Where'd All These Calvinists Come From? Part 6 of 10
In the mid-twentieth century, Calvinism was at a low ebb in America (at least outside of Western Michigan!). I've suggested in this series some factors which explain something of its resurgence. The last one I suggested in the 1970s was the Inerrancy Controversy. In the early days of that--you could say in part, as some of that controversy's earliest fruit (even before the turn-around of the Missouri Synod Lutherans and long before the recommitted conservatism of the Southern Baptist Convention's leadership) was the founding of the Presbyterian Church in America.
Born out of theological controversy in what was then the southern Presbyterian Church (PCUS), representatives of 260 congregations met together in December of 1973 to form what would soon be re-named as the Presbyterian Church in America. Throughout the 1970s this connection of churches grew, mushrooming in the 1980s and 1990s. In its numbers are found many who were once members of Methodist, Baptist and Episcopalian churches. These churches (nearly 1500 of them at last count) have over 300,000 communicant members, and far more in attendance at their churches.
The official doctrinal standard of the PCA is a revision of the Westminster Confession of Faith, a document so associated with the history of Calvinism that it could almost be said to define it in the English-speaking world. This connection of churches became the home to well-known evangelical Calvinists such as D. James Kennedy and James Montgomery Boice. It's seminary grew in size and influence (Covenant Theological Seminary) and Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson, Orlando, Charlotte) though officially independent, has functioned since the 1970s as the training ground for many PCA ministers. These churches are marked by aggressive evangelism and missions. We've already considered Evangelism Explosion and the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (Ft. Lauderdale), but there are many others that became leaders nationally in evangelism. Briarwood Presbyterian (Birmingham, AL) the location of the denomination's organizing meeting, has also been a vibrant evangelistic church. Campus Outreach has grown out of the ministries of that congregation. Tim Keller's Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City is also a PCA congregation. Redeemer is a leader in teaching church planting to Presbtyerians and other evangelicals. Reformed University Fellowship is the very effective student arm of the PCA, prominent especially in southern universities. By the late 1990's you could almost assume that the most seriously Bible-preaching and evangelistic congregations near major university campuses would not be Bible churches, or Baptist churches, but PCA congregations. There is no doubt that for the last 30 years, one of the major factors in the resurgence of Calvinism in American evangelicalism has been the organizing and growth of the PCA.
And I may have to leave thanks to Believer's Baptism by Schreiner and Wright.
Posted by: Anonymous | Jul 23, 2007 11:22:55 AM
Not being from a church background, learning the hymns via RUF's Indelible Grace has awakened me to the richness of the hymns and hymnwriters of the past.
I give thanks to God for them!
Posted by: Terry | Jul 23, 2007 6:19:54 PM
Actually, I meant to say a church that didn't have hymns~ though at Christmas even as a young person God used Issac Watts words to capture my heart and vision for Christ.
Posted by: terry | Jul 23, 2007 6:28:13 PM
Thank God for the PCA! I am a member of a small reformed baptistish eastern PA denomination called the Bible Fellowship Church. Each year many of our people flock to Tenth Pres. in Philly for the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology. Tenth has become the "mother church" for most of the Calvinists living in my region. I praise God for Tenth and the PCA and their faithfulness, especially when they were practically standing alone for inerrancy and Calvinism.
Posted by: Jesse Light | Jul 24, 2007 7:53:00 AM
I thank God that He chose to raise up the PCA and use ministries such as R.U.F. and M.T.W. to teach a theologically weak Southern Baptist the glories of our sovereign Creator and the beauty of the gospel found in jesus Christ.
Posted by: Kevin Wilkins | Jul 25, 2007 3:49:32 PM
Mark, do you deliberately only call Presbyterian gatherings "congregations" and never "churches" because they are paedobaptist?
Posted by: Pete | Aug 22, 2007 9:55:37 AM
Dear Incharge,
Greetings in Jesus name,
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing from the Word of God”(Romans, 10:17)
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away"
It is really privileged for me to write to your ministry and I pray may Lord bless you abundantly.I visit your website and its really wonderful and amaizing work which you are doing .I desire that I become the pat of your Ministry and your stuff is really very good and kindly start work with us we will translate this . I am Seraphine Shahbaz from Pakistan . Nine years before I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and I trust in Him as my rock and try to walk in Him, as the Word of God says don’t be lazy in struggle.
As I was visiting your site I found that you are doing the work of translation into native languages. I am able to translate the good stuff of you into my native language Punjabi and national language Urdu. There are two purposes to request you the first one are to know the Word of God more deeply and second one to be supportive my family and to run.our Ministry. We will also teach your stuff in our working areas with our people .
. I have studied your web site, and I found it the most wonderful site to get right to the True Word of God. I found that all your material is full of knowledge concerning development of religious faith. Living in Pakistan we Christians is to face many obstacles to get the access to the Word of God. Most of the people in Pakistan are not capable to understand the English language. It’s because our national language is Urdu. My suggestion for you is to create your material in my language of Urdu and Punjabi also. It will bring lots of blessings of the Word of God for the Pakistani and Indian Urdu and Punjabi speaking people. For that purpose I as a translator will bring your material into Urdu languages and into Punjabi language as well. Although it will take your low expenses as well, as fund for the Word of God to reach out to the deserving people. As a translator I will take the expenses that will be spending just for the Word. I will be looking for your kind words on this my humble request as soon as possible.
“There is nothing more precious than to read and listen the Word of God into your own language.”
Here is the Importance of Urdu Langauge :
Urdu is Languages which is :
Urdu is considered one of the sweetest language of the world. It is the National Language of Pakistan and one of the Official Language of India. According to conservative estimates Urdu has 104 million speakers all over the world.
Countries :
IN these countries people can understand , speak , Listen and write the " URDU "
Countries with large numbers of native Urdu speakers:
· India (48.1 million [1997])[8]
· Pakistan (10.7 million [1993])[9]
· Bangladesh (650,000)[10]
· United Arab Emirates (600,000)
· United Kingdom (400,000 [1990])
· Saudi Arabia (382,000)[11]
· Nepal (375,000)
· United States (350,000)
· South Africa (170,000 South Asian Muslims, some of which may speak Urdu)[12]
· Oman (90,000)
· Canada (80,895 [2001])[13]
· Bahrain (80,000)
· Mauritius (74,000)
· Qatar (70,000)
· Germany (40,000)
· Norway (26,950 [2005])[14]
· France (20,000)
· Spain (18,000 [2004])[15]
· Sweden (10,000 [2001])[16]
· World Total: 60,503,578[17]
ntries with large numbers of native Urdu speakers:
and other some Asian Countries.
" Punjabi is another language .It speak in the Province Punjab of Pakistan and the Province of Punjab in India .
I am from Islamic Republic of Pakistan where it is difficult to have Radio and TV channel for preaching purposes. They would not allow us to do that here; the Satan has real strong hold over everything. I often say that we are living in the land of the enemy.
Friend, I humbly request you to expand your outreach your program in Urdu and Punjabi language. Urdu is the language spoken and understood by more than one sixth of the total population of the world. Urdu is spoken in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Afghanistan and also in Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran and others.
I would ask you to pray and share it among the brethren. I would offer my services for being translator, recorder and distribution/sales. I pray that your consideration will have His mark over your decision.
Hope you will contact us soon.
I hope you will consider me regarding this request.
Here is all information about my Minstries,
We started these services for the Glory of our Lord Jesus and the main purpose of this work is to stare the word of God through preaching and through upliftment of Christian who is persecuted church here in Pakistan .
Pakistan is Islamic country we are living here in minority .We have 2nd number citizenship . Christians people are living here tough life not have much resources .Now we discovered the major reason of this miserable situation is the high illiteracy rate and poor living conditions in these areas. After knowing this reality we decided a group should be formed, which would perform its role to improve the lives of the people.
Christ Apostolic Fellowship Organization {CAFO} is a cluster of Saints to who are serving the God and sharing the word of God among the people as written in Matthew
28:19 “ Go to all the Nations and make Disciples ………………” CAFO has been working in 2 big regions of Punjab Province, Faisalabad and Multan. These regions consist on 8 cities and 17 villages. The Saints are going to share the word of God in these areas. District Toba Tek Singh is the center of CAFO and its office situated in District Toba Tek Singh.
CAFO has been serving for the glory of God for last tree years. CAFO is serving in the following fields.
Our organization seeks to spread the word of God among all nations as it is written, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,….”(St. Mathew)
We seek to transform the lives of people towards God, and His son Jesus.
The main purpose is to share the gospel of Jesus with the people of God. We pray that many souls will come into His kingdom.
HOME CHURCHES,
Our first and foremost work is to share the word of God through Sunday Services, Home Churches Street Churches, Conventions and through Bible College.
YOUTH MINISTRY,
We are running a Bible College to train the young boys and girls to fight the good fight of their faith in an Islamic society.
These students in this college are doing one year Diploma in Theology. They are studying Bible KJV and church history. Bible teachers are working voluntarily.
Evening Home Schools:-
we started this work with home evening schools for deserving Christian children .These children are working in different field like in small hotel , cleaning home and hospitals ,. And also with farmers So the education is the first step of the Development of Nation .So that is necessary for Christian people to know their religion Christianity and also know about basic education of this world .Now we started evening home schools in our working areas .Now this time we have 8 Evening home schools .
Formal Education School :-
In this world the formal education is very necessary for the children .Because Education is the first step of the Development of the Nations .Now in Pakistan English Medium good education is very expensives .so poor people cannot afford to get it .In 2003 we start our CAC School with Oxford Syllabus in Toba Tek Singh for poor and orphan children. In this field the volunteer pastors, assistant pastors and college students are struggling to find funds to support Christian students for their educational needs.
CHILDREN MINISTRIES,
In this Ministry our volunteer pastors and assistant pastors are taking Sunday schools for more or less 100 Children in different areas of Punjab. We believe that the children must know Jesus from their childhood.
ORPHAN CHILDREN
We are struggling to find funds to provide some orphan children their basic needs of life like education, food, clothes, medicines and other needs of life. We have an orphanage building and funds to run it in our prayers for these Christian children. We have 42 orphans children to Support ( We are supporting them )
Women Ministry :-
We have 8 women group in our working areas .We are working with poor , old and widow women .Women activities
1-. women prayer groups .
2-Adult Literacy centers.
3-Health care center .
4- sewing Center.
For Future :-
1- To reach millions of lost souls .
2- Much more home churches to share the word of God with families .Pakistan is Islamic country mijority of people are Muslems so Christians are living here in minority .Most of people are not educated and they follow Islamic customs and habits and many things . Now Muslem s motivate them and they accept Islam .
3- An orphanage to get all the orphan together and provide them a family atmosphere .
4- To develop the Elmentary school into High School .
We do work then earn money to run our ministry. We dont have regular fund for our ministry. So this is my request kindly start work with us.
We are a very small group.We need also to build our website.Kindly help us in our work.Waiting for your response.
May God Bless you.
Head Office Mailing add:-
Pastor Shahbaz and Seraphine Shahbaz
Christ Apostolic Fellowship Organization
Christian Colony Boarding Road
Toba Tek Singh 36050 Punjab Pakistan
May God Bless you.
In Jesus,
Seraphine Shahbaz
Pakistan .
Posted by: Seraphine Shabaz | Mar 21, 2008 1:12:04 AM
i am looking for the high school choir of coral ridge church that went to euroupe in 1073
Posted by: anna chirila | May 1, 2008 6:49:28 PM
Dear Incharge,
Heavenly Father, you are almighty God, thank very very much for the love for you, which you showed through the son of you. Thank you for the blood of your son Jesus Christ. Thanks to give us the privilege to make us the children of you. Please use us abundantly as vessels of you for your Glory. Amen
Greetings and Blessings in the precious name of Lord Jesus
Here I am Danish from Pakistan . I want to share the work of me and my wife with children for the Glory of God.
Pakistan is Islamic country . We are in minority here. Christian are very poor and uneducated . Our christian people dont know about Christianity , Bible , God and Jesus . Our Christian people follow the Muslems and they accept Islam . After knowing this reality we decided a group should be formed, which would perform its role to improve the lives of the people.Our Jesus Christ Peace Ministry.
HOME CHURCHES,
Our first and foremost work is to share the word of God through Sunday Services, Home Churches Street Churches , Convention
Evening Home Schools:-
we started this work with home evening schools for deserving Christian children .These children are working in different field like in small hotel , cleaning home and hospitals ,. And also with farmers So the education is the first step of the Development of Nation .So that is necessary for Christian people to know their religion Christianity and also know about basic education of this world .Now we started evening home schools in our working areas .Now this time we have 4 Evening home schools
CHILDREN MINISTRIES,
In this Ministry our volunteer pastors and assistant pastors are taking Sunday schools for more or less 100 Children in different areas of Punjab. We believe that the children must know Jesus from their childhood.
Adult Literacy centers:
We have 3 Adult literacy centers for the men and women . After the learning they will be able to study the Bible.
I and my wife Abida Danish have been taking the Sunday school for last 4 years. We have 60 children to take this class. We are using Urdu Bible to teach them. But we are required some Sunday school material to make the lessons interesting. We cannot afford this type of stuff. So if you can provide us urdu stuff for the Sunday school and help us through this for the work of Lord, we shall be thankful for you.
We request you kindly start the work with us . Guide us and support us .
If your Ministry have the written material about Gospel . We will be able to translate it into our native language . Then we teach this studies in our working areas with our people. We do translation work earn money then run our ministry .
May God bless you and keep you.
Peace be unto you
In Christ,
Jesus Christ Peace Ministry.
Danish and Abida http://sundayschoolpk1.tripod.com/
House # 58 St # 26
Sector F 6/2
Islamabad , Pakistan
Posted by: abida | May 10, 2008 11:35:24 AM