Presbyterians actually using the Book of Confessions!

I have attended Presbyterian churches all of my adult life. The only time our family didn’t attend a Presbyterian church in my early years was when there wasn’t a Presbyterian church in our town (we lived in Eastern Oregon in small towns). Not one of all the Presbyterian churches of which I have been a part have used the Book of Confessions, other than to collect dust—except Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas (at HPPC we recited the Apostle’s Creed even Sunday in every worship service). I started attending Presbytery meetings while in seminary. I can’t remember a single Presbytery meeting that I missed while attending Fuller (San Gabriel Presbytery). While at HPPC I attended every Presbytery meetings (Grace Presbytery). Since my ordination I have been a member of Presbytery de Cristo, Central Washington Presbytery, Alaska Presbytery and the Presbytery of Olympia—a worship service was a part of EVERY one of those Presbytery meetings. I cannot remember a single presbytery meeting where we used the Book of Confessions!

“It’s good that Presbyterians not sacrifice their beliefs and traditions to the Purpose-Driven paradigm, says Stan Wood, associate professor of congregational leadership and evangelism at San Francisco Theological Seminary.”

-Presbyterians Today, January/February 2008, page 20.

Enter the Purpose Driven Presbyterians Network! With the blessing of Rick Warren and Saddleback, the Purpose Driven paradigm has been modified to reflect Presbyterian and Reformed theology. The Book of Confessions is quoted over and over and over again. All key points are supported by a scripture reference AND one or more quotes from the Book of Confession!

In reading the article in Presbyterians Today it is clear that few if any of the critics of the Purpose Driven Presbyterians Network have actually read their material or attended their conferences. Presbyterian and Reformed theology is present at a meeting of the Network in ways that it is never present at other gatherings of Presbyterians! Reading the article causes me to ask the question, “How often do the critics of the Purpose Driven Presbyterians read from the Book of Confessions?”