I've been thinking recently that I would like to visit a presbyterian church sometime. I'm not presbyterian and don't know that I'll be "converting" anytime soon , but I really enjoy the emphasis on the doctrines of grace, sovereignty of God, covenant theology, singing inspired Psalms, etc. So next time my hubby and I are out of town, we might visit a church we're not exactly used to.

That being said, how can this born-and-bred baptist decode all the presbyterian code words to choose the right church to visit? To my mind growing up, all Presbyterians were lukewarm social-gospel baptismal regenerationists (I don't know where I got that idea). . . and I don't really want an experience in a church like that.

So, what should hubby and I look for when choosing a church to visit?

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Kim
Baptist
Cornerstone Baptist Church, Greenville, SC

Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
Psalm 86:11

You mean, that's not true?

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Bob Howes
Framingham, MA

A reoccurring thought:

Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Just about any PCA or OPC church is a good bet as far as Presbyterian churches go. PCA churches tend to be more modern, are more likely to have contemporary services, casual dress, etc. OPC are much more traditional. Doctrinally they are indistinguishable as far as I can tell. The PCA is bigger, so you're more likely find a PCA church than an OPC.

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Mason
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA)
New York, NY

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." - Isaiah 1:18

You're in Greenville?

If you come to the Charlotte area, visit us (links below, in my signature).

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
Teacher Aide, Union County Public Schools, NC
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

I think I had an experience with one "presbyterian" who did not evidence any fruits of salvation, and my young mind associated baptism of infants with the Catholic church , so I had a very skewed view of the denomination.

As a baptist, I'd always been taught in a way that any church that baptized infants was associated with the Catholic church. It was guilt by association. Interesting how things change when you meet people who can defend their paedobaptist position biblically (and can run circles around you while doing so).

...which reminds me:

Rule of Thumb: Whenver you visit a different area and are looking for a church, be sure to post your destination on the PB. You may have the privilege of meeting some fellow PBers. I've had the privilege of meeting one so far, and came close to meeting two others.

In Greenville, I would invite you to visit the Greenville Presbyterian Church, pastored by Rev. Robert McCurley: SermonAudio.com - Greenville Presbyterian Church

I have heard Rev. McCurley preach many times, both here and in VA, and if you're into the doctrines of grace, covenant theology, the sovereignty of God and singing inspired psalms, then you would probably be very happy with your visit to that church. Rev. McCurley's congregation is thriving; he preaches the Gospel and Christ exalted. IMHO, he is a wonderful Gospel preacher.

Margaret

P. S. (I know, I said I wouldn't post anymore, but this isn't about me... I'm just trying to help Kim. )

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Margaret
Free Church of Scotland [Continuing]
Michigan

"He must increase, but I must decrease." - John 3:30

You might look for the following churches

RPCNA - Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
RPCGA - Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly
PRC - Protestant Reformed Church
WPCUS - Westminster Presbyterian Church in the United States
Free Church of Scotland


All Those churches will hold to a strict view of the regulative principle and be exclusive psalmody.

You can also try the URCNA - United Reformed Church of North America, they hold to the 3 forms of unity which includes the Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort and Heidelberg Catechism. They I believe are not exclusive psalmody but inspired song only i.e Song of Mary, etc. But they would use alot of the Psalter.

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Michael Daniels
Reformed, RPCNA
Denton, Maryland

[i][b]As For Me And My House, We Will Serve The Lord[/i][/b]

[SIZE="1"][I][FONT="Century Gothic"]Unum Deum in Trinitate: Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus [RIGHT]Sola scriptura - Sola gratia - Sola fide - Solus Christus - Soli Deo gloria - Solum psalterium - Lex talionis[/RIGHT][/FONT][/I][/SIZE]

There aren't many consistent Psalm singers in the PCA or OPC, but it's more likely you'll find them in the OPC. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) are Psalm singers.

You might also consider a United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA) or Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) church depending on your destination.

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Tom Albrecht
Member, Covenant URCNA, New Holland, PA.

"I'm not a famous man. I'm just a simple country doctor with horse sense."

{EDIT} I see this post of mine really doesn't fit the nature of the inquiry. I will just leave it here anyway. Find an OPC or PCA or ARP or URC or RPC--pretty much anything except a PCUSA mainline. I wouldn't recommend an Evangelical Presbyterian either, because they were too "progressive" to join the PCA, and formed their own denomination in the 1980s to include women pastors. {/EDIT}

There is an OPC in Greenville. I think it still meets in the GPTS facilities, or (rather) the OLD GPTS facilities, in Taylors. (The school has moved about 1/4 mile up the same street). As a lifelong (almost) OPC member, I felt this should be my church home while I lived in Greenville and went to seminary.

418 E. Main St.
Taylors, SC

Now, there are MORE, and some quite FINE, and usually LARGER PCA churches. Different ones have different strengths. I will mention 4 I have worshiped at:

1)Woodruff Road Presbyterian
2519 Woodruff Road
Simpsonville, SC 29681
P: (864) 297-5257
Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church

2) Second Presbyterian Church
105 River Street
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 232-7621
Second Presbyterian Church

3) Calvary Presbyterian Church
9201 Old White Horse Road
Greenville, South Carolina
(864) 294-0895
http://www.calvarypca.com/

4) Fellowship Presbyterian Church
1105 Old Spartanburg Road
Greer, South Carolina 29650
(864) 877-3267
Fellowship Presbyterian Church

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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


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This latter isn't true. The URCNA sing plenty of hymns... (and psalms)...

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://semperubi.rtrc.net

"Many men, after a long conversion, see more of the workings of sin in their hearts than ever they did before or at their first conversion. Now, such men have not an increase of sin, but an increase of illumination and light" (Christopher Love)

I did say "I Believe", so I did qualified that answer about the URCNA, but I did thought they only sang hymns that are sometimes considered new testament hymns, or the Lukan Hymns, song of mary, etc..

The Free Presbyterians sing exclusively from the Psalter.

Dr. Alan Cairns
Faith Free Presbyterian Church
1207 Haywood Road
Greenville, SC 29615
1-888-483-2408

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Ian Kemmerer
Covenant Presbetyrian Church,Reading,PA
Fleetwood,PA

"Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart, And all is darkened in the vale of tears, Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart, Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears. Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay From His own fullness all He takes away."

Perhaps you received that impression from some of the early Dutch Synods. For instance, the Synod of Dort 1618-19: "In the churches only the 150 Psalms of David shall be sung. The 10 Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the Articles of Faith, the Songs of Mary, Zechariah, and Simeon, the hymn 'O God who is our Father', and so on, shall be left in the freedom of the Church, whether they want to use them or not, as they see fit. The rest of the songs shall be taken out of the church, and similarly any which have previously been imported into the church shall be omitted in the most decent way possible."

However, that decision is not considered binding on any contemporary churches descended from Dort. As far as I'm aware the only Reformed churches of Dutch ancestry that practice nearly- or exclusive psalmody are the Free Reformed, the Protestant Reformed and the Netherlands Reformed.

As for the Canadian Reformed, we have 150 Psalms and 65 hymns, arguably closer to the Dort decision than the URCNA with 150 Psalms (in various styles/rhymings, etc.) and 182 hymns.

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Wes Bredenhof
Co-pastor, Langley Canadian Reformed Church
Langley, British Columbia
www.bredenhof.ca

Ian, that is not actually true. They have made a hymnal of their own Hymns of Grace and Glory, which has a small Psalter selection in the back (no imprecatory Psalms, I'm sad to say). And they have Easter cantatas and special music most Sunday mornings, etc. I don't know that in some congregations you could even count on singing at least one Psalm every service.

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Ruben

Spanish Blog -Teologia en Mexico
English Blog -The Howling Wilderness

On WVCY 107.7 out of Milwaukee, the Free Presbyterian Church has their radio program on air. I know I've heard songs other than Pslams and I assumed that would be the case in their local church services.

I know some have issues with this denomination but I must say that I have a lot of respect for Dr. Cairns on his stand on many issues.

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Ivan Schoen, Pastor
Maranatha Baptist Church
Poplar Grove, Illinois USA
http://maranatha-sbc.org/
Husband to Nancy
Father to Sherril, Sarah, Kathryn
Grandfather to Phillip
Faith is the refusal to panic. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

My mistake. I judged it off the two in my area.

Just for clarification, there is the Free Presbyterian Church [of Ulster / Worldwide] (non-EP) and the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (EP). This particular congregation in Greenville (which I have visited) is part of the former.

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"On land, at sea, at home, abroad, / I smoke my pipe and worship God." -- J.S. Bach

If you are in Greenville, the Free Church of Scotland Continuing with Rev. McCurley is definitely the church to check out. His preaching is very good!

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Rev. Adam King
Minister without a call
Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPCUS)
Westminster, CO