Juicy Ecumenism looks at rather bleak demographic numbers for Presbyterian Church ( USA ) . See The Coming Collapse of the PC (USA)
The Presbyterians still have an imprint in the Deep South but not as much as it was in the past. I kinda of look at the Presbyterian Church in my town and see some of the issues this report is talking about .
.Most Presbyterian Churches down here they are more " conservative " than the national leadership and their national body. Some have left to go to other Presbyterian bodies , but most have decided to stick it out. One problem they are having is much like the problem other Churches are having in the rural South That is a migration of kids to the city and no new migration into the town.
IF these kids that come from families that have a Presbyterian heritage that dates from when the area was settling are keeping their Presbyterian ID when move to the big city is something I wonder about..
I AM NOT A CALVINIST!
ReplyDeleteI BELIEVE IN PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS, BUT I AM NOT A CALVINIST!
It is impossible to proclaim a belief in perseverance of the saints, also know as once saved always saved and eternal security, and at the same time declare you are not a Calvinist.
The Calvinistic T.U.L.I.P explained.
T-Total Depravity. Means that sin is in every part of one's being, including the mind and will of man. Therefore men are without free- will. Men are saved by grace alone.
U- Unconditional Election. God predetermines who will be saved and who will spend eternity in hell.
L-Limited Atonement. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was only for the predetermined elect.
I-Irresistible Grace. God selects men to be saved and then forces then to believe in Jesus.
P-Perseverance of the Saints. The people God has chosen for salvation cannot lose their salvation.
Perseverance of the saints is the culmination of the T.U.L.I.P.
Without the first four points of the Calvinistic T.U.L.I.P there cannot be a fifth point.
You either embrace all 5 points of the T.U.L.I.P or none of the points.
Yes, all five T.U.L.I.P points are contrary to Scripture.
T-Total Depravity.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.(NKJV)
All men who hear the gospel can choose to accept God's grace or reject it.
U-Unconditional Election.
Faith: John 3:16
Repentance: Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19
Confession: Romans 10:9
Water Baptism: Acts 2:38. Mark 16:16
There are conditions that need to be met in order to receive salvation.
L-Limited Atonement.
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold ! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.(NKJV)
Jesus died for the sins of all men.
I-Irresistible Grace.
Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.(NKJV)
Men did and still do resist the Holy Spirit. Grace is not irresistible.
P-Perseverance of the Saints.
Luke 8:13...who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.(NKJV)
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrine of demons.(NKJV)
The Holy Spirit says men will fall away from the faith. Who do you believe the Holy Spirit or John Calvin?
It you believe in perseverance of the saints, once in grace always in grace, eternal security, then you are a Calvinist.
YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. Google search>>>>>>steve finnell a christian view
sad to see the PC in such decline. They are not the only main liners going south.
ReplyDeletejmw
So the writer is surprised that the membership of the Presbyterian Church is "old and white"? Don't they teach history in schools anymore? If they did, then the writer should know, without doing any survey, that Presbyterians are not just "white", but that they are likely of a Scottish, or Scots-Irish cultural heritage. This is the same as finding a large percentage of Mexican immigrants at the Catholic churches, or a large percentage of Middle Eastern immigrants at the Muslim Mosques. Those of us who are "crackers" have been here a long time. It is entirely normal and natural that as generations go by, with intermarriage and assimilation as Americans, their religious preferences will become more generic. Simple church, cowboy church, generic "gathering", no-name megachurch is the contempory American religiosity.
ReplyDelete