Pathetic Presbyterianism — Am I Overly Critical?

This past weekend, while out of town, I attended a Presbyterian church (PCA).

 

Oh, I knew what to expect having attended there many times over the years and having been a member of three Presbyterian churches (and others) during my eclectic church history.

 

But this past Sunday’s service was classic.

 

Below are five “pathetic” tidbits and my brief critical comments. See if you catch the inconsistencies and faith-devaluing/diluting messages that were delivered to that mostly undiscerning congregation.

 

Tidbit #1 – Immediately following the recitation of The Nicene Creed with its last two lines being: “We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen,” they sang the Gloria Patri: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; world without end, amen.”

 

So which is it – world without end or another world to come and replace the current one? Confusing, at the least, don’t you think?

 

Tidbit #2 – In their “We Confess Our Sin” corporate prayer was this confession: “There is nothing in us that gives us reason for hope.”

 

Wait a minute! I thought. Aren’t these people saved? Don’t these people have the Holy Spirit inside them (at the least)? Aren’t these people supposed to be “new creatures in Christ?” Don’t these redemptive aspects count for something in this area of hope?

 

Tidbit #3 – In his sermon, the pastor spoke rightly and truthfully about the kingdom of God being a present reality and “not just consisting in talk but in power.” But he defined “the gospel” as only being a “trust in Christ for forgiveness of sins” resulting in “we no longer are separated from Christ.”

 

Why wasn’t any mention made of the kingdom being part of the gospel? It certainly was for Jesus and the early Church, was it not?

 

Tidbit #4 – During the associate pastor’s communion prayer, he prayed for God to “please send the Holy Spirit.”

 

Back up the truck! Hadn’t God had already sent the Holy Spirit over 19 centuries ago?

 

Tidbit #5  To top it all off, he further prayed for God to “help us do” a bunch of things “before Jesus comes.” Then he passed out the elements from which to partake to “proclaim his death until He comes again.”

 

But how many times has Jesus “come” since his crucifixion and arising from the dead?

 

Apparently, this pastor doesn’t know that the biblically correct and documented answer is: many times (see John Noe, The Greater Jesus, Chapter One: “Why You Don’t Have to Wait Around for the ‘Second Coming’ or ‘Return’” – Amazon.com).

 

Okay, is it just me? Am I being overly critical? Or, have we really been dumbed-down and led this far astray from the proper understanding and effective proclamation of our faith? (See John Noe, Off Target – Amazon.com).

 

What do you think?