13 articles.
Canyon Missional Community (CMC) is a church plant located in Canyon, TX, approximately twenty minutes south of Amarillo, TX. Roughly three years ago, First Presbyterian Church of Amarillo sent Pastor Kim Talley and a team of elders and deacons to plant a church near the West Texas A&M campus. Thus, CMC is thoroughly concerned with reaching students with the Gospel of Christ, yet it is not a campus ministry.
My friend, I appreciate and value your heart for orphans, for Jesus Himself cared for those in need and commanded His disciples to do the same (Matt. 25:35-40). Likewise, James, as you have pointed out, admonishes his audience: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (Jas 1:27).
My friend, I have noticed that you prefer prayer services and dialogue more than the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. It is okay that you have preferences, but I sincerely want you to see that sermons and lessons are as important as other aspects of Christian fellowship. I am writing you to encourage you to delight in such things.
Dear brother, why do you neglect to worship with us on Sundays? I know you believe worship is a lifestyle; indeed, it is. But you are missing out on so much when you are not there.
Rather than seven, as in Roman Catholicism and Orthodox expressions of the Christian Faith, most Protestant denominations have two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion. This brief paper will focus on these two sacraments as proper, examine their significance as means of grace, and declare their proper methodologies and details of their administration, answering the questions, "In what way do they communicate grace, by whom are they administered, to whom are they administered, and in what setting?"
The Apostle Peter's words are profound: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 4:10-11). Not only do these words demonstrate the supremacy of Christ working in His people through varied gifts, but they also demonstrate the three offices of the church: member, elder, and deacon.
Sound polity in the local church is essential for a healthy ministry marked by faithfulness to Christ and His gospel, for polity determines how a church is structured, led, and connected to other churches. From a Presbyterian perspective, sound polity is characterized by covenantal membership, governance by elders and presbyters in graded courts, and binding association with other churches for accountability and mission. This short essay will examine the characteristics of polity and how they are understood by Presbyterians, while engaging the Baptist perspective.
Throughout church history, there have been various debates over what constitutes a church, yet there has been much consensus as well. The marks of the church are agreed upon by virtually all Christians; differences arise in their understanding and practice. While much could be said of the denominational differences in interpretation, this short essay will be concerned with the marks in an objective sense, interpreted in light of Scripture and history.
Throughout church history, the Lord's Supper has been a crucial aspect of Christian worship, yet the meaning of Christ's mighty words in instituting the sacrament has been widely disputed. Therefore, the practice of the Lord's Supper, following its varying interpretations, has also varied. This brief essay, composed of a historical narrative section and a case study, will examine these understandings, primarily focusing on the Reformation's practice and understanding of the Lord's Supper, as the Reformation Era represents many different positions on the sacrament.
Congregational polity, a longtime distinctive of Baptist ecclesiology, is rooted in Biblical convictions and historical development. John S. Hammett describes the polity of Baptist churches this way: "Baptists have stood virtuously unanimously in favor of congregational church government… In this model, the congregation exercises the ultimate human authority in the church, under Christ's divine authority.
Simply put, I am not a Baptist because I am a Presbyterian. Presbyterianism offers a more coherent and systematic expression of the Christian Faith that better aligns with Scripture, historical developments in light of Scripture, and theological doctrines derived from Scripture. This short essay will demonstrate my rationale for embracing a Presbyterian identity, particularly focusing on the doctrine of baptism, especially paedobaptism and baptismal efficacy.
While we are a Presbyterian church in a Presbyterian denomination, we can learn much from our Baptist brothers in Christ. One of the valuable teachings we would be wise to adopt is meaningful membership—"membership is not simply the record of a statement we once made or an affection toward a familiar place. It must be the reflection of a living commitment, or it is worthless." Membership commands our utmost commitment.
This short essay will concern itself with the ecclesiology of the Baptist denomination. However, it will do so by following Scriptural prescriptions and doctrines found within the Bible. It will look at the topics of the church's view on its own purpose, membership, disciplinary action, leadership, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, relationship with other churches, and the relationship it has with the state and politics.