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08-30-2009, 04:57 PM
|  | Uncommon Denominator | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Gambrills, MD
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| | | The Perfect Church
Quote: 1689 LBC 26.3
The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error...
| Quote: WCF 25.5
The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error...
| Have you ever fallen into the "perfect church" trap? Many have. They delay joining a local body of believers under the guise that the perfect church is just one more Lord's Day away. But no matter how many churches they visit there is something not quite right about that wannabe perfect church. Maybe the singing is/isn't EP, perhaps the pastor preaches too long/too short, it serves grape juice instead of wine, the pastor does/doesn't wear a robe...I can go on, but for the sake of brevity I'll end it here.
The point is that there is no perfect church. There are credos and paedos who refuse to join the only good Reformed church in town because it doesn't share their baptismal conviction. The alternative is no church or a long, long drive to a church that they have to settle for. In the meantime there are churches, made of up of dear saints, that will never know the joy of our fellowship, and vice versa.
If you ever find yourself in looking for a new church home, perform your due diligence, but remember that there is no such thing as a perfect church.
Last edited by Herald; 08-30-2009 at 05:40 PM.
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08-30-2009, 07:07 PM
|  | Puritanboard Senior | | Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Browns Mills NJ
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I'm in process of due diligence. I'm still undecided. Both are confessional. I desire for my wife to give me a heartfelt evaluation to weigh out where we  will fit best, but it is too soon to make that call.
__________________
Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25
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08-30-2009, 07:19 PM
| | Uncommon Denominator | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Gambrills, MD
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| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Koster  I'm in process of due diligence. I'm still undecided. Both are confessional. I desire for my wife to give me a heartfelt evaluation to weigh out where we will fit best, but it is too soon to make that call. | Rich, you have my prayers.
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08-30-2009, 08:14 PM
|  | Puritanboard Graduate | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO
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Doesn't OPC stand for Only Perfect Church?
Theognome
__________________
Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.
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08-30-2009, 08:18 PM
|  | Puritanboard Postgraduate | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Cary, NC
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It's helpful to understand God appoints the circumstances, even of the church.
As God elects, effectually calls, regenerates, gives faith, justifies, He adopts us into His Body. To live apart from the (visible) body is to deny what God has done.
God has His purposes at different seasons to grow you, for you to minister to others, to serve, to be humiliated, all toward the end of His Glory.
Being in a(n) (imperfect) church is part of that.
__________________
Scott
PCA
North Carolina
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23 | | The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Scott1 For This Useful Post: | |
08-30-2009, 08:25 PM
| | Puritanboard Sophomore | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: N MS
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| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Theognome Doesn't OPC stand for Only Perfect Church?
Theognome | 
Thanks for that laugh!
__________________
Polly
wife and mom
participating in an OPC church plant effort in Collierville, TN
living in N MS
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08-30-2009, 08:43 PM
|  | Puritanboard Sophomore | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Parkville, MD
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There is at least one person at every church I have regularly attended who will state that things were perfect until I showed up.
__________________
Rich Brown
Deacon/Webmaster Aisquith PCA
Parkville, MD
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08-30-2009, 10:13 PM
|  | Puritanboard Sophomore | | Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ellicott City, MD
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| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Theognome Doesn't OPC stand for Only Perfect Church?
Theognome | Yes . . . Yes it does. 
__________________ Clark Brooking
Pastor
Living Hope Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Clarksville, MD
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08-30-2009, 11:54 PM
|  | Puritanboard Doctor | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: wi
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....and the moment anyone joins that perfect church it then becomes imperfect.....well, to the Body of Christ who is being sanctified until we see His face!
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08-31-2009, 10:03 AM
|  | Puritanboard Junior | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Jacksonville, FL
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| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Theognome Doesn't OPC stand for Only Perfect Church?
Theognome | As Pastor Larry Wilson of Covenant OPC in Indianapolis is fond of saying...
"In the OPC, we not only believe in the doctrine of total depravity, but we practice it, too."
Blessings,
KC
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08-31-2009, 10:21 AM
|  | Puritanboard Graduate | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Thankful...
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I don't know who to quote with this quote...
"If you're waiting for the perfect church don't join it you'll ruin it".
__________________
John
Member
Christ Presbyterian Church (OPC)
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08-31-2009, 12:26 PM
|  | Puritanboard Senior | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Janesville, Wisconsin
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I am currently in a weird situation as I am attending an Evangelical Free Church(see my signature) which brought me up in the faith and secured my acceptance of the doctrines of grace as well as a more covenantal view of Christ and redemption. Sadly, this denomination does not allow Amils or Postmils to be members, because of this I have the opportunity to pick any Reformed church (plus I am not tied down to this location right now because I have no job..again...) and although there are many solid Confessional denominations there are always things that freak me out  , my studies of the various Confessional denominations so far lead me to either RPCNA or WPCUS but both have flaws, I KNOW!!! I'll just start a NEW DENOMINATION, THE PERFECT ONE!!! yeah...as if... I think there are way too many denominations already....I really have no point to this reply except, I agree.
__________________ ~ Charles Stephen Barribeau ~  Christ Presbyterian Church , OPC (They sing alot of Psalms!)  Original Westminster Standards (I need to study more...)  The Puritans were best! Also... I NEED TO READ MORE!!!  Philipians1:29(KJV) For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Janesville, Wisconsin (In the fellowship of Bob Vigneault and Matt+Megan Meisberger) |
08-31-2009, 08:26 PM
|  | Puritanboard Freshman | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
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A man was stranded alone on a deserted Pacific island for years. Finally one day a boat comes sailing into view, and the man frantically waves and draws the skipper’s attention. The boat comes near the island and the sailor gets out and greets the stranded man.
After a while the sailor asks, “What are those three huts you have here?”
“Well, that’s my house there.”
“What’s that next hut?” asks the sailor.
“I built that hut to be my church.”
“What about the other hut?”
“Oh, that’s where I used to go to church.”
__________________
Jim
Elder
First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu
at Ko'olau (PCUSA)
Honolulu, Hawaii http://www.fpchawaii.org/ "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." II Corinthians 12:9
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09-01-2009, 03:05 AM
|  | Puritanboard Freshman | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Vaasa, Finland
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| | | Very familiar
Sometimes the things that make the church "imperfect" are the very things that make it impossible for you to join.
Wife and I recently discovered a confessional, conservative lutheran church. That is the best you can get around here. Their views on soteriology and the sacraments are unacceptable in my eyes, and since I cannot accept them, the pastor won't let us become members.
__________________
Christoffer S.
Layman
Finnish Evangelical-Lutheran church
Vaasa, Finland
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09-22-2009, 02:27 PM
|  | Puritanboard Freshman | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Vernon Hills, IL
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| | Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawaiian Puritan A man was stranded alone on a deserted Pacific island for years. Finally one day a boat comes sailing into view, and the man frantically waves and draws the skipper’s attention. The boat comes near the island and the sailor gets out and greets the stranded man.
After a while the sailor asks, “What are those three huts you have here?”
“Well, that’s my house there.”
“What’s that next hut?” asks the sailor.
“I built that hut to be my church.”
“What about the other hut?”
“Oh, that’s where I used to go to church.” | That is TOO funny!!!
__________________
Carl Gobelman
Long Grove Community Church (Evangelical)
Vernon Hills, IL
Blog: http://newcreationperson.wordpress.com
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
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