Need 4 Creed
Puritan Board Freshman
The thread on planting a baptist church has got me thinking along this line.
One of the things that some people seemed to be suggesting is that while there are a large number of non reformed churches (many of which are 'growing') there seems to be a lack of reformed churches.
If this is true: Why is this?
Why are non-reformed churches (such as contemporary/charismatic/neo-reformed (i.e Mars Hill) experiencing a measure of 'success' and growth, and the reformed churches are struggling in these areas.
Possible reasons
1) Non reformed churches embody a lot of the cultural values, therefore people find it easier to atend a church that basically reflects the ethos and climate of secular culture.
2) While non-reformed churches may be wrong in many areas of teaching, their hearts are right and teh are genuinly seeking God and desiring to reach their communities - therefore God is blessing them.
3) (other side of point 2) Traditional reformed churches, while emphasising doctrine, have perhaps neglected a 'heart relationship' with God, In seeking to preserve truth against secular cultural influences, they have neglected to engage with culture in an authentic way?
4) We are living in times of apostacy, and small, struggling reformed churches are God's remnant. They are like Gideon's small army i.e looks foolish to teh world, but God is in the midst.
5) The reformed churches are not struggling, they are blessed and growing.
Other suggestions?
One of the things that some people seemed to be suggesting is that while there are a large number of non reformed churches (many of which are 'growing') there seems to be a lack of reformed churches.
If this is true: Why is this?
Why are non-reformed churches (such as contemporary/charismatic/neo-reformed (i.e Mars Hill) experiencing a measure of 'success' and growth, and the reformed churches are struggling in these areas.
Possible reasons
1) Non reformed churches embody a lot of the cultural values, therefore people find it easier to atend a church that basically reflects the ethos and climate of secular culture.
2) While non-reformed churches may be wrong in many areas of teaching, their hearts are right and teh are genuinly seeking God and desiring to reach their communities - therefore God is blessing them.
3) (other side of point 2) Traditional reformed churches, while emphasising doctrine, have perhaps neglected a 'heart relationship' with God, In seeking to preserve truth against secular cultural influences, they have neglected to engage with culture in an authentic way?
4) We are living in times of apostacy, and small, struggling reformed churches are God's remnant. They are like Gideon's small army i.e looks foolish to teh world, but God is in the midst.
5) The reformed churches are not struggling, they are blessed and growing.
Other suggestions?