Category Archives: church

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 26, Section 1

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This chapter of the confession looks at the communion of saints. The confession says that all saints, all who believe in Jesus, have union with Christ. In our union with Christ we share in his grace, suffering, death, resurrection and glory.

And because all saints are united with Christ, we are also connected with one another. In a deep spiritual sense, we are united to one another as one body and Christ is our head. Eph 4:15-16 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

And since we are joined together as one body, we have a responsibility as a body: to grow together as a mature body in which Christ is the head and this is in love.
What are some things we are called to do? The confession says we participate in one another’s gifts and graces for our mutual good, perform public and private duties.
Just as the early Christians in Acts shared all their money and time, those who are in Christ are to do the same. We rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. Today’s confession is a reminder that the church is one body under Christ and as members of that one body we are intimately connected to one another.
Communion of Saints

1. All saints—who are united to Jesus Christ their head by his Spirit and by faith—have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory. And, being united to one another in love, they participate in each other’s gifts and graces and are obligated to perform those public and private duties which lead to their mutual good, both inwardly and outwardly.

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 25, Section 1

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Today’s confession looks at what the church is.

We learn that the catholic or universal church consists of all believers past present and future. Christ is the head of the church and the relationship between Christ and the church.. Is that The church is the bride, the body and the fullness of him.

The confession calls the universal church invisible meaning we cannot see or know everyone who is saved.

As we worship today, we are reminded that we join all our brothers and sisters around the world, past present and future in, through, and by Jesus Christ. And that this local body here is a small representation of a much larger reality.

CONFESSION OF FAITH:

The catholic (that is, universal) church, which is invisible, consists of all the elect who have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ its head. This church is his bride, his body, and the fullness of him who fills all in all.

PCA BCO 57-5

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57-5. The time having come for the making of a public profession, and those who have been approved by the Session having taken their places in the presence of the congregation, the minister may state that:

Of the number of those who were baptized in infancy as members of the Church of God by birthright, and as heirs of the covenant promises, the Session has examined and approved (call them by name), who come now to assume for themselves the full privileges and responsibilities of their inheritance in the household of faith.

If there be present any candidates for Baptism, the minister may state that:

As applicants for admission into the Church of God by Baptism, which is a sign and seal of our engrafting into Christ, and of our engagement to be the Lord’s, the Session has examined and approved (call them by name), who are cordially welcomed into the fellowship of the household of faith.

(All of) you being here present to make a public profession of faith, are to assent to the following declarations and promises, by which you enter into a solemn covenant with God and His Church.

1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?

2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?

3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?

4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?

5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?

PCA BCO 12-5

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12-5. The church Session is charged with maintaining the spiritual government of the church, for which purpose it has power:

a. To inquire into the knowledge, principles and Christian conduct of the church members under its care; to censure those found delinquent; to see that parents do not neglect to present their children for Baptism; to receive members into the communion of the Church; to remove them for just cause; to grant letters of dismissal to other churches, which when given to parents, shall always include the names of their non-communing, baptized children;

b. To examine, ordain, and install ruling elders and deacons on their election by the church, and to require these officers to devote themselves to their work; to examine the records of the proceedings of the deacons; to approve and adopt the budget;

c. To approve actions of special importance affecting church property;

d. To call congregational meetings when necessary; to establish and control Sunday schools and Bible classes with special reference to the children of the church; to establish and control all special groups in the church such as Men in the Church, Women in the Church and special Bible study groups; to promote world missions; to promote obedience to the Great Commission in its totality at home and abroad; to order collections for pious uses;

e. To exercise, in accordance with the Directory for Worship, authority over the time and place of the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments, over all other religious services, over the music in the services, and over the uses to which the church building and associated properties may be put; to take the oversight of the singing in the public worship of God; to ensure that the Word of God is preached only by such men as are sufficiently qualified (BCO 4-4, 53-2, 1 Timothy 2:11-12); to assemble the people for worship when there is no minister; to determine the best measures for promoting the spiritual interests of the church and congregation;

f. To observe and carry out the lawful injunctions of the higher courts; and to appoint representatives to the higher courts, who shall, on their return, make report of their diligence.

Preaching to thin pews

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Found this post off the Shepherd’s Scrapbook.

I know that a number of you who read this blog are pastors of small churches (thanks for reading!). Tonight I came across this from Arthur J. Gossip in his book on preaching, In Christ’s Stead (1925), pages 27–28. I thought I would pass it along:

“…religion is by far the most interesting subject in the world, and the people prove it by the way they flock to hear about it, even yet [1925]. Take any other theme you choose, politics let us say, and through a heated fortnight at an election time you can gather eager meetings. But let them continue, in scores and hundreds of places in the cities, week in and week out the whole year round, and what size would they be in a year? But you—oh, you at times will be grumpy over thin pews. Watch yourself then; be sure that that is really zeal for Christ, and not, as is much more likely, merely hurt pride that stings you. Never rail at a congregation because it is small. It is not the fault of those who are there. And in your deeper moods you will stand gazing in amazement at the folk coming back, sitting there looking hopefully toward you, not yet discouraged, it appears, by the sad persistent failures of the past, apparently still sure that God is going to break through all our imperfections to them.”

Globalization: Coming Christendom

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A look at religion on the world. Christianity is growing in the world, not just Islam. A new reformation, caused by globalization. A shift in the center of power.

Many think the 21st century will be the main force that religious influence on human affairs and attitudes to political liberty, war, conflict, etc. A Christian revolution that is happening and this is not suburban Christian. Worldwide, Christianity is moving towards supernaturalism, a return back to orthodoxy, and the ancient worldview in the New Testament (Jesus overcomes evil forces), people are believing the bible is true, overcoming demonic powers, sickness and calamity.

The global south is expanding. Third world countries are reproducing like crazy. 480 million in Latin America, 360 million in Africa, 315 million in Asia, compared to 260 millions in North America. A catholic scholar calls the Third world as the Third Church. The west is not getting it. Religious power is shifting towards east and south. Very few people in the west recognize the potential of the rise of southern Christianity. Christian west is shrinking except for evangelical. Liberal west (shrinking) and growing west (growing). Christian centers are shifting to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The growth in Africa is relentless. Today the Christian in Africa total 360 million or 46% whereas 100 years ago, it was only 9%. That number is likely to rise due to population growth. The industrial countries are experiencing a birth decline.

2.6 billion Christians in the world, which will be by far the world’s largest religion. By 2025, 50% Christians will be in Africa and Latin America, 17% in Asia. By 2050, United States will have largest single contingent as a country, all other leading nations will be southern ex. Mexico, Congo, Philippines, Nigeria, Brazil, Ethiopia.

Population shift in the catholic world, Europeans will be minorities, 16 million in 1915 now 120 million African Catholics. Demographic change will have implications for theology, society and politics. Theology and morality will be more conservative in the south than in the American version. Thriving in the south are traditional and reactionary to consumerism. Catholics in Asia and Africa looks more like Pre-Vatican II. Understands authority and charisma, not consultation or democracies. Nigerian cardinal Arems might be in the running for Pope. Conservative biblical.

Shift in Pentecostal Christians, they are buddying up with Catholics in South America. Revelation override biblical authority. Most successful southern hemisphere church preaches orthodox faith, communal, mysticism, Puritanism, and obedience to spiritual authority. Prophecies are an everyday reality. Scholars to religions of the south call churches – prophetic churches.

The northern institutions are fragmenting. Progressive sides are holding to dear life. It is only a matter of time before they fall altogether. Experience in the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. Conflicts over gender and sexuality, the south wants to re-evangelize Europe and America. They view the northern church as close to heresy or heretical. Ordination of women and homosexuality has met objections from African and Asian churches and worldwide communion. Nigerias have more practicing Anglicans than any other country, Uganda is not far behind. In 2050 – large majority of Anglicans will not be white or English. AMIA – Anglican missions in America – sponsored by Africans.

One of the most important services the American churches can do is assisting in education and training of southern countries clergy. And so this is what we must do. The southern churches are praying for us. We must pray for them.