The Presbyterian Church Adrift?

Christian Post ^ | 27 May 2013 | Rod Anderson

[Cronos]

One of the largest Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations in the United States is presently weighing the possibility of leaving the denomination due to theological differences.

First Presbyterian Church of Houston, founded in the early nineteenth century and with an estimated 3,600 members, voted earlier this year to enter a discernment process over the possibility of seeking dismissal.

James T. Birchfield, senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church, told The Christian Post that the congregation wants to consider where they stand in relation to the views of PC(USA).

"Our congregation is attempting to discern the best place – the best denominational relationship – that will allow us to fulfill our mission statement, which is to 'carry the gospel to Houston and the world'," said Birchfield.

"The issues that prompted our season of discernment include a sense that the PC (USA) may be drifting theologically – especially around issues having to do with the authority of Scripture and the nature and work of Jesus Christ – and that it has drifted away from its historical mission of evangelism and church planting."

Birchfield also told CP that First Presbyterian Church was only recently beginning the process of discernment and that it would not be a quick decision.

[Cronos]

yes,PCA = Presbyterian Church in America. Not to be confused with PCUSA: Presbyterian Church (USA) or EPC: evangelical presbyterian church or CPC: cumberland presbyterian Church of ARPC: associate reformed presbyterian church or OPC: orthodox presbyterian church or ECOP: Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians or RPCNA: Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America or CPCA: Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America or BPC: Bible Presbyterian Church or EAPC: Evangelical Assembly of Presbyterian Churches in America or APC: American Presbyterian Church or CRPC: Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church or FPC: Free Presbyterian Church or PRC: Presbyterian Reformed Church or RPC: Reformed Presbyterian Church or RPCUS: Reformed Presbyterian Church in the US or RPCGA: Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly or WPCUS: Westminster Prebyterian Church.....

[Cronos]

The problem with the ECUSA started in the 1930s -- and that's a lesson for everyone -- with the resolution to accept divorce. Then abortion, women priestesses, gay priests etc.

The right way is that of the Orthodox -- when something has been shown to be good, cling to it...

[Cronos]

Salami tactics -- the liberals use them. They just push one step at a time and we accept this one step, then another step and soon it's a mad rush to oblivion

the first step sounds so reasonable ("allow no-fault divorce" or "contraceptives -- what's wrong?"), when that is accepted, the next sounds equally reasonable ("why not have divorced pastors") and then the next "why not pastoresses" or "why not celibate gay pastors" until you have a full-blown ECUSA..

[Yekaterina Derevko]

And then there's John Shelby Spong, former Episcopal Bishop Spong = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Shelby_Spong

THE quintessential anti-trinitarian.