# "How to Immunize Presbyterianism"



## PointyHaired Calvinist (Apr 15, 2010)

How to Immunize Presbyterianism from _Crossed Fingers_

What say ye? I don't know how off the deep end I am, but I think this makes a LOT of sense. Any thoughts on his ideas, especially about examinations and apprenticeships?


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## lynnie (Apr 16, 2010)

No replies eh? Not surprised 

I read the whole thing. Not qualified to say much, but having watched nice evangelicals go to PrincetonSem and intern at my former church, watching them choose a place where they can get the degree almost free because of Princeton's huge endowment (when it would be big bucks to go to WTS instead, esp with a wife and kids)...well, you wonder if this is God's best for anybody. The token Princeton Sem evangelical Bruce McCormack supports Pete Enns...and these men have to do three years to get the degree and apply for the PCA pastorate.....or end up in huge debt. Yeah, give them a pile of books and mentor instead, and skip the degree in my opinion.

I disagree that if we have revival the Arminians will get them. Calvinism is on a roll, witness the youth at these big conferences. New churches springing up might be Reformed Baptist and not Presbyterian, but on the other hand, look at Redeemer. Keller is PCA and they are flocking.

When we particularized it seemed like endless rigamarole, so I agree with a lot of the essay. Slow can be good and slow can be bad, and not much flexibility with BCO rules of man ( some BCO is pretty straightforward bible, but some is man's traditions.). 

Having been in several churches I have concluded that when God is moving and people are seeking Him, the polity doesn't really matter, people grow and the lost get saved and God anoints the preaching and things are good. And when people grow cold and stubborn even the best polity won't help ( Machen and the PCUSA, the PCA- FVers today). Structure matters, but not much.

I heard the Spurgeon line before, SGM and CJ Mahaney used to say that. Many years ago we went to a SGM church and they were going to stick young guys in 9 months of school and create a new generation of Spurgeons. There are blogs detailing the wreckage of that idea. Timothy was with Paul until his early thirties, maybe 12 years. You can't beat apprenticeship ( the author is all for it so not criticizing that, just saying that Spurgeon was the exception, not the rule).


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