My church, although more than 10 years old, is still in the stages of being a mission rather than a fully independent Church. Because of this, we had a missions committee meeting this afternoon for the purpose of checking our "vitals" as a congregation.
It is so hard to know precisely the right time in which to say everything you desire to express, everything that you find important enough to discuss in the company of your brothers and sisters in the Church. Even though so many issues are weighing heavily on my heart, so many questions burdening my mind, I asked only two today. They were not received well, and in my humble opinion, they went greatly unanswered.
I can admit to you all, the Reformed Church is beginning to disgust me. I hold it so near and dear to my heart, and yet it is disappointing me in so many grave ways.
I have always been taught to respect my elders, to admire those men in the pulpit who have the hardest, most frightening jobs in the Church of all, and to submit as a women to the men in the Church. I have never minded doing any of those things. I am not a secret feminist, I do not crave power in the congregation. But today, I wanted to call a man of power out on the carpet.
I will tell you brothers- research for yourselves those differences that divide the PCA, OPC, RCUS, and URC and you will find little more than OPINIONS! Some LIKE the Heidelberg over the Westminster Catechism. Some WANT Communion more fenced off than others. Some THINK the power structure should be designed one way and some think it should be done another way. And yet, when asked why we, as a congregation cannot encourage another small PCA mission just down the street from us, I received a scoffing LAUGH.
A brother approached me soon after the meeting. He is a young seminary student attending Westminster. He encouraged me for asking my questions and told me he thought all these divisions were truly the achilles heel of the Reformed Church. I couldn't agree more!
He went on to say that if we truly wanted to follow scriptures, we wouldn't hesitate to join with that Mission Church down the street to unify as a single body. Amazing! He could not have said it better!
After the meeting, we broke for lunch. Other than the young seminary student, I was not approached by any other member of the congregation- even to be challenged. I feel at a complete loss, utterly discouraged.
So what are we to do?
As for the RCUS, we are in great danger of disappearing as a denomination entirely. Young seminary students are not interested in us or our churches. We do nothing to evangelize even in our surrounding neighborhoods. We are content to sit in isolation. Several pulpits stand empty for various reasons, and I cannot help but think that this is God giving us precisely what we want. We REFUSE to associate with surrounding churches, we are picky in our selection of pastors to the point of exhaustion, and we do nothing to encourage more youth to join our community. We are pleading on hands and knees for God not to let our denomination to die out, but we do nothing to prevent it. If we could put aside that label for one minute, we could give up our petty pride and intermingle with other struggling reformed churches and work towards building up GOD'S church!
I am knocking around a few ideas in my head. As soon as I get one moving and working, I will post more.
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Christ in His earthly ministry not only questioned authority, He angrily confronted it on at least two occasions (Mark 11, John 2.)
ReplyDeleteI want to ask your forgiveness for the NOT coming to you as I intended to, since distractions and questions from others, prevented me from doing so.
I will defend others who did not come, because I believe there is general agreement over the generalization you and the seminary student (Gil?) shared and solemnized over.
I have felt this way about the church for all of my time in it!
You might not think so, but if you listened to me teaching you would hear a lack of theological stance, and more of the Word and what it says in a context of a dying world.
However, like you I understand respect for elders and the Church and I also understand the only way to effect change within a denomination is to begin at the roots and chop the tree down. This is what Luther attempted, and Calvin. But it is also what people like the Catholic Popes have been advocating in ecumenical rhetoric for years; even darker than that, people like Jim Jones and David Koresh have also advocated such ideas. Rebellion, challenge, and sound doctrine are not mutually inclusive.
We as Christians must be ready with the Word of God to take out the roots of every dead tree even if that tree is rooted within mired and accepted stogy religion and theological snobbery. Here is the question though, who decides on the standards?
Such words are easy to write, wielding the sword which is the Word is a greater challenge. I have fellowship with all manner of Christians, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Calvary Chapel, Nondenoms, and anyone willing to open and listen to God’s Word.
I have a few observations and questions for you, I hope they are constructive, please know I give them with much love and respect for the heartfelt words you have recorded above.
Where would you suggest we begin? You advocate us joining with the small PCA group inviting them to join us, sounds good, and since you indicate you have been visiting there and no charges are be leveled against you for doing such at least in part we have joined them. Do you want them to visit on Wednesdays, Sundays, other nights? Should ditch their pastor, or should we offer theirs an assistant position or should Jay should move on and the PCA pastor teach us? No sarcasm intended.
How do you believe your observations about the RCUS being so picky about ordaining ministers can be better directed as a question to the prevailing authorities? Seriously, if we want to challenge the way they are doing things now we need a valid biblical rational to approach them with. Based on my understanding of the requirements for pastor, the RCUS is asking for sound doctrine solidly based on God’s word.
I have to say that your characterization of the harmless differences you make mention of are not the only dividing difference between the denominations. I am no authority, but what I do know about the differences is rooted in the basic philosophical understanding of the bible and its doctrine and the differences in terms of the focus. This is what you note as OPNIONS! That’s a fair observation, but at the same time is unfair.
It’s fair because there are differences and they are based on denominational agreements which are basically agreed upon OPNIONS. It’s not fair in that it’s non-distinct as a criticism and it needs to be if it is to take on form and be definable according the Scripture. Since each Reformed organization confesses to follow and teach the WORD of God, any criticism we level against them as an organization called CHURCH, needs to be defined by scripture first, and then take root in our hearts and minds to direct us to correct the error and quagmire we discover in our spiritual exploration.
Continued...
Finally, I think REFUSE to associate is a strong unfair characterization of either the RCUS or the Reformed churches as a whole, we have sister relations with the OPC and the URC. The PCA has failed to act on our request to become sister denominations. I know Michael and other others (like yourself visit) other denominations, that’s hardly REFUSING. Again I think the language needs to be more distinct to be actively engaged as a problem in need of repair.
ReplyDeleteI will listen to anyone teach the Word, anywhere. But having a 50+ hour a week job, in addition to an additional 11 hours of commute makes it kind of hard for me personally to be looking actively for other church locations which are likeminded in an effort to heal the divisions perceived or real.
I welcome the opportunity to discuss and encourage, be encouraged and by any Christian anytime, no matter the organizational affiliation.
I would caution you ask actively for wisdom and balance in these matters since Christ Himself indicated the Church would be divided and such division would be the sign of His return:
Matthew 24:3–14 (NKJV)
First of all, I just want to thank you for responding!
ReplyDeleteI am still reflecting on a few of the more difficult questions you posed, but let me see if I can go through some of them.
First off, I don't have any solid opinions as to how we unite two congregations from different denominations and make them one solid body of believers. I have a few opinions on whether or not Jay should or should not take the call to Willows, but I am not in Rev. Fluck's position and cannot make that difficult decision for him- and to be fair- neither can he. It is God who must guide him.
I know of the PCA church because an old family friend is Pastor there and my parents have become members. I would not necessarily encourage any member of a single church to support another church by sacrificing support for their own home church of which they are a member. What I would encourage is broader Bible Studies, prayer breakfasts, and other social events. At least as a starting point.
A shift as large as pushing three or more denominations into one is asking for a quite a bit. I don't honestly see it happening in my lifetime, but I can and have praying and hoping for it.
Secondly, I am struggling over how I could present my questions to the proper channels. Being a woman in the church, I do not know how proper it is to question the higher authorities within the denomination. I thought of writing a series of letters to various denominations, but decided it against it as I assumed it would fall on deaf ears or be seen as disrespectful instead of challenging.
I do recognize that the divisions are caused by more than JUST opinions, but the fact that Scripture interpretation is serving as a means to divide BELIEVERS leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth.
Some divisions are healthy. I would never think it wise to encourage wishy-washy churches with no firm theological viewpoints, but unless it is a matter of salvation, I do not believe we should be splintering off from each other as we have.
As far as I am aware, the RCUS is quite rigorous about choosing their pastors, which is not necessarily a negative, and perhaps my concern is not well-grounded, but when I posed the question on Sunday, I was not well-answered either.
I know we are of "sister relations" with a few denominations, but quite honestly, I don't even know what that is suppose to mean for my community and my church. I understand what it is suppose to mean on a national, or even global level, but what happens around me is rather unseen.
I am glad to hear that there are other members of the church that feel more than comfortable about visiting other churches from time to time. I think it is a very rewarding experience! And I do not mean to say that the RCUS is the only denomination that has cut itself off from the others. It's become a giant turf war, and it's rather ridiculous, because everyone seems more than eager to admit it is problem, but no one seems at all willing to be the first to make a move to fix it!
This blog is not meant to be much more than the awkward observations of a youth who has become dissatisfied with the state of fellowship in the church. It is a place to hopefully get people talking, but my hope is not for people to just continue talking amongst themselves about it, but to start actively do what they feel they are called to do in order to encourage God's people to unify over the one thing we will always have in common: our faith in the Trinity and His Word.
I hope this answered some of your questions. I really do appreciate you taking the time out to write such a great response! You have given me a few things to really ponder in my heart.
Have a blessed day!
It's my pleasure to respond. As a committed brother should. I am here to support you anyway I can, just let me know.
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