The Abide Project is a group of concerned pastors, scholars, and church leaders from the Christian Reformed Church in North America. In light of shifting theology based on cultural waves in our western world, the Abide Project exists to offer a biblical rebuttal to cultural ideas and provide biblical catechesis to the laity of the CRC and the wider world. Our Mission: “For the sake of the true Gospel, the faithfulness of Christ's Church, the glory of God, and the good of His people, we strive for the Christian Reformed Church to uphold the historic, beautiful, Biblical understanding of human sexuality in doctrine, discipleship, and discipline.”
I would like to know why Mr. Parler singled Denzel Washington out as an example of why we should exercise caution in lifting up celebrities who declare their faith publicly. Whenever anyone steps forward , praises God, and encourages others to follow God, we are all blessed. Professors need to know when to stop professing! In the first place, it is unwise to discourage those whom God might have chosen to inspire others. I did not want to hear anything else from Mr. Parler after I saw the manner in which Denzel's picture was used. Perhaps someone else interjected the picture, but I thought it was in poor taste. There is enough space in the universe for more than one man to profess the urgent need for faith in God, and none of them need doctoral degrees in theology or any other specialty. God often chooses those whom we might least expect to speak for Him.
Mark, thank you for reminder of the importance of biblical discipline for the church. I am also married to an avid gardener, and the pruning analogy is appropriate. But I would make one improvement to that picture. I spend time with surgeons at our local hospital. At a recent ethics committee discussion of the Hippocratic Oath, "do no harm", a surgeon reflected that she feels that tension every time she picks up a scalpel. For we operate not on trees but on bodies, and the cost of not addressing sickness in a body is so much heavier. As for the 1555 kind of peace, I would love to have been able to make a second July trip to Iowa (I officiated at a nephew's wedding in Boone earlier in July) to be a part of the "how did we get here?" discussion. As you suggest, it's critical we don't make the same mistakes again. My concern is that there may be more drama still to come. In 2024, the Libertines have the support of the authorities and media. And a personal thank you for your kind support in that interesting Reformed Journal discussion.
Thanks for listening and for the feedback, Doug! I had that surgery illustration in my notes, because that's how John Chrysostom described self-discipline and church discipline all the way back in the 3rd century. Surgery without care causes permanent damage, but no surgery leaves us unhealthy and even in danger of dying. I chopped it because the talk was already long enough! Thanks again!
Please double check the reliability of Mark Regeneres’s research. He has been condemned by his peers for misleading people due to purposely faulty research. Nothing good will come from quoting him.
Could somebody please explain to me why Biblical literacy matters when for so many the current cultural fads about say LGBTQ and systemic racial discrimination seem to have the final word?
The final Word is Jesus. Biblical literacy matters because through it we are more able to understand how others use the supposed "authority" of scripture in the the service of their self-serving interpretations. On the one hand it is very simple: "Your sins are forgiven", and God loves you and sent Jesus to show you how to love others the same way and therebye truly love Him. Biblical literacy requires the humility that God and His Scripture are larger than our understanding. If someone make themselves out to be god such that they have the only "correct" interpretation - it would be wise to give them a wide berth and seek to associate with those who are really showing love to real live people.
You demonstrate the same selective reporting that FOX news does in the political sphere. You conveniently avoided mentioning that Better Together got the idea of "Protest" from a midwestern classis that has sent delegates to Synod for 25 years "under protest" over the women in office issue. I genuinely hope you are right, that this will be the start of a revival in the CRC (I''m fascinated you use the word "revival," a word foreign to the Reformed tradition). May God bless what remains of the CRC and those of us who have been forced out against our will.
If you read overtures 47 or 48, they clearly outline how the WICO protest was directly created and allowed by Synod, and how different that is from these churches that were trying to "qualify" their participation in the denomination. The two forms of "protest" have nothing in common.
There is a real difference and the movement you are in will continue to insist on its way. I am really impressed with how the CRC is handling this is a caring but firm way. The acrimony would have been/could have been long & ugly if the truth of these differences were denied.
Discipline of members is governed by the local Council, and baring from Communion is generally one of the steps, so I would doubt any were immediately barred from the table?
I read that their are 28 affirming CRC churches in Grand Rapids . Is there a list ? Does anyone know if Madison Square Church is one ? I read their website and it appears like they could be . They are pushing marxism and the woke agenda.
There are 28 (or so) churches across the denomination (US and Canada, and I believe that includes both affirming and protesting churches), and I'm very certain Madison Square is not one of them.
Appreciate the update, grew up in the CRC and have been concerned about the trajectory towards cultural ideology instead of biblical truth. Happy with the outcome.
Congrats to the CRC for trying to remain committed to the CRC. Besides the clear moral, biblical, and confessional reasons for synod's actions, they were also necessary from an identity standpoint. Affirming churches are a dime a dozen in today's world (even in the "Reformed" world with the RCA & the PCUSA). So are broad evangelical churches. What makes denominations that the CRC distint are their Reformed commitments. Once a denomination drifts from them they have lost the reason for their existence.
The conservatives elsewhere are watching the CRC now, paying a close attention to how things play out. Hoping that traditional position prevails. Happy about Consejo Latino and Korean CRCs that have a clear position on that as well.
A link to offending church's public platforms would be interesting so people can see what you are talking about. If what you say is going against scripture, the ones in question are following Satan, which means they are leading others to hell with them. It is not just a denomination thing.
This is like how Kevin, in Home Alone, acts towards his neighbor. Maybe you should actually talk to people rather than just going with the nonsense your brothers (and sisters) are feeding you
@@moecrazy Huh? Kevin was kind of cute in those videos (he has much more hair) but I'm just going with the references from these videos. I wouldn't call these videos nonsense. Much is helpful here. But they do repeatedly say things like 'my friend in Ontario shared" this or that from Classis or a church's website or social media. So there seems like a list. (So when Abide puts out a video challenging certain churches or groups in a public way on these videos... that's ok... but if a comment is made here... in their comment section... that is too public? Hmmm...)
Not shaping the history of our beloved church but rather splitting it! Our God is a God of love and would never act the way you think He does! So so sad!
What, then does one do with the story of expulsion from Eden, or the flood of Noah's Day, or Jesus teaching of the separation of the sheep from the goats, or loving God more than mother and/or father? Ultimately, as Deuteronomy makes clear, it is not God's decision but our own. Prior to entering the promised land he make it clear that there experience (blessing vs. curse, prosperity vs. destruction, life vs. death) rested in their own hands: would they follow Torah (teaching/instruction) or not. He disciplines those whom he loves. See it as positive, not negative.
Any split that occurs in this situation is a result of churches that have broken covenant with the denomination by willfully ignoring the confessions and doctrine that the vast majority of the denomination makes every effort to follow.
Speaking of the RCA relationship. Do you two see a possibility of the Alliance of Reformed Chrurches merging with the Christian Reformed Church because of Unity on the human sexuality issue? It'd be a suitable replacement for the unity with the RCA
You probably will have cake and celebrate tonight as well with your Abide friends. The rest of us will be in tears because we are losing so many wonderful Christians who have served the church so faithfully.
Alliance is a new and developing body, and there is certainly much we agree with them on, yet other items where we are not as well meshed together. I think that there are ARC churches (as well as RCA churches) that will join and become full CRC churches in the next 2-5 years, and there will also be many Alliance churches that will work well together with CRC in local contexts.
Yes, why don't you join the alliance and let the rest of us have our church back, a church known for ever transforming and reforming and exhibiting just how wide and high and deep is the love of Jesus? Jesus is our gatekeeper of the sheepfold. Worshipping doctrine and basing our salvation on the doctrines of our faith minimizes the grace of our Savior and puts too much pride in our efforts and decisions.
Yes, 75 per cent of the delegates to Synod who we know were intentionally members or sympathetic to Abide would leave and they would have their followers. But I am probably twice your age and have many friends in churches across the states and even Canada who pay no attention to Synod and are just busy with loving and serving the Lord in their church families and communities. Their faith is not threatened by what other church councils do and think. If Abide established their own denomination, you could be assured of having your pure church where everyone thinks the same way and your faith wouldn't be threatened. You could have your own seminary and college to train everyone to think with Abide instead of trying to infiltrate Calvin's and the Seminary 's boards to cleanse those institutions. Your group would be very happy to have your pure church and the rest of us could continue to be a hospital for sinners as the true CRC, an ever reforming and transforming people who love the Lord and seek to evidence the fruits of the Spirit, whose faith is not threatened by divergent thought. Both sides would be happy instead of the sadness we witnessed from both groups at Synod. Abide would also be evidencing the Fruits of the Spirit to the outside world and that Light could draw more people to Jesus instead of driving them away.
It's interesting to see by God's providence the CRCNA be so concerned about global outreach, but not perhaps as concerned about say the regulative principle of worship and rethinking according to Scripture the idea of a cultural mandate and thus of cultural engagement that causes them to massage the biblical emphases of the three forms of unity. This is not to say EVERY church in the CRCNA does, but more the characterization of the leadership and that they may be counting their chickens a little too soon. Many other reforms in the CRC are needed before they are ready for global missions and expansion.
One wonders how somebody who does not hold to infant baptism (probably from a Baptist denomination) becomes an office bearer who has to sign the form? It seems to me that the council or the elders need to talk more carefully to understand what a candidate actually believes before adding such a person to the candidate list. I keep a list of where I have issues with the confessions. Each item of which would not allow me to sign the form. For example, I can't find in scripture a place where the filioque in the Nicene creed is confirmed. Sooner or later CRC churches will have huge problems finding office bearers if we make every jot and title of the creeds essential.
If any church whether Creedo or Paedo excludes the other while allowing women into office then that speaks volumes to where that Church or denomination currently is. One is 100% undoubtedly clear and the other is not so much.
God's word is pretty clear that women should not be in the office and definitely not for women pastors . The authority of God in Scripture from the book of Timothy has been torn out in many CRCs . It's about obedience . .. Satan whispers in ppl's ears ; did God really say.... A slow fade leads to other sins in the church . Now transgender serving on staff in a CRC in Muskegon .. Come back to your first love .. not man's opinions .
This year's synod is about punishment. Get out the rot right? The denomination is about to break baptismal vows with a huge chunk of the denomination. These two act so innocent and jovial. The CRCNA's doctrine is basically a sexual ethic. Thanks for laughing at us boys.
Need lots of House keeping with lies which comes from the father of lies that are entering the area churches . Bethany CRC in Muskegon women pastor who supports Marxism BLM and homosexual , they have a trans gender on their staff , Madison Square CRC women pastors , social justice gospel , promoting marxism - BLM in all the books they promote to read . I'm sure there are more woke agendas moving in other churches . Women in the office are against God's authority ! Christian cannot be removing God's word . John 8:51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” John 8:31 if you abide in my word , you are my disciples indeed . These are apostate churches . These pastors are being their congregation into bondage , a slave to sin !. Therefore if the Son ( Jesus ) makes you free, you shall be free indeed.. CRC churches need to teach the whole counsel of God verse by verse chapter by chapter . Gen -Rev Gen 1-11 is the foundation of the Christian . Satan was smart to go through Eve . She was deceived !! Do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by renewing your mind in all of scriptures !
I had a wonderful opportunity to fill the pulpit at Dorr CRC where Reverend Parsels ministers back in 2021. Great to see you still fighting the good fight in the CRC. Blessings from the CREC!
Your gleeful humor does not fit the context of distress for many watching this Synod. Perhaps you don’t intend to address those who feel harmed by the tumult.
If following the Bible's teachings is heartbreaking then possibly you are missing teaching, rebuking and encouraging that Paul teaches Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction."
I'm a member of the CRC in Cuba. We pray for our brothers and sisters in the CRCNA. May the Lord guide you in every decision to make at this coming Synod 🙏
I am praying for you and your compatriots for softened hearts that recognize Christians can disagree and still worship the same Savior. It is not our job to be gatekeepers; this is Christ's job.
This book pushes critical race theory and soft peddles homosexuality and feminism. Pretty sure Rebecca is what Jude warned us about creeping in unnoticed
