nonsense about the LCMS, they also condemn Lutherans because:

1. Lutherans believe in the real presence in the Eucharist -- the PCA/OPC types consider this to be idolatry
2. Lutherans do not believe in double predestination (i.e. the Lutherans do not believe that God pre-damns a person to hell) -- the PCA/OPC consider Lutherans to be heretical because of this

For these reasons as well as on the episcopacity, vestements, Absolution etc. the PCA/OPC poster here seem to dislike (putting it mildly) Lutherans

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

If someone is determined to remain Presbyterian, at least they can leave the PCUSA and go to the PCA. At least they're not supporting the liberal political agenda.

I despise anything to do with the NCC. I have paid fairly close attention for years. Not one Freeper should ever donate one dime to any one of the churches on that list. If they do, they should know what they are doing and of course, you are right about the theology. It is two different issues.

I once was ELCA and left many years ago for the LCMS. Not sorry for one moment.

[Cronos]

I despise anything to do with the NCC. I have paid fairly close attention for years. Not one Freeper should ever donate one dime to any one of the churches on that list

Good point

I once was ELCA and left many years ago for the LCMS. Not sorry for one moment. -- we have many wonderful, truly Christian posters here who are LCMS. It is a wonderful Church and I wish you well -- I only say "Send some missionaries to Germany and Scandanavia!"

[Cronos]

In fact another one of the things that the PCA/OPC believe in:

Super Moon

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

I've never been able to understand "double predestination". If this is true, there is no reason for me to ever remain faithful to Christ, or the church.

I could go have a really good time on Sunday mornings and why bother to read my Bible?

[Cronos]

never been able to understand "double predestination". If this is true, there is no reason for me to ever remain faithful to Christ, or the church. I could go have a really good time on Sunday mornings and why bother to read my Bible?

Exactly -- that is why those who sample the PCA/OPC fixation on double-predestination then reject Christianity.

The problem is that these folks from the OPC/PCA believe in a god like a robot-maker who pre-programs some to do good, some to do evil and pre-marks them willfully to burn in hell forever or not. This is not our loving Christian God who loves even the lost sheep.

They (OPC/PCA) have made God into a monster who DECIDES on creating evil -- they do this when they state that God has decided it is “better to bring good out of evil, than not to permit any evil to exist.

Yet the followers of Calvin neglect to ask themselves How does God decide anyway since He knows the outcome?Is He NOT sure in the first place and needs to make a decision because He does not understand Himself ,thus making Him not ALL knowing?

[Cronos]

And the OPC/PCA condemnation of Lutheran belief in the True Presence is horrendous.

Here is a lover statement from LCMS.org

All three accounts of the institution of the Lord's Supper in the Gospels (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23) explicitly state that Jesus took BREAD, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, "Take, eat; this [i.e., this BREAD, which I have just blessed and broken and am now giving to you] is my body." Jesus uses similar language in referring to "the cup" (of wine) as "his blood."...

Perhaps the most explicit expression of this truth, however, is found in 1 Cor. 10:16-17, where Paul writes: "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread." Paul clearly says here that we all "partake" of "BREAD" when we receive the Lord's Supper--even as we also partake of and "participate in" the true body of Christ. And he says that we all "partake" of the wine (the cup), even as we also partake of the true blood of Christ. Similarly, in 1 Cor. 11:26, Paul says: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." Paul expressly states here that when we receive the Lord's Supper we are "eating bread" and "drinking the cup" (wine), but he goes on to say that those who eat this bread and drink this cup are also partaking of the true body and blood of Christ.

So "real" is this participation in Christ's body and blood, in fact, that (according to Paul) those who partake of the bread and wine "in an unworthy manner" are actually guilty of "profaning the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:27). (Partaking of the Lord's Supper "in a worthy manner," of course, is not something that we "do" or "accomplish" on the basis of our "personal holiness" or "good works." It means receiving God's free and gracious gifts of life and forgiveness offered in the Lord's Supper in true repentance produced by the work of the Spirit through God's Law and in true faith in Christ and his promises produced by God's Spirit through the Gospel).

Martin Luther himself said

Who, but the devil, has granted such license of wresting the words of the holy Scripture? Who ever read in the Scriptures, that my body is the same as the sign of my body? or, that is is the same as it signifies? What language in the world ever spoke so? It is only then the devil, that imposes upon us by these fanatical men. Not one of the Fathers of the Church, though so numerous, ever spoke as the Sacramentarians: not one of them ever said, It is only bread and wine; or, the body and blood of Christ is not there present.

Surely, it is not credible, nor possible, since they often speak, and repeat their sentiments, that they should never (if they thought so) not so much as once, say, or let slip these words: It is bread only; or the body of Christ is not there, especially it being of great importance, that men should not be deceived. Certainly, in so many Fathers, and in so many writings, the negative might at least be found in one of them, had they thought the body and blood of Christ were not really present: but they are all of them unanimous.”

It is so plain and obvious in the Gospels on the True Real Presence in the Eucharist, yet the OPC/PCA folks here on FR seek to condemn us for believing in this and they mock Christ

[Cronos]

So, we're still waiting for your list of differences between the OPC and the PCA.

what are they?

Don't you both believe that Methodists and Pentecostals are damnable heretics?

[Cronos]

So, you say you're not PCA, eh? you posted this thread, right? how the PCA extorts money from folks

[Cronos]

It’s so sad that people now are waking up and realising that your groups, the PCA/OPC are not Christian anymore. Why not leave them and become a real Christian — become a Pentecostal, Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, Orthodox, Methodist etc — leave the anti-Christian PCA/OPCA

[Cronos]

As I had said

the PCA and the OPC states that "The liberal church teaching of free will has infected the Lutherans, too, in contradiction to what Martin Luther taught from Scripture"

They are anti-LCMS, anti-WELS. Not only do the PCA/OPC members believe the above nonsense about the LCMS, they also condemn Lutherans because:

1. Lutherans believe in the real presence in the Eucharist -- the PCA/OPC types consider this to be idolatry
2. Lutherans do not believe in double predestination (i.e. the Lutherans do not believe that God pre-damns a person to hell) -- the PCA/OPC consider Lutherans to be heretical because of this

For these reasons as well as on the episcopacity, vestements, Absolution etc. the PCA/OPC poster here seem to dislike (putting it mildly) Lutherans

-- the OPC/PCA members echo the viewpoints in their doctrines -- isn't that correct, Gamecock, Dr. E, Alex?

[Cronos]

Can you believe a guy posts an article like this “how the PCA got it’s mojo back” as well as other PCA articles and then says “I ain’t PCA/OPC” — I guess the OPC/PCA teaches taqiyyah now.

[Cronos]

So, Mr. Piper — did Gamecock ever explain to you why the PCA hates your kind?

[Cronos]

I have helped run the budget of a PCA church

Taqiyyah I thought was just for Moslems -- is that practised by PCA types too?