Hi!

As i was reading today a thought had come to me in regards to the board.

First off let me say that this board is a great blessing! I have learned much from the many men and women of God that post and discuss here.

That said I guess that can also be somewhat intimidating. When i first arrived here I thought i knew more than i did. When i joined i was somewhat new to the reformed faith (about 1 year).

Along the way of learning I obviously ask questions or some come to mind but often times I need people to be understanding that i am still learning.

I guess from all that sprung an idea. What if you had a section on the board for those new or relatively new to the reformed faith? That way it might be more comfortable for people to make threads with questions that might be considered common knowledge. Not everyone has to venture there and it wont clutter up other areas of the main board.

Also within that area there could be some links or a threads with information that might help a beginner learn some of the terms and topics that they will find as they pursue their walk with God.

I feel as though my thoughts here aren't complete but I lost my train of thought.

I guess to sum it all up would be a section to minister those who are transitioning into the reformed faith. A place for good Godly discussion and Q&A before diving "into the deep end". A shallow swimming pool of sorts!

I hope this makes sense. I sometimes have difficulty with my wording!

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Brian E
Attending Falls OPC
Menomonee Falls, WI

Brian, this could be a good idea. Just make sure the other Admins get a look at it, and it may be something (or may not be) to implement.

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCGA
Facebook - The Calvinist Vent
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It is God that multiplies our sorrows.... God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved them all, and more: nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them, with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance our sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied. - Matthew Henry

This sounds like a good idea. I generally assume everyone knows what everyone is talking about in other threads unless we're talking about something highly obscure. It might be beneficial to have a basics forum.

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Andrew DeShazo
Husband of Kathryn
Father of Phillip-Giles B. DeShazo
Deacon
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN
"From out of the depth of unbroken Infinfity arose the Question, "Who am I?" And to that Question there is the answer, "I am God!" -Meher Baba, died 1969.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Christ, died 33 AD, ressurected three days later.

Glad to hear the feedback! Its an encouragement!

Another benefit is that throughout fellowship/discussions with those newer to the reformed faith you would get to know them a bit better. Then when they comment on other things in the future you will already know where they may stand on things or various personality traits in their post.

That was the other thing i wanted to add before!

What would you call it? "The Wading Pool"?

I think it's a good idea too.

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Ruben
Moderator
F.P.C.I.
Indiana

Vanities and disguises have covered us, and thereby we are naked; licenciousness hath inflam'd us, and thereby we are frozen; voluptuousness hath fed us, and thereby we are sterved, the fancies and traditions of men have taught and instructed us, and thereby we are ignorant.
John Donne

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Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

I'm not sure how this might work in practice. It seems like a good idea up front but there's a reason why we have so many varied fora that sort of represent "Reformed" theology.

Most people new to the Reformed faith, for instance, tend to think that cutting your teeth on the 5 points sort of introduces Reformed theology. True to an extent but then there's the doctrine of the Church, the Sacraments, the Regulative Principle for Worship, the Confessions, etc.

We'd either have one "Newbie forum" that had introductory stuff on all of those major "headers" or it would be a forum category that practically replicated about 20 fora we have on the major headings of Reformed theology.

What might be worthwhile is a repository of articles that cover all these points so people can be introduced to them. I could set up an Article forum and grant rights to certain folks and commission articles to be written on these main headers to give introduction and explanation to these topics you're talking about.

People could interact with and ask questions on the articles and that might spur the creation of further articles to fill in the gaps.

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Rich
PCA, Northern VA
Student, New Geneva Theological Seminary

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Alternatively, we could hand out water wings with pictures of Calvin on them so all comers can swim in the big pool.

Great idea!

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James Helbert, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

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at Calvin Water wings!

Or perhaps, a "Luther Life Raft"

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Sterling Harmon
Presbyterian Church of Coventry (PCA)
Coventry, CT
Deacon
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The guys on the WHI were talking about how a lot of churches today try and market Jesus. I wonder what they would think of this?

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Ryan Barnhart - Pastor of OGBC
Husband to a beautiful wife, Father to two beautiful girls
Student at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary - B.D.

"I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms. And in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer." - John Paton

Articles sound good, until you have to have people put the work into them. The irony is that you wind up getting people who have time on their hands, instead of expertise, and the result is worse than the original problem.

I think a newbie forum is a better idea. What you can do is have it as a "non archived" forum (since it is designed for questions to be asked over and over). If a thread when done merits saving - move it to the appropriate forum. If not, delete it. Take this action with all threads that have not been posted in for, say, 2 weeks.

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Fred Greco
Senior Pastor, Christ Church PCA (Katy, TX)
Christ Church Blog

"The heart is the main thing in true religion...It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God." (J.C. Ryle)

The Wading Pool - I like it!

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Meg
Blog
Member, Intown Presbyterian Church,PCA, Portland, OR

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I'm suprised no Baptists have requested it be called "The Baptismal".

Good point about the "article" thing. I like the mechanics suggested above better. I think I'll set it up.

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Tom Mitchell
Opp, AL
Member of First Presbyterian Church PCA Florala, AL

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I would be interested in a section like this. Though I was convicted of the main points of the Reformed faith for a few years, I honestly didn't know very much else. This would be very ideal for someone like me.

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Dan Pemberton
Vacaville, CA

Member, First Baptist Church San Luis Obispo
Formerly ABUSA (We left, so I guess that makes us American Baptists Unleashed!)

The Wading Pool is a great idea. Following the same theme, can we change the Baptism forum to "The Drowning Pool"? It's just an idea.

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Bob Vigneault C.O.L, L.E., G.E, Dr.O.P., O.U.T.
The Heartbeat of Heaven (blog)
Deacon/Christ Presbyterian Church, Janesville, WI OPC www.christ-opc.org

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

This can be the spot for the PB repository of Schwertley's complete works. Those are a great way to 'cut your teeth' on reformed theology, eh? Wading pool, here we come!

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Kevin, husband of a truly angelic woman, and father to ten.
Zion United Reformed Church of Sheffield
Ontario, Canada