PCA vs. PCUSA

[travis]

I am sorry if this is in the wrong forum, but I have a question regarding the growth of the PCA church. For those of us that are members (or soon to be members) of the PCA denomination, does it concern you that since it is the second largest Presbyterian denomination that it could eventually suffer the same fate of liberalism as the PCUSA??

If not, what do you think prevents this from occuring?

 

[Romans922]

I posted my answer on the WEBBOARD, but here it is again:

I have to say of the PCUSA, although I am in the PCA, that there are some churches in the PCUSA that are still conservative. I don't think it is right to make an overall generalization. Although, most are liberal.

As long as most of the churches in the PCA and/or some churches in the PCA continually strive after orthodoxy, there will be those who flee to please people. However, it is my prayer as well as many others' that all Christians will strive for orthodoxy!

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Conservative is a relative term. I am willing to be proven wrong, but I would expect that the most conservative church in the PCUSA is moderate at best to conservatives in the PCA, and possibly to more moderate PCA types as well.

 

[Mike]

I posted this on the Webboard, but here it is again:

Originally posted by Romans922
I have to say of the PCUSA, although I am in the PCA, that there are some churches in the PCUSA that are still conservative. I don't think it is right to make an overall generalization. Although, most are liberal.

I don't think the generalization is problematic at all. As a denomination, they have suffered a fate we clearly do not want the PCA to.

As to the original concern of this thread, the fact that it is the second largest Presbyterian denomination is not nearly as compelling as I think you think it is. I don't think I buy that the problem with the PCUSA is its large size, or that its size makes it any more likely than other denominations.

 

[Civbert]

Rapid growth in the PCA is a sign of.... nothing for sure. It could be that some PCA churches have become better at marketing to the detriment of orthodoxy. Or it could be that the PCUSA and other liberal denominations have finally pushed too far to the left (gay and female pastors) and people are moving to churches with real doctrine. I really don't know. But I have never felt that growth was a necessarily positive sign.

If a Christian isn't offending the world, then he must be doing something wrong.

 

[Puddleglum]

Originally posted by NaphtaliPress
Conservative is a relative term. I am willing to be proven wrong, but I would expect that the most conservative church in the PCUSA is moderate at best to conservatives in the PCA, and possibly to more moderate PCA types as well.

You may be right . . . though it's been interesting seeing how the PCUSAs and the PCAs in this area get along - there are some conservative PCUSAs and some not-so-conservative PCAs here, sometimes I'm not so sure about how different they are. The other Sunday I went to the evening service at the local PCA; the "highlight" of the service was a performance by a musician / songwriter from one of the local PCUSA churches. (He DID base his songs on the psalms, and have you look up a couple of psalms). Apparently there's this musicians fellowship thing that the PCA and PCUSA are working together in . . .

 

[Greg]

Excuse the newbie question here, but what exactly happened with the PCUSA? Thanks.

 

[Richard King]

I can only relate to my own experience.
I thought ALL presbyterian churches were havens for social liberals who stood for little.
There are tons of people like me out there.

Providentially I visited a PCA service one Sunday and I was shocked at how I was blessed by it. There was no pretension or pressure or politics from the pulpit. There was just BIBLE. Strong Bible teaching and reverent behavior.
I came from the entertainment churches and here I was in a place with no famous athlete giving a testimony, no celebrity preacher, no praise band with a trap set, no multimedia show on screens and the stark simplicity and reverence and BIBLE as THE text felt very right. I don't think PCA types will tend to gravitate to the trendy stuff or feelings oriented services so I don't see them going where the PCUSA has dared to tred.