I Just Arrived to Pastor a Dying Church… Now What?
A pastor should not place the expectation on himself of transforming the church in 18 months
“First and foremost, prepare to simply be patient and shepherd the souls of the people who are there when you arrive. This allows a pastor to do what he can do and allows God time to do what only he can do.” So many of the mistakes and missteps a pastor makes in a... Continue Reading
Seven Ways the Episcopalians Will React to Suspension
Progressive Episcopalians will react in predictable ways about its three-year suspension from the Worldwide Anglican Communion
Don’t be deceived by all the hurt faces, the expressions of “pain” and “sadness” and “deep concern”. There’s rage beneath it all and you can bet it is going to come out full strength. Behind the scenes they will go for those who they perceive as their enemies and it will be ruthless. The African... Continue Reading
Central Presbyterian Church, Athens, Ga., Elders Ousted After Scheduling Secession Vote
Administrative Commission of the Northeast Georgia Presbytery (PCUSA) recently dissolved the session of Central Presbyterian Church in Athens, Ga.
The Central Presbyterian session scheduled a Jan. 24 vote on whether the church should secede from the Presbyterian Church in the USA, the mainline Presbyterian denomination in the United States, and affiliate with a more conservative branch of Presbyterianism. But the Administrative Commission of the Northeast Georgia Presbytery dissolved the Central session this week and... Continue Reading
Louisville, KY: Episcopal Rector Forced to Resign because He Would Not Perform Gay Weddings
The Rev. Jonathan Erdman, rector of Calvary Church in Louisville, KY, resigned because he could not in good conscience perform gay weddings.
A member of the church told VOL that the inaction and complicity of Bishop White leading to the resignation of Fr. Erdman was a betrayal of trust of the Episcopal Church. The Church seemed to foster an atmosphere of theological diversity, but only if members went in the direction Bishop White wanted to go. The... Continue Reading
Was Survey Question, “Only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved,” the Problem?
“To the statement on the survey, ‘Only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved,’ the orthodox answer is no," said Dr. Charles Wiley III, coordinator of the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Office of Theology and Worship
Carmen Fowler LaBerge, president of The Layman, disagrees. “Wiley’s analysis assumes that those surveyed are Calvinists. That’s a huge assumption among active PCUSA clergy today. His analysis also assumes that people answering a quarterly survey are parsing the questions as he has. In order to explain away the “Jesus is the only way to salvation”... Continue Reading
The Church Is an Embassy, Not a Social Club
The church is the embassy of the kingdom of heaven to this rebellious world
“The church isn’t just an invention of Christians who were trying to fulfill certain needs—fellowship, teaching, and so on. It’s much more than that. In fact, the Bible seems to hold the local church out as a unique organization, one unlike any parachurch organization, any other ministry, or any other institution in the world.” Here’s... Continue Reading
African-American Church in Ohio Dismissed from PCUSA to ECO
The largest predominantly African-American church in Ohio has been dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to ECO
At the presbytery meeting, there was still some opposition to the motion for dismissal under the terms of the agreement, but it passed by a majority voice vote. The opposition fell into one of two categories. The first category was that the PCUSA was big enough to include all theological persuasions and to dismiss a... Continue Reading
Blaming The Africans: Cultural Imperialism And The Meeting Of The Primates
African Anglicans who oppose changing the Communion’s teaching on sexuality may not know that their views violate a central tenet of progressive thought.
The Christian definition of justice (even as it pertains to marriage) will be communally discerned in the large arc of history. Our discernment will take place cross-culturally. It will be soaked in prayer and empowered by the Spirit. This definition of justice will arise from attending to what the Spirit is saying today, but we... Continue Reading
Real Talk: When People Leave Your Church
There are good reasons to leave a church, as long as one does so with class and grace, not making a spectacle.
…there are other reasons. They aren’t theological or missional, but they will sting and hurt. I have found the way to navigate through these kinds of reasons. Yes, there are times I have to preach to myself about not having my self worth tied into people leaving, but what has also helped has been learning... Continue Reading
Boulder-Area Churches Pitch in $48K Toward First Presbyterian’s Realignment
First Presbyterian Church of Boulder is the recipient of a surprise gift
“First Presbyterian, at 1820 15th St. in Boulder, is moving toward the finish line in its bid for dismissal from the mainstream Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), to join the Goleta, Calif.-based ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, a network of more than 230 congregations founded in 2012.” First Presbyterian Church of Boulder is the... Continue Reading
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