A problem fixed in this PCA church

[Josiah]

I have seen a lot of posts lately discussing certain Problems with the PCA. I have to admit, these posts can get pretty discouraging as I read through them. Sometimes its easy to get caught up in negativity. Still, I find news like this encouraging and also makes me praise God for his mercy to his church and for Godly elders.

The next GA of the PCA will be very important, especially on the issue of studying/clarifying the church's position on the office of elder. My hope is that the GA looks to the example of this Church in East Lanier GA and re-affirms the scriptural deffinition of the office deacon.

 

[AVT]

Praise God for "semper reformanda." Good churches and good denominations are always doing that as we strive, day-by-day as individual Christians to do that.

We need to be charitable and believe the best toward our bretheren regarding this whole "deaconess" issue. Many are genuinely crying out for guidance on doctrine and practice. I believe the very large majority of churches do not seek to violate our Book of Church Order or cause strife on this issue. A few are following practices that came in with the RPCES and have not completely gone away while a very few are "modernist" or are simply imitating what they see in other congregations without having given it much biblical reflection. We will benefit greatly from being "heard out" as good exegisis is done on this. This is a benefit of being in a "connectional" church (PCA) and we have processes to address this deliberately and biblically. Thank God for that.

I'm optimistic this process and result will be honoring to God and have been praying for that- please join me in praying for that now!

By God's grace, we will have a clearer understanding and valuation of the office of Deacon, male ecclesiastical leadership, ordination and mercy ministry involving men and women. It may be the office of Deacon- male, ordained, authoritative, elected, worthy of honor, is actually strengthened by provisions that make more explicit their role in overseeing mercy ministry, with a clarified ability of the Board of Deacons to involve men and women in it in the local church.

This may prioritize mercy ministry more in the life of every church. The Board of Deacons overseeing other men and women, who under the clear administrative authority of the Board of Deacons, do the very important work of "diaconal" ministry.

We can only praise God for this.

 

[Josiah]

Praise God for "semper reformanda." Good churches and good denominations are always doing that as we strive, day-by-day as individual Christians to do that.

We need to be charitable and believe the best toward our bretheren regarding this whole "deaconess" issue. Many are genuinely crying out for guidance on doctrine and practice. I believe the very large majority of churches do not seek to violate our Book of Church Order or cause strife on this issue. A few are following practices that came in with the RPCES and have not completely gone away while a very few are "modernist" or are simply imitating what they see in other congregations without having given it much biblical reflection. We will benefit greatly from being "heard out" as good exegisis is done on this. This is a benefit of being in a "connectional" church (PCA) and we have processes to address this deliberately and biblically. Thank God for that.

I'm optimistic this process and result will be honoring to God and have been praying for that- please join me in praying for that now!

By God's grace, we will have a clearer understanding and valuation of the office of Deacon, male ecclesiastical leadership, ordination and mercy ministry involving men and women. It may be the office of Deacon- male, ordained, authoritative, elected, worthy of honor, is actually strengthened by provisions that make more explicit their role in overseeing mercy ministry, with a clarified ability of the Board of Deacons to involve men and women in it in the local church.

This may prioritize mercy ministry more in the life of every church. The Board of Deacons overseeing other men and women, who under the clear administrative authority of the Board of Deacons, do the very important work of "diaconal" ministry.

We can only praise God for this.