Evangelical + Reformed?

"Evangelical", in its original sense, means "belonging or related to the Gospel'" (Greek: euangelion).
In mainland Europe, especially in the German and Scandinavian countries, 'Evangelisch' ('Evangelical') is a general designation for churches adhering to beliefs of the Reformation (otherwise known as Protestantism)

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Above from Wikipedia. So yeah, Reformed churches are the original evangelicals.

If what you mean is the misuse of the word common today, do we "evangelize", yes , of course we do. We are committed to obey our saviour, Who said,

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

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Not because if we don't, somebody might not be saved that could have, because God Himself takes on that responsibility, but because to neglect to do so is disobedience. In other words, we are not modern day arminian "envanjellyfish", wringing our hands over whether our God is able to save conditioned upon whether we've been "attractive" enough in our presentation, or whether we've held our lips right in any other way, but we know He WILL save His own. So we just obey Him. Knowing that His arm is not shortened that He cannot save, we don't have to present some watered-down "seeker sensitive" pablum. We can present the whole gospel,

1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

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zerocipher said:

Is such a thing possible? Im going by the common usage that Evangelical seems to mean here in New York, whcih is usually the Non-denominational churches that have lot of ministries doing outreach of all different types. Are the Reformed denominations, well, kinda more uptight I guess. I mean no offense by that, just the easiest way I can think of to describe it.

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My church is evangelical and Reformed. Our church has a multitude of ministries doing outreach in our community. We're active in social justice issues such as the pro-life cause and racial harmony. Our worship style is also evangelical in nature. But our pastors still preach TULIP. And in keeping with the postive stereotypes of Reformed Christians, we regularly read the church fathers, reformers, and a whole host of other theologians. I would say that we are not uptight by any means, since everyone is quite friendly and eager to preach the Gospel.

So a church can certainly be evangelical and reformed.

I think this is just a misunderstanding of the word evangelical. Now because of the misuse of the word the real meaning of evangelical is quite lost. It is much closer to reformed than anything else really.

I am from and evangelical anglican diocese that are reformed.

Evangelical and evangelism are two quite different things, but they hang off the base word evange which means gospel/good news (I think). To evangelise is to spread the gospel. To be evangelical is to be of the gospel - it is more of an ideology. Enough people have mixed it up with the idea of evangelism that it has kind of stuck. It's not that evangelicals do not evangelise, quite the contrary. But evangelicals are concerned with the centrality of the cross to their faith, and with a gospel of grace not of works.

It is basically an ideology that stems back to the reformation.

So the two actually go hand in hand.

disclaimer - this is about the roughest definition of evangelical I have ever given.

zerocipher said:

Is such a thing possible? Im going by the common usage that Evangelical seems to mean here in New York, whcih is usually the Non-denominational churches that have lot of ministries doing outreach of all different types. Are the Reformed denominations, well, kinda more uptight I guess. I mean no offense by that, just the easiest way I can think of to describe it.

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Good morning!

My Reformed church is all about out-reach, mercy ministries and servanthood. We're located in a the downtown area of a medium sized city. We are also located next to a university and have a large group of students. I would venture to say we're not uptight as you will regularly find ponytails on guys (not that I care for it though), Birkenstocks and one of the best worship teams around. We have a guy that plays bongos! And it is very decent and respectful as well as great musically.

I suspect that you misunderstand some of what being Reformed is all about. The doctrinal positions have made all the Reformed folks I know have a heart for the lost, the sick, the poor and the helpless which is all very contrary to the stereotype.

CC&E

Hm. I go to a Presbyterian church and we are... well... rigid would be wa-a-a-a-a-ay at the opposite end of the scale, let's put it that way. Lot's of outreach. I honestly have no idea if we are PCUSA or what (I'm still getting the hang of all this ). Perhaps there's just not much in the way of Reformed churches in your area? In any case, if you feel that the church you are going to is doing a good job of teaching you and your kids more about the Bible and its Author... more power to ya!

You could move to Sydney. The Sydney Anglican diocese has a great outreach programme, is regularly planting new churches into expanding areas of the city, has a bible college that is bursting at it's seams.

check out sydneyanglicans.com.au

I know it's a bit of a move though!!! But hey - where else could be better to live than Australia??

zerocipher said:

I truly did not mean to offend. Its just that, I attend a Non-denominational church out here because I like the contemporary worship, and my kids enjoy the childrens church. I may not agree with all of their theology, but overall it is a nice place. When I have gone to the churches around here that are Reformed, which is PCUSA and an RCA church, they are very rigid, seeming entirely like the old Catholic masses I went to when I was a kid. And, perhaps most importantly, there is little outreach or anything, because quite frankly, there is no membership. The PCUSA has a grand total of 35 members. The RCA was something like 54. The RCA church, DID just have Vacation Bible School, which my kids attended, but that is virtually the only outreach they do. I guess more than anything I was wondering if thsi is typical for the Reformed churches, or it may just be a by product of the heathenistic, immoral, ungodly city in which I live. Maybe I need to leave in order to get closer to a good Reformed church.

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A liberal Mainline denomination like the PC(USA) or RCA aren't the best examples of Reformed churches, and appear to be rapidly dying. May I suggest you try to find a conservative, confessional, Reformed, evangelical church, something like a PCA, OPC, etc. In my experience, most of these type of churches are solidly Reformed, evangelical, growing and full of young families. In NYC I would try Redeemer Presbyterian. Dr. Timothy Keller is the pastor there, and I've heard a lot of great things about his preaching, the church and their ministry.

zerocipher said:

I truly did not mean to offend. Its just that, I attend a Non-denominational church out here because I like the contemporary worship, and my kids enjoy the childrens church. I may not agree with all of their theology, but overall it is a nice place. When I have gone to the churches around here that are Reformed, which is PCUSA and an RCA church, they are very rigid, seeming entirely like the old Catholic masses I went to when I was a kid. And, perhaps most importantly, there is little outreach or anything, because quite frankly, there is no membership. The PCUSA has a grand total of 35 members. The RCA was something like 54. The RCA church, DID just have Vacation Bible School, which my kids attended, but that is virtually the only outreach they do. I guess more than anything I was wondering if thsi is typical for the Reformed churches, or it may just be a by product of the heathenistic, immoral, ungodly city in which I live. Maybe I need to leave in order to get closer to a good Reformed church.

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No need to apologize, I wasn't offended. My church is PCA. I can't speak for the other denoms as I have not been a part of them.

Our family lives in the suburbs but chooses to go to a church downtown. We are fortunate that it is not a long drive. The ministries of the PCA church that is right down the street from me is different than the one we go to. They minister to those in their community and so it looks different than it would to go to my church. We regularly have folks who have addiction problems, no jobs, etc. Our church is involved with other ministries that help with the addictions, train and help them find jobs, food pantries, that sort of thing. The church closer to my house is involved in mercy ministries, but unless you take a closer look, it probably focuses differently.

After having said all this, I hope you don't think that I or my church feels better about themselves because we minister to those who are more obviously in need of Christ. We don't. Everyone needs Christ. There are no boundaries of race, sex, socio-economic status, etc. Our family feels called to the downtown ministry because of the gifts that God has given to us.

As far as worship styles go, I think there is some freedom in musical style. Most of the PCA churches we have visited or been members of have a more contemporary style of music. I have been to a couple who have very traditional services as well.

Hope all that helps!

CC&E

zerocipher said:

I truly did not mean to offend. Its just that, I attend a Non-denominational church out here because I like the contemporary worship, and my kids enjoy the childrens church. I may not agree with all of their theology, but overall it is a nice place. When I have gone to the churches around here that are Reformed, which is PCUSA and an RCA church, they are very rigid, seeming entirely like the old Catholic masses I went to when I was a kid. And, perhaps most importantly, there is little outreach or anything, because quite frankly, there is no membership. The PCUSA has a grand total of 35 members. The RCA was something like 54. The RCA church, DID just have Vacation Bible School, which my kids attended, but that is virtually the only outreach they do. I guess more than anything I was wondering if thsi is typical for the Reformed churches, or it may just be a by product of the heathenistic, immoral, ungodly city in which I live. Maybe I need to leave in order to get closer to a good Reformed church.

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The PCUSA is on the far liberal end of the theological scale. There are some great exceptions but for the most part the denomination has long ago left orthodoxy.

The big debate at their yearly general assembly is over matters like should they ordain practicing homosexuals to the ministry.

The great missionary and evangelical efforts of the 19th century was started and led by Reformed Christian churches. THe Great Awakening (giant revival) of the 18th was also solidly Reformed. THe Reformation of the 16th century was was also an imortant revival of the faith with a strong Reformed current. We are still evangelical today.

I don't think you will find many Reformed Churches jazzing up Sunday morning worship. As a group we tend to be a bit bookish and concerned with having
biblical theologyl and doctrine.

My best friend is from upstate New York, and he tells me that solid (biblical/evagelical) Reformed churches are hard to find out there.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

zerocipher said:

Weird to me for a church not to have a church, if you get what I mean. And thats quite a hauls from where I am.

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Have you checked out their list of affiliate churches? You might find a good church closer to you on the list. Also the PCA and OPC websites both have church directories to help find a church, if you haven't checked alreday.

HiredGoon said:

In NYC I would try Redeemer Presbyterian. Dr. Timothy Keller is the pastor there, and I've heard a lot of great things about his preaching, the church and their ministry.

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x2!!!!

erin74 said:

I think this is just a misunderstanding of the word evangelical. Now because of the misuse of the word the real meaning of evangelical is quite lost. It is much closer to reformed than anything else really.

I am from and evangelical anglican diocese that are reformed.

Evangelical and evangelism are two quite different things, but they hang off the base word evange which means gospel/good news (I think). To evangelise is to spread the gospel. To be evangelical is to be of the gospel - it is more of an ideology. Enough people have mixed it up with the idea of evangelism that it has kind of stuck. It's not that evangelicals do not evangelise, quite the contrary. But evangelicals are concerned with the centrality of the cross to their faith, and with a gospel of grace not of works.

It is basically an ideology that stems back to the reformation.

So the two actually go hand in hand.

disclaimer - this is about the roughest definition of evangelical I have ever given.

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Exactly right - we've lost the original meaning of the word.

My favorite Christian radio show is the White Horse Inn. It was originally started by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Both the show and the alliance are strongly reformed.

edie

Our bible college in Sydney extended a few decades ago. They did this by buying an ajoining pub. The pubs name - The White Horse.. how weird is that!

erin74 said:

Our bible college in Sydney extended a few decades ago. They did this by buying an ajoining pub. The pubs name - The White Horse.. how weird is that!

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Our church doesn't have property as of yet. We rent space. The property downtown is very expensive so I don't see us buying anything in the near future. There are pros and cons to renting space, after a while, you get used to it.

CC&E

I wish we could get rid of a few of the anglican church buildings we have met in in exchange for some school halls or something. I realise there is extra work involved in set up etc, but no national trust, or issues over who's great great aunt donated which vase on behalf of her dead dog.... drives me a bit nuts.

calmcoolandelected said:

Our church doesn't have property as of yet. We rent space. The property downtown is very expensive so I don't see us buying anything in the near future. There are pros and cons to renting space, after a while, you get used to it.

CC&E

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FWIW - we rented for 6 years (actually, more than that, we were a plant and the church we started with rented for at least 6 years prior to the plant - longer really, but I wasn't with them then). We'd looked at properties off and on but all were out of our price range. We'd kind of put a hold on looking at properties - and a property fell into our laps, quite reasonably too. All happens in God's time frame.

edb19 said:

FWIW - we rented for 6 years (actually, more than that, we were a plant and the church we started with rented for at least 6 years prior to the plant - longer really, but I wasn't with them then). We'd looked at properties off and on but all were out of our price range. We'd kind of put a hold on looking at properties - and a property fell into our laps, quite reasonably too. All happens in God's time frame.

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I can't remember if I read this or if I listened to it (I love audio magazines.....esp. Mars Hill Audio Journal) about how many of the old church bldgs are being sold and converted into offices and homes. They were lamenting how the archetecture, etc. is being lost to modernity.

CC&E