To Join PCA

[ratchet30]

To join a Presbyterian PCA church, would I have to agree with EVERYTHING the church believes? I am more in line with Macarthur when it comes to the ordinances and eschatology (except for pre-trib rapture). Nevertheless I believe I could benefit from a Calvinist church.

 

[AMR]

You had some answers here.

If you are interested in the PCA, you should speak to one of the elders in the local church. Covenanting one's membership with a local body of the church means you will be placing yourself under the authority of that church. Likewise, the church will be taking you under their care. If you have disagreements with the Confessional basis of the church, which are the Westminster Standards for the PCA, feel free to discuss them with the church leadership as you begin your exploration of possible membership.

 

[kenrapoza]

To piggyback on what Patrick said:

You don't have to agree with every detail of Presbyterian doctrine, but you should be aware that they will be teaching you from the perspective of Westminster (hopefully, assuming it is a properly confessional congregation) and discipling you in that direction. If you have strong disagreements, you may find that this gets difficult for you over time. One of the membership vows that you will take is that you will seek the peace and purity of the church. The essence of this vow is that you will not actively be an agent of disruption and dissention in the congregation, but rather an agent of peace and unity. The thing is that if you have disagreements with Presby doctrine, you would be expected to not undermine the ministry of the local church by trying to convince others in the congregation that their church is in error - after all, PCA doctrine is historic, public and available to all, if the church is in line with the Westminster Confession then it is being faithful to it's calling. However, if the Pastor goes "off the deep end" and starts violating those doctrines which he has vowed to uphold, then there is another issue.

In other words - you are free to join the church given that both you and the Session have discussed the doctrine of the Westminster Standards and you are willing to come under their care and leadership. But as Patrick said, it might be best to make the Session aware of your doctrinal differences in your new member's class prior to taking the membership vows.

 

[HeadHeart]

I like John MacArthur too. Specifically, which of his major teachings (about ordinances and eschatology or other things) are inconsistent with the Westminster Confession of Faith? Can you describe some of these and why you would favor one belief over another? Part of the answer to your question in your opening post depends on how deeply committed you are toward one belief over another. Is there a rational reason for believing one over another? Or is it just because you were instructed in one belief first and that makes it the truest in your mind? I go through these tests of understanding as well. I hate cognitive dissonance.

If you favor "confessional Lutheranism" you may have committed yourself to some version of consubstantiation as distinguished from the communion in PCA and Presbyterian Churches generally being symbolic. That would seem to me to be a big deal breaking difference unless you haven't thought about that much yet.

 

[RisingSpirit]

To join a Presbyterian PCA church, would I have to agree with EVERYTHING the church believes? I am more in line with Macarthur when it comes to the ordinances and eschatology (except for pre-trib rapture). Nevertheless I believe I could benefit from a Calvinist church.

To join a creedal church or a non-creedal church will be a difficult decision on every attempt.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

I love the PCA. As a matter of fact I'm visiting one week after this because a friend of mine is in town preaching and he asked me to come out on facebook.

My difference is with baptism really. I agree with virtually everything else. My eschatology is premillenial and I agree a lot with Macarthur on his dispensational views. So, that kind of sets me out as well I guess.

But I highly recommend the PCA to anyone looking for a God honoring denomination.