Is this a good article, bad article, accurate, inaccurate?
BaylyBlog: Out of our minds, too...: The demographics of the PCA: Follow the money...
BaylyBlog: Out of our minds, too...: The demographics of the PCA: Follow the money...
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
The PCA started in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama and when it became a denomination the majority of her churches were in similar locations. The PCA is only 36 years old, but in that time we've branched out across the country by way of existing churches joining us or through church planting. It should be no surprise the churches joining us would find something that resonates, so the majority have been suburban or rural too. The church planting effort of the PCA has recognized this narrow growth pheonomenon and so has worked hard, especially the past 15 years, to plant churches in or near inner city areas.
The demographics of a church reflects it's location. We need faithful churches in all locations, but it takes time. Thankfully, God has placed many faithful churches across the demographic spectrum, PCA or others.
This kind of article and discussion is always interesting, but not terribly profound or overly helpful. We are where we are. We need to be faithful in those locations.
Jealousy? Or just plain petty? or outright slander and strife? Maybe the GA should deal with this **** as well as the subject of deacons .
Does that include the wealthy & ignorant and the poor & educated also?The wealthy and educated need the Gospel just as much as the poor and ignorant. So I agree that we are who/where we are - we should be focused on being faithful where God has placed us.
Is this a good article, bad article, accurate, inaccurate?
BaylyBlog: Out of our minds, too...: The demographics of the PCA: Follow the money...
Does that include the wealthy & ignorant and the poor & educated also?The wealthy and educated need the Gospel just as much as the poor and ignorant. So I agree that we are who/where we are - we should be focused on being faithful where God has placed us.
For my locale, all you have to do is look at where the PCA is planting churches, and this is pretty obvious. In fact, instead of planting reformed churches in unrepresented communities, one church I know just pairs up with ministries of various stripes from other, non-reformed denominations to reach those areas.I love how everyone rejoices in taking cheap shots in this thread.
Obviously none of you have been to one of the latte-slipping goatee-wearing (or better yet "soul patch"-wearing ), hip, urban, white church plants. You know, the ones that look absolutely identical in SF, NYC, Baltimore, Miami, Chicago, Denver, et al.?
I guess none of you have sat with a pastor of a small Hispanic church who can't get any of our "leader mission churches" to return his calls, or help financially with one of our very few fully-Hispanic churches, have you? Do you know who helps them? Who shares their burdens? The tiny "TR" churches around them. That is a FACT, not a conjecture.
Before you all get up in arms, it would behoove you to actually talk to some PCA African-American pastors, some Hispanic PCA churchmen, and see the reality of the PCA. Better yet, just pick up a copy of By Faith, any one of the last 5-6 issues. You won't see anything on poverty ministry, or the blue collar churches - but you will see at least one article each issue on how some white, suburban (or tragically hip church plant) is "ministering" to the community through an art gallery, or a gay outreach ensemble, or the like.
I don't expect the PCA to be the rainbow coalition - Tony's point is well taken there - but I am tired of the lip service paid to "diversity" by PCA churches, with no attempt to back up their talk.
Obviously none of you have been to one of the latte-slipping goatee-wearing (or better yet "soul patch"-wearing ), hip, urban, white church plants. You know, the ones that look absolutely identical in SF, NYC, Baltimore, Miami, Chicago, Denver, et al.?
Before you all get up in arms, it would behoove you to actually talk to some PCA African-American pastors
I don't expect the PCA to be the rainbow coalition - Tony's point is well taken there - but I am tired of the lip service paid to "diversity" by PCA churches, with no attempt to back up their talk.
I love how everyone rejoices in taking cheap shots in this thread.
Obviously none of you have been to one of the latte-slipping goatee-wearing (or better yet "soul patch"-wearing ), hip, urban, white church plants. You know, the ones that look absolutely identical in SF, NYC, Baltimore, Miami, Chicago, Denver, et al.?
I guess none of you have sat with a pastor of a small Hispanic church who can't get any of our "leader mission churches" to return his calls, or help financially with one of our very few fully-Hispanic churches, have you? Do you know who helps them? Who shares their burdens? The tiny "TR" churches around them. That is a FACT, not a conjecture.
Before you all get up in arms, it would behoove you to actually talk to some PCA African-American pastors, some Hispanic PCA churchmen, and see the reality of the PCA. Better yet, just pick up a copy of By Faith, any one of the last 5-6 issues. You won't see anything on poverty ministry, or the blue collar churches - but you will see at least one article each issue on how some white, suburban (or tragically hip church plant) is "ministering" to the community through an art gallery, or a gay outreach ensemble, or the like.
I don't expect the PCA to be the rainbow coalition - Tony's point is well taken there - but I am tired of the lip service paid to "diversity" by PCA churches, with no attempt to back up their talk.
I love how everyone rejoices in taking cheap shots in this thread.
Obviously none of you have been to one of the latte-slipping goatee-wearing (or better yet "soul patch"-wearing ), hip, urban, white church plants. You know, the ones that look absolutely identical in SF, NYC, Baltimore, Miami, Chicago, Denver, et al.?
I guess none of you have sat with a pastor of a small Hispanic church who can't get any of our "leader mission churches" to return his calls, or help financially with one of our very few fully-Hispanic churches, have you? Do you know who helps them? Who shares their burdens? The tiny "TR" churches around them. That is a FACT, not a conjecture.
Before you all get up in arms, it would behoove you to actually talk to some PCA African-American pastors, some Hispanic PCA churchmen, and see the reality of the PCA. Better yet, just pick up a copy of By Faith, any one of the last 5-6 issues. You won't see anything on poverty ministry, or the blue collar churches - but you will see at least one article each issue on how some white, suburban (or tragically hip church plant) is "ministering" to the community through an art gallery, or a gay outreach ensemble, or the like.
I don't expect the PCA to be the rainbow coalition - Tony's point is well taken there - but I am tired of the lip service paid to "diversity" by PCA churches, with no attempt to back up their talk.
Bayly says Keller's heart and treasure is money, not God. He is essentially calling Keller a hireling. If he does not repent of his slander he should be defrocked.
I got it Craig. I found it full of venom, not wisdom. Not even good reasoning.
We are where we are. We need to be faithful in those locations.
Better yet, just pick up a copy of By Faith, any one of the last 5-6 issues. You won't see anything on poverty ministry, or the blue collar churches - but you will see at least one article each issue on how some white, suburban (or tragically hip church plant) is "ministering" to the community through an art gallery, or a gay outreach ensemble, or the like.