I know you must be wondering "What in the world is Byron going to post now?" First, let me say a few things. I have been a part of the Presbyterian Church since I was seven years old. Apart from my
Catholic upbringing the first six years of life and a year spent attending
Seabrook Baptist Church in MD, I know nothing else but what it means to be Presbyterian/Reformed. In addition I am very proud of being Presbyterian and believe that we still have something to offer the world at this particular time in history. However, it grates my nerves to hear people suggest that I should "re-instill Presbyterian pride" with everyone I meet. Undoubtedly these individuals have a love and concern for the denomination which I do not question. However as I have experienced life a Presbyterian over the years, one can see the perception of how being Presbyterian is greater than being Christian. Some examples -
*People often joke that we are more familiar with the Book of Order than the Bible.
*We refer to ourselves (as well as others) as the "Frozen Chosen", meaning that our services are devoid of life and spirit.
*Rodger Nishioka in the book The Roots of Who We Are tells the fictional story of a young person inviting her friend to a church youth event. She could not get her friend to go until she said "You don't even have to bring your Bible!"
*I attended the opening worship service at a General Assembly some years ago. The music, liturgy and preaching was excellent. As I was leaving, an older woman that I had known turned to me and said that it was up to me as a younger person to teach the younger generation that was coming up after "what it means to be Presbyterian", meaning that we should stick with traditional hymns, no spontaneous expressions in worship - or anything contemporary, for that matter - and keeping the service short.
These and other examples tend to keep us from allowing God's Holy Spirit from changing and reforming us. Sometimes we have such a strong tendency to hold onto all things Presbyterian that we lose sight of Jesus Christ in our midst. I believe we are called to this denomination not for the sake of preserving in stone the traditions or the institution itself but following God's guidance to do a new thing.
I am a member of my Presbytery's Committee on Preparation for Ministry. We ask those who are meeting for their final assessment to become certified and ready to receive a call for a short reflection statement responding to the Constitutional Questions for Ordination. One young woman who recently came before our committee responded in a way that resonated with me;
" . . . While I am loyal to the PC(USA), I am a follower of Christ before I am Presbyterian. The Reformed Tradition has certainly shaped my understanding of Scripture, but it is the witness of Scripture that has most fully taught me who Jesus is and who I am called to be as his disciple."
I think she has the right perspective in inviting others into a relationship with Jesus Christ in today's society. And I hope we catch on.
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