Here is the conclusion of my article, "Desperately Seeking Relevance":The beauty of Reformed ecclesiology is in danger of being lost by a contemporary ministry that is desperately seeking relevance, all the while remaining oblivious to the relevance that inheres in the gospel it already possesses. Any attempt to cater the eternal gospel to a specific target audience or niche market may be successful, but it is the kind of success that Reformed covenantalists should repudiate. To redress the gospel in more attractive garb in order to make it more appealing to the culture’s palate will inevitably result in a mixture of the ethos of heaven and the ethic of earth, the foolishness of God and the wisdom of men.
Rather than capitulating to the wishes and whims of a world that hates our Savior, ought we not take the time to read the signs on the outside of our churches on the way in each Lord’s day? The adjectives “Reformed” and “Presbyterian” did not evolve in a liturgical vacuum, but were born out of the desire to see the people of God engage in divine worship that is faithful to the Word of God. To struggle with “worship envy” toward the hipper, trendier services of the local megachurch is to exchange a rich tradition for which our forbears sacrificed their livelihoods and lives for one driven by pragmatics, demographics, and a drive for the kind of success that neither Paul nor his Lord enjoyed or even desired to enjoy.
Reminds me of this by Dr. Godfrey:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ligonier.org/learn/conferences/orlando_2004_national_conference/a-tame-lion/
Clear, concise, correct.
ReplyDeleteJerry
I believe the blue banner is from the RPCNA. I believe they would accuse the PCA, and any other modern Pres. church of doing what your article so aptly states. Tell me, what right has the PCA et al to reject 350 plus years of presbyterian worship and liturgical tradition based on the rpw? The same reason others today are tweaking the 100 year old liturgy the trad pca uses now?
ReplyDeleteEdward,
ReplyDeleteHey, you're preaching to the choir, my friend. Although the PCA has a very sizeable minority of old schoolers (one that is easily twice the size of the OPC), the fact is that the majority of PCA folks are in the Keller camp, or a more contemporary one.
Have you read the "Alternate Proposal" yet? Check this blog in the next day or so and I'll post it. I think you'll find it a move in the right direction.
Yes I have already read it. Perhaps I should move to Georgia
ReplyDelete