The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Not "Reformed" Enough?

My husband and I have recently left a nondenominational church after being members for over two decades. We are currently attending an Evangelical and Reformed Church which left the UCC denomination about 10 years ago because of the denomination's failure to follow biblical principles. At this new church, we sing a combination of hymns and simple praise songs and systematically study the Heidelburg Catechism weekly. Our sermons are relatively short but definitely tied to scripture. Adult Sunday school is an expository study of the Word - book by book. Many of the congregants are a generation older than my husband and myself but are vibrant - although simple - in their faith.

It is not an OPC or PCA church. It does not have a lengthy sermon as the centerpiece of worship. I have heard "Arminian" language spoken by the pastor ("making a decision for Christ") although I don't think there is any teaching about falling from grace (hmmm.... I'll have to ask). But there is something lovely there, and I can't help but think that a generation of believers has been praying for the next generation to come alongside to carry on the Gospel message.

I am also the poster with the potential OPC church plant in my area. I want to be where God would have us be but don't yet know where that is.

Do we stay? Your thoughts.....

At this new church, we sing a combination of hymns and simple praise songs <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/ugh.gif" alt="" />


systematically study the Heidelburg Catechism weekly. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />

Our sermons . . . definitely tied to scripture. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />

Adult Sunday school is an expository study of the Word - book by book. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />

Many of the congregants are a generation older than my husband and myself but are vibrant - although simple - in their faith. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

It does not have a lengthy sermon as the centerpiece of worship. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/ugh.gif" alt="" />

I have heard "Arminian" language spoken by the pastor ("making a decision for Christ") <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

there is something lovely there, and I can't help but think that a generation of believers has been praying for the next generation to come alongside to carry on the Gospel message. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />

Do we stay? Your thoughts..... <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/shrug.gif" alt="" />



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The decision of whether or not to stay or go, should in my opinion be a matter of prayer and talking to the pastor.
Seeing how the Church claims to be Reformed, perhaps you could humbly ask the pastor why he uses "Arminian" language spoken by the pastor ("making a decision for Christ").
Some pastors actually welcome people who respectfully question what he says. It tells them that people are actually listening.
What you have discribed sounds like a pretty good Church, at least when I conpare what you said to the Churches in my area.

Tom

Go with Tom's reply mine was rather silly.

I appreciate your responses (even the "silly" one - it was concise).

I did call the pastor yesterday to discuss a few things with him - gently (sometimes I fear I am too gentle - too roundabout). He recommended a book by John Piper to me although its title now escapes me and I can't seem to find anything like what I remember its topic was so I will need to call him back.

One problem with the church that is completely an aside is that it is in the next community, and I would like to be more invested in my church than this might readily allow.

I realize my question must seem fluffy... asking others what only God can answer. I've been praying much, and I suppose, in my childish frustration with only being led a baby step at a time, I sometimes call out in the dark for someone to come get me.

We are taught to seek godly counsel in our decisions along with prayer and study of God's word. I find your concerns very close to my own. My husband and I have been members of a PCA church here since 2003. It is 2 towns away and a distance for us to be involved. i won't go into detail but many people are having difficulties with our pastor. A new PCA church has just begun in our very town. We are struggling and praying through whether to switch. We have visited and like the preaching. We hate to leave the friends we have made there but would love to meet and worship with believers in our own community. I will pray for your decision. Please pray for us. God Bless

I have been attending a premillennial, Arminian, dispensational--in other words hardcore evangelical--church for years. Mainly this is because my wife was on staff there part-time, but she recently resigned from that position. This frees us to look for another church where hopefully every sermon can't be summarized (as Rod Rosenbladt has pointed out on White Horse Inn) with the words, "Try harder."

Neither of us has a Reformed background, but with our limited exposure to Reformed theology and worship, we yearn for such a church. (Oooops...I almost said "such an experience". That's my evangelical mindset showing.)

But I agree that it's hard. We have developed many close friendships with other families over the years. Not that we'll have to sever those ties, but not seeing them week after week will pretty much cut us off from them. And in spite of the pastor's orientation, we genuinely like him as a preacher and often his messages are right on.

Okay, wrong author.... J. I. Packer - Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God was the book my pastor suggested reading.

Just in case you wondered about that book...... it is great!!