Due Diligence among Presbyteries

[BG]

Should Presbyteries regularly Poll\Examine their members (once every six months) to make sure the members adhere to sound doctrine and affirm the sinfulness of certain hot button issues like homosexuality and abortion?

 

[Jack K]

A re-examination of each member every time the presbytery meets? Those poor pastors! No, I don't think it sounds like a good idea.

 

[BG]

What if they have changed their mind on some important issues? What if they now believe that the virgin birth did not take place, or that three ballerinas prancing around the stage representing the trinity is acceptable worship?
What if they are allowing women to lead in prayer during the morning worship? I have experienced this last one on three different occasions.

 

[earl40]

What if they have changed their mind on some important issues? What if they now believe that the virgin birth did not take place, or that three ballerinas prancing around the stage representing the trinity is acceptable worship?
What if they are allowing women to lead in prayer during the morning worship? I have experienced this last one on three different occasions.

No need to examine but a willingness to reproof such improper practices is lacking in my denomination for sure. I have approached my session on a couple of issues and it went nowhere. So I spoke with a delegate of my presbytery and he assured me my concerns would be dismissed out of hand because of past decisions on those issues in the past.

 

[Scott Bushey]

I believe this would fall under shepherding. One of the questions posed during these meetings should be, 'Have you come to any new doctrinal positions or changes since we last met?'

 

[BG]

By examination I don't mean what is done when a man first enters the ministry, I'm talking about shepherding the shepherds.

 

[Scott Bushey]

Should Presbyteries regularly Poll\Examine their members

Gotta read more carefully...pretty clear.

I believe, along with the vows to the confession, any substantial changes in theology are to be reported to the Presbytery.

 

[Parakaleo]

I see nothing wrong with a Presbytery deciding to nominate a standing "theological concerns committee" that occasionally produces questionnaires. These polls could have questions on the most prevalent theological errors.

These questionnaires could either be anonymous (so that the Presbytery could be informed of alarming trends among the members and react accordingly) or they could be signed (so that the committee can refer a man with wayward views to another committee to follow up with pastoral intervention).