The PuritanBoard - View Single Post - Which better? Dispy Baptist or emerging PCA?

Pilgrim · #92 (**permalink**) 03-29-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shackleton

I am not completely sold out on Presbyterianism, I like reformed theology but not necessarily that strict form of government. To be honest it reminds me of a home owners association, someone else is constantly telling you what you can and can't do with your stuff. (A presbytery, another church, is policing the activities in someone else's church). It makes me think, "Mind your own business, you worry about your chruch and I will worry about mine!" So maybe in that sense I am not cut out to be Pres. I was just trying to make a point when told to "plant a chruch," that is not kosher under pres. government.

I have been to all those churches listed above and was not very fond of the attitude of the people or pastors there, they can be very mean, arrogant and hateful, Calvinism tends to do that to some people. The two churches listed in the original post were listed for a reason, I had tried everything else and out of frustration was considering those two. I think I am learning, after two years of studying and attending different reformed and Pres. churches, that a milder form of reformed theology might be better. To me, method and form of baptism are not worth dividing over. How much water is used is inconsequential. I think good arguments can be made for both infant and believers baptism a lot of anger and strife exists on both sides. I do however love covenant theology and if infant baptism goes along with that it is fine.

Pilgrim, I had not seen all those "Reformed Baptist" churches you have found, five you said, I know of one and it went out of business at the beginning of this year. Maybe you could show me where you found those. This thread has helped me think through my decision and what I want out of a church and I think you all for that.

It is too bad that you didn't have a good experience in some of the churches.

I think most here will agree that of all the problems in Reformed churches today, the Presbytery coming in and telling churches what to do is very low on the list if not practically non existent. That's the reason for the red sneakers, etc. unless the presbytery as a whole endorses that and they very well may. Those PCA churches have appear to have adopted a "milder form of reformed theology" but it doesn't seem to be a form that is palatable to you (nor am I saying it should be).

With the Baptist churches, I was going by what was listed in the Founders directory. Maybe you are aware of all of them, maybe not. It appeared that there were a good number of churches in the KC area in both KS and MO. Some of these may be dispy but at least one said that it subscribed to the 1689, which is usually a sign that they are not. But what is there may not be totally up to date. Most if not all of them however aren't going to see mode and subjects of baptism as being of little consequence (they are Baptists after all) so you may end up at an impasse there as well until you come to a final decision which way to go on that issue. It sometimes isn't easy and took me a few years.