At its April 19 meeting the LaP adopted a resolution affirming the 9 points of the "Declarations" or summaries of the findings of the PCA's Ad Interim Study Committee on Federal Vision found on page 2235 (Section IV) of the committee report contained in the 2007 General Assembly minutes, saying FV theology was out of accord with PCA beliefs in those 9 ways. Full story on HaigLaw's Xanga blog.

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HaigLaw, ruling elder
Grace PCA, Shreveport, LA
http://www.xanga.com/HaigLaw

Would you mind sharing the synopsis of your disagreement with this action?

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://inprincipiodeus.solideogloria.com
http://puritanwisdom.blogspot.com

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low."
John Flavel in Keeping the Heart



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Why the thumbs-down icon then?

This is good news, for sure, that the LaP has taken such a firm, positive step. ;^)

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Anne Ivy
Christ Chapel Bible Church
Fort Worth, Texas

Widowed mother of six, grandmother of eight.

The Ivy Vine (my blog)

Sure! I was in agreement. I voted for it. I think the vote was, like, 7 or 8 to 2.

We spent about 4 hours debating it. Concerns included removing all typo's and outdated information.

Other concerns were to put FV behind us, if possible, and take a public position reversing the LaP's former (Jan. 2007) position that had essentially vindicated Rev. Wilkins as being in accord with the PCA's Constitution.

As has been the case in prior meetings of LaP I have summarized on my Xanga blog, there were varying levels of understanding of the implications of FV theology.

Yeah; sorry! Thumbs down to FV. Thumbs up to the LaP!

I'm trying to keep my thumbs straight. PB only allows me one. God gave me 2.

Lol!!!

That is quite a turnaround! Thanks for the update and your work in the LaP, brother.

Knowing something of the history of the LaP over the past decade or so, "more ministry related matters" are certainly what needs to be focused on now that the presbytery seems to have largely been delivered from the FV and other related controversies that have caused the presbytery to lose churches and members over that span.

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Christian
One Pilgrims Progress

I see that the meeting was in Sulphur and not at the usual location at the Pineville OPC.

Thumb changed...

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Rich
PCA, Northern VA
Student, New Geneva Theological Seminary

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Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Just wanted to make sure The red thumb had me very, very confused!

Now, can you help me with those liver spots on my hands?

What caused them, btw, was getting tri-focals. I swear, or affirm, those liver spots were not there before!

Yeah, I know --

Yes, your home church has been most gracious in allowing us to meet there anytime. We voted to meet somewhere more centrally located than Sulphur in the future.

I would say that this was the overwhelming sentiment expressed at the meeting yesterday.

It was gratifying that we were able to express opposition to the FV, but do it charitably, as evidenced by the fact that after Rev. Duncan announced he was probably leaving, he stood up later to express his appreciation for LaP's support and prayers for him during his recent transition. Which -- without going into sensitive information -- I would say has been significant.

Even though there is no PCA within about an hour's drive of there, that probably means Pineville again then since there really isn't anywhere else that is more centrally located for people coming from Shreveport, Ruston, Delhi, Lafayette, Lake Charles, etc. Hold it anywhere else and somebody's probably driving 3 hours if not 4. I think that's where most of the meetings of the LaP have been held since Grace Presbyterian in Alexandria left the PCA for the EPC about 10 years ago.

Dave,

Were there discussions about the continued viability of LAP if Mark Duncan's church leaves?

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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)

We're down to 7 churches, but Mark is no longer pastoring. He's laboring out of bounds teaching at a Christian school, so whether he leaves or not, it would not affect the # of our churches.

There were a few who, if this resolution had not passed, wanted to propose that we disband and be absorbed by neighbors; but I feel we're on the upswing now.

Thanks for asking, Fred.

At one time LaP and the Southeast Louisiana Presbytery (which numbers 10 churches today) were one presbytery. The PCA Historical Center shows that they were divided in 1992. But after the division LaP probably only had 10 or so churches even then. LaP was originally founded in 1975. Of course AAPC just left. Grace Pres. in Alexandria left in 1997 for the EPC, an episode that was covered by the Presbyterian International News Service. Unless I'm mistaken those were the two largest churches in LaP. There was a church in Opelousas that I believe was fairly large at one point, but it split in the 1990's, with one faction becoming EPC. There has been a reunion in Opelousas, but the reunited church is now ARP. There was a group that came out of AAPC a few years ago that is now in the ARP as well. The PCA History site also shows a church in Oakdale, LA that dated to 1915 but was dissolved at some point.

Thx for the history lesson. There are periodically oblique references to all this factional history during our discussions. There is hope now that we will build friendships and ministry relationships, and I look forward to that.