HI Everyone!
I've been on CF for a while now. When I first came to CF, I put my icon as a plain ole' christian, since I don't particularly like the idea of "denominations". I grew up Quaker, but as I matured in my belief, I found I don't really hold to many of the traditional quaker beliefs, so I looked around and started going to a non-denominational church who's main goal is reaching to the un-churched in the area. It's an awesome church, and I'm very happy there; the issue is this--the pastors there have really gotten me to dig deep and figure out what I really believe,and what I don't. As a result, I am being baptised this Saturday(as some of you may know, the Quakers don't practice baptism), and I put on a new icon--the Calvinist! Yet the church I go to doesn't teach Calvinism.....anyone else in this boat???
Alot of the sermons are geared towards the new christian, or non-believer, so I wonder if they don't teach it because this sort of thing is confusing to a new believer. However, during the Wednesday services, which are geared toward Christians and helping us grow, I haven't heard much one way or the other about free-will. I have a suspicion that they teach "free-will" though.
Does anyone else have this problem? Do you think I should "do" something about it. Other than the non-calvinist approach, I love everything about this church.
I have just recently come to the Calvinistic way of thinking myself...I'll be lurking around here to learn more, and ask questions......
I've been on CF for a while now. When I first came to CF, I put my icon as a plain ole' christian, since I don't particularly like the idea of "denominations". I grew up Quaker, but as I matured in my belief, I found I don't really hold to many of the traditional quaker beliefs, so I looked around and started going to a non-denominational church who's main goal is reaching to the un-churched in the area. It's an awesome church, and I'm very happy there; the issue is this--the pastors there have really gotten me to dig deep and figure out what I really believe,and what I don't. As a result, I am being baptised this Saturday(as some of you may know, the Quakers don't practice baptism), and I put on a new icon--the Calvinist! Yet the church I go to doesn't teach Calvinism.....anyone else in this boat???
Alot of the sermons are geared towards the new christian, or non-believer, so I wonder if they don't teach it because this sort of thing is confusing to a new believer. However, during the Wednesday services, which are geared toward Christians and helping us grow, I haven't heard much one way or the other about free-will. I have a suspicion that they teach "free-will" though.
Does anyone else have this problem? Do you think I should "do" something about it. Other than the non-calvinist approach, I love everything about this church.
I have just recently come to the Calvinistic way of thinking myself...I'll be lurking around here to learn more, and ask questions......
Your suspicions are most likely correct. They probably don't teach it simply because they don't believe it, and do hold to a "free-will" salvation paradigm, which is what you'll find in most non-denominational churches. Should you do something? Well, I look at it like this: you shouldn't compromise what you believe, especially about such a crucial doctrine like this, but if you don't and are very vocal and attempt to "convert" others, you're probably not going to fit in very well there. You'll be uncomfortable and maybe not too welcome. The fact is, there just aren't many good churches available these days, even among the more conservative Calvinist denominations like the OPC and RPCNA. But if I were you, I'd look into them. You might have to settle for a PCA, but that would still be much closer and you'd be a lot more edified and able to serve them in return. Just my .02 cents.
