Category: Church & Organized Religion

The Marks of the Church

If you move to a new town, you have to find a new church. The search for a new church can be difficult and frustrating. If you pick up the Yellow Pages and look under “church,” you are likely to confront a bewildering array of possibilities. Perhaps you already have some fairly definite ideas of what you want in a church. You may be looking for a good youth group or active senior citizens group. You may want a powerful preacher or a certain kind of music. You may be very loyal to one denomination or you may like to “shop around.”

What should you be looking for in choosing a new church? Your first concern should be that the church be a “true church.” You do not want to choose a church that is part of a sect or a cult. You do not want a church that still bears the name of church, but whose lampstand Christ has removed (Rev. 1–3). How do you recognize a true church? This question was acute at the time of the Reformation. The Roman Catholic Church in the sixteenth century basically argued that Christ preserved the true church through the work of the pope, the bishop of Rome. The true church is easy to recognize because it is in fellowship with the pope. Any church that does not submit to the pope is a false church.

Read the whole article here.

The Visible Church, the house of God & gate of heaven

“But its a rich mercy that [professing Christians] are dwelling in the work-house of the Grace of God, within the Visible Church, they are at the pool side, near the fountain, and dwell in Immanuel’s land where dwells Jehovah in his beauty, and where are the Golden Candlesticks, and where there run Rivers of Wine and Milk, such are Expectants of Grace and Glory, to such the Marriage Table is covered, eat if they will.”

-Samuel Rutherford

The Nicene Creed (325)


I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Christianity’s shocking emergence

“No other sufficient cause can possibly be assigned of this propagation the gospel, but only God’s own power. Nothing else can be devised as the reason of it but this. Their was certainly some reason Here was a great and wonderful effect the most remarkable change that ever was in the face of the world of mankind since the flood; and this effect was not without some cause. Now, what other cause can be devised but only the divine power? It was not the outward strength of the instruments which were employed in it. At first, the gospel was preached only by a few fishermen, who were without power and worldly interest to support them. It was not their craft and policy that produced this wonderful effect; for they were poor illiterate men. It was not the agreeableness of the story they had to tell to the notions and principles of mankind. This was no pleasant able: a crucified God and Saviour was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. It was not the agreeableness of their doctrines to the dispositions of men: for nothing is more contrary to the corruptions of men than the pure doctrines of the gospel. This effect therefore can have proceeded from no other cause than the power and agency of God: and if the power of God was what was exercised to cause the gospel to prevail, then the gospel is his word; for surely God does not use his almighty power to promote a mere imposture and delusion.”

-Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758)

Nuestra Practica de Comunion

IMG_2435-e1555036044350Celebramos el sacramento de la Cena del Señor tres veces por año, normalmente el tercer dia del Señor (Domingo) de Enero, Mayo, y Septiembre.  El Domingo anterior, tenemos un servicio ‘preparatorio,’ en el cual a los miembros se les exhorta que examinen y preparen sus corazones para el sacramento.  Se invita a los comunicantes celebrar la Cena del Señor que se conmemora alrededor de una mesa comun al frente de la iglesia.  La celebracion utiliza un pan comun y una copa comunal de vino las cuales son distribuidas por turno a cada miembro sentado a la mesa.

Todos los que son miembros completos en buen estado de esta o cualquier otra congregacion de la Iglesia Reformada Presbyteriana son invitados celebrar la Cena del Señor con nosotros.  Miembros de otras iglesias que confiesan el mismo evangelio y que visitan primero com los ancianos tambien pueden participar.

Niños bautizados de la iglesia, mientras no elegibles para venir hasta que lleguen a la IMG_2437-e1555036180446edad mayor y den una profesion creible de su propia fe, junto con otras visitas que se les pide observar la celebracion son ehortados buscar a Cristo.  Miembros bautizados o visitas regulares interesadas en unirse a la iglesia deben de hablar con el ministro para arreglas un tiempo de instruccion en las cosas basicas de la fe Cristiana y los beneficios y responsabilidades de la membresia.