Church Search Update....

[Defcon]

I wanted to thank all of you for your encouragement and information on finding a new church home. My wife and I visited a PCA-Reformed Church this morning and were blown away. It was the first time either of us had ever attended a Reformed church and we loved the teaching from the message. It was confirmed that this is the only Reformed Church within an hour drive from our home and we are definitely glad we gave it a shot. Those in attendance were curious as to how we knew about them. I passed along that I had been given some searches for Reformed churches from you all and found the church on those searches. It is a small church (about 20 people) and they have a rotation of pastors at this point. We are definitely excited about going back. Thanks for your time and prayers.....

 

[CCWoody]

Those in attendance were curious as to how we knew about them.

I say this for the reference of those who may also visit a new PCA plant in your area as I did last year. When they, in curiosity, ask where you are from and then how you heard about them, don't say, even if it is really true,

"I've been going to (fill in Arminian churches name) and I've been watching you for a while."

Definitely going to be some misunderstanding there, even if all you mean't was I've been looking for a better option for some time and have been looking toward you wondering if you were big enough to handing me and my energetic family. Yep, red flag words.

Glad you found my little corner of Presbyterianism delightful.

 

[strengthinweakness]

Defcon, as a still-somewhat-recently-Reformed Baptist who attended an Arminian Baptist church for most of my Christian life (which means for about 3 years), I share your ethusiasm and excitement about discovering Reformed services! Quite a change from "seeker-sensitive," and even "altar call," services-- and, in my increasingly Biblically-informed view, all the better for being so. True Reformed churches are evangelistic in spirit and in practice (very contrary to popular Arminian opinion), but there is no need to have the emotionally manipulative spectacle of altar calls in order to extend a clear, firm, definite call to repentance and faith for non-Christians. Also, isn't it striking how Reformed services are (at least in my experience at my current church, and from what I have heard from others at SR) much more seriously God-centered and Word-centered than services are at many non-Reformed churches? Not that I mean to belittle the sincere faith of my non-Reformed brothers and sisters at all, but now that I have had the incredible, paradigm-changing experience of being a member of a Reformed church, it would be very hard for me to attend a church that did not have Reformed (uncompromisingly Biblical) theology as its worldview, informing the sermons, prayers, and songs of the services, the books on the church bookshelves, and, crucially, the evangelistic outreach of the leadership and members.

CCWoody, I am curious-- why should one not make such a statement when newly attending a Reformed church? Is it because the church members might be afraid of giving the impression that their church is inadvertantly "sheep-stealing?"

 

[CCWoody]

CCWoody, I am curious-- why should one not make such a statement when newly attending a Reformed church? Is it because the church members might be afraid of giving the impression that their church is inadvertantly "sheep-stealing?"

Wouldn't want to come across as an Arminian stalker who has been "watching" you. (This is where the net is an imperfect medium.)

 

[strengthinweakness]

Wouldn't want to come across as an Arminian stalker who has been "watching" you. (This is where the net is an imperfect medium.)

Ahhh, I understand you now... but do you mean that there are actually Arminian, Reformed theology-hating (and/or misunderstanding) Christians who truly have that much time on their hands, so as to be going around "visiting" Reformed churches that they have no intention of joining? The thought seems absolutely hilarious to me... but then, human beings quite often do very absurd things!

 

[CCWoody]

Ahhh, I understand you now... but do you mean that there are actually Arminian, Reformed theology-hating (and/or misunderstanding) Christians who truly have that much time on their hands, so as to be going around "visiting" Reformed churches that they have no intention of joining? The thought seems absolutely hilarious to me... but then, human beings quite often do very absurd things!

To be honest, I was quite the attraction in my church for a period of time. They were trying to figure out why I had been living in my town for so long, been a Calvinist and hadn't joined their church. It just fueled their curiosity when I'd tell them "I've had my eye on you for a while." I'm sure my humor didn't help anything.

 

[inchristalone221]

but there is no need to have the emotionally manipulative spectacle of altar calls in order to extend a clear, firm, definite call to repentance and faith for non-Christians.

I love Michael Horton's shot at altar calls in his book Putting Amazing Back Into Grace. He mentions that the altar calls have become like the third sacrament of evangelicalism, and it looks a lot like catholic penance.

Awesome book by the way, everyone here who hasn't read it really should: Here's a little review.

 

[CCWoody]

I love Michael Horton's shot at altar calls in his book Putting Amazing Back Into Grace. He mentions that the altar calls have become like the third sacrament of evangelicalism, and it looks a lot like catholic penance.

Awesome book by the way, everyone here who hasn't read it really should: Here's a little review.

When I joined the PCA and finally left Morgan of Wales nightmare, we read the book as part of our first Bible study. While the doctrine contained was pretty basic, the theology was still very good. I especially liked the implications of the priesthood of the believer and the Puritan work ethic.

BTW, where does everyone think I get many of my one liners from?

 

[oworm]

BTW, where does everyone think I get many of my one liners from?

Would it be from those Cordial Calvanistic Camp fire wood burning sessions that you attend out in the desert?

 

[CCWoody]

Would it be from those Cordial Calvanistic Camp fire wood burning sessions that you attend out in the desert?

Come and see. You will be in the states soon, won't you?

 

[Imblessed]

Oworm:
Would it be from those Cordial Calvanistic Camp fire wood burning sessions that you attend out in the desert?

Come and see. You will be in the states soon, won't you?

oooo---ooooo can I come?

 

[oworm]

Come and see. You will be in the states soon, won't you?

I,m here now and ive been practising my wood burning skills!

 

[CCWoody]

I,m here now and ive been practising my wood burning skills!

Cool. Are you here permanently, or just for a while?

BTW, Imblessed, if we can ever get the fire sanctions lifted in the Southwest, I will be lighting a fire somewhere and grilling something that I've killed. It is just now, with this drought, if I lit up, Texas, New Mexico, & Arizona would look like the mother of all Calvinist heretic burnings.

 

[oworm]

Cool. Are you here permanently, or just for a while?

I'm currently awaiting status adjustment from USCIS. I'm on the visa waiver programme seeking permanent residency and on to citizinship after that.
Here's hoping I can pass the wood burning tests!

 

[JJB]

Who is Morgan of Wales? Henry Morgan, the privateer? I've seen you use that name on several occasions, CCWoody. It always stops me because I don't know who that is...

...off to do a web search.

 

[CCWoody]

Who is Morgan of Wales? Henry Morgan, the privateer? I've seen you use that name on several occasions, CCWoody. It always stops me because I don't know who that is...

...off to do a web search.

Morgan of Wales, a.k.a. Pelagius.