Joining and Receiving - June 3rd, 1981

From the website of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, This Day in OPC History:

June 3

Joining and Receiving

On June 3, 1981, the last full day of the 48th General Assembly of the OPC that met at Geneva College, the Committee on Ecumenicity and Interchurch Relations brought its recommendation regarding “Joining and Receiving.” “J and R,” as it was commonly abbreviated, was an ambitious plan to unite into one body three churches, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Church in America, and Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod. Bypassing a protracted process of negotiated merger, the plan called for the OPC and the RPCES to join and be received by the larger PCA. Noting that the RPCES had approved "J and R" three days earlier, the CEIR emphatically urged that the OPC could only come to one conclusion regarding this plan: it “must unite with these churches.”

Go here to read the rest of the story and to learn who kept the PCA, RPCES and the OPC from uniting.

Why do we want to run with this crowd?

Last spring our denomination published a strategic plan to help it avoid a plateau in its growth. Whether there is an actual plateau has been a matter of serious debate.  One of the most stunning things that came out of the plan was this statement:

Means (Specific #4): Partner with national & international ministries with whom we can most effectively participate in God's global mission...
a. Seek union or appropriate levels of cooperation with Reformed movements making Gospel progress and in harmony with our ethos & goals.
b. Withdraw from organizations with whom we share doctrinal history, but not ministry priorities currently draining our ministry energies (e.g. NAPARC).
c. Find new ways to give away our knowledge & resources to bodies of believers being spiritually blessed.

I've written about item b (NAPARC) here and here so no need to repeat that information.  And it should be noted that in the final draft of the plan the language about leaving NAPARC was removed.  But a question remains: Who or what is being identified in item a?  I believe it is groups like The Gospel Coalition.  I have nothing against that group per se, but it is no secret that they are a fairly moderate representation of the reformed faith. 

Dr. Carl Trueman has written a helpful post on one aspect of this group: Looks like a job for a taxi driver...... - Reformation21 Blog.  That the PCA leadership would propose dropping our affiliation with other confessional reformed denominations in order to affiliate with this crowd is stunning. 

Trueman's article and the original piece remind me of a saying I picked up years ago when traveling through Israel: "Haifa works, Jerusalem studies, Tel Aviv plays."  Sorry - artists do not make the world go around nor are they essential to the church.  Faithful pastors who study and teach God's Word along with faithful elders who shepherd God's people are essential. 

Our NAPARC brethren must be scratching their heads.

Something You Don't See Every Day



Though this is a bit dated it is worth publishing (double-click to see a larger version).  Three years ago in September 2007, Great Lakes Presbytery of the PCA and the Michigan-Ontario Presbytery of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church held a joint meeting at Christ Church PCA, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Photos were taken by both groups but until this week I never saw a copy. 

Our meeting was cordial, friendly, and full of mutual respect.  If my memory serves me correctly it was the OPC who initiated the meeting.  Believe it or not OPC men sat in PCA committee meetings and vice versa.  An OPC man was examined on the floor before both presbyteries and later a PCA man went through the same experience.  In the end it was a wonderful time of fellowship that cleared the air of suspicion amongst both groups of men. 

I bring this up in part because it was a personal highlight of my ministry.  Among other things I met an OPC minister who was discipled by one of my college roommates who was a Campus Crusade staff member at Ohio State.  Talk about a small world. 

I also bring this up for another reason.  Here in Michigan it is fairly common to run into people from other NAPARC  churches.  For instance, while the PCA is making inroads in this state the OPC has TWICE as many churches in Michigan as the PCA.  Additionally, I have men in my church who have relatives serving as officers in the RPCNA and the URCNA.  Beyond this at the presbytery level I am in conversations with Classis Michigan of the URCNA about a situation of mutual concern.  My church is in the process of receiving a family into membership who is transferring from one of the Heritage Reformed Churches.  Last winter I took a class at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and sat under a professor from the Eglise Refomee Du Quebec (Reformed Church of Quebec).  I have sat in classes with brothers from other NAPARC churches as well. 

It goes without saying that my faith has been strengthened by these contacts.  Beyond that I would say that my theology has been sharpened as well.  Though the PCA is larger than all of these denominations combined I view these brethren and their churches as kindred spirits.  In many respects we in the PCA have much to learn from these folk.

Last spring I was upset to learn that some at the highest levels of the PCA thought it was time for us to part company with NAPARC.  Earlier this week NAPARC held its annual meeting and I'm anxious to learn what transpired. The dust has barely settled but I'd love to read a report, even if it is preliminary.

Connecting the Dots: Craig Higgins, Dominic Aquila and NAPARC

Since my last post I've been mulling over the whole situation concerning TE Craig Higgins and an article that was critical of him posted on The Aquila Report.  As I reported in my last post Metro New York Presbytery sent word to Dr. Dominic Aquila's presbytery, Rocky Mountain Presbytery, requesting that they investigate him for violating the 9th Commandment.  As is well-known by now, Rocky Mountain Presbytery exonerated Dr. Aquila. 


What's interesting to me is that that TE Craig Higgins is not just your average pastor serving in some backwater community who would normally be overlooked as insignificant or eccentric.  TE Higgins serves a prominent congregation in a prominent community (New York City).  But more than that, last year he served as one of two PCA ministers sent to represent the PCA to NAPARC (North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council).  Why is this significant? 


Well, just read the linked article and consider what TE Higgins has written about  observing Lent, reformed episcopacy (bishops), and baptism as an instrumental means of grace.  Then ask yourself, "Why was this man representing the PCA in any capacity?"  This might explain why Dr. Aquila posted the article in the first place.  Perhaps his goal was to alert Metro New York Presbytery in the hope that it would look into his views.  Perhaps Dr. Aquila wished to alert the entire denomination that it was not being respresented very well by TE Higgins.  I don't know. 

All I know is that Selective Subscription was used in an attempt to silence Dr. Aquila and divert attention from TE Higgins.  I think that the repeated use of the 9th Commandment to go after critics is wearing thin.  After all, you won't read these sort of things on the pages of our denominational magazine, byFaith.  If it weren't for the Aquila Report and bloggers a lot of this stuff would never see the light of day.  I'm well aware that the blogosphere is filled with lot's of vitriol and snarkiness.  But that doesn't mean that it is all bad and should be dismissed out of hand.  To that end both Rev. Otis and Dr. Aquila ought to be commended for bringing these matters out into the light. 


I had hoped to attend the NAPARC meeting last November in Grand Rapids, Michigan but a scheduling conflict prevented me from being there.  In hindsight I'm glad I missed the meeting. I have no idea if our NAPARC brethren knew of TE Higgins' views at the time of that meeting: I can only imagine what they think of him now.  Worse, I can only imagine what they think of the PCA.  Sadly, based on our most recent General Assembly, I get the feeling that much of the PCA heirarchy doesn't care what our sister NAPARC denominations think.