Worship at FCF

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I worshipped this morning at FCF with Elizabeth Byrch, and it was pretty good. Putting aside the RPW and other such Reformed worship issues, I found the service to be meaningful and Spirit-filled, and the congregation decent and friendly. I think this is my first time attending at a PCA church, though the format of the service was more “mainstream modern evangelical,” as I like to call it — quite similar to the services I attended at GCF, my old home church in Manila.

I’m considering joining, but first I need to mull over whether it’s theologically honest for me to do so. I am still a Baptist at heart, with certain issues over covenantalism and the Reformed faith. This is something I need to pray over at length.

Tonight I’ll be off to MICA to meet up with the student Christian fellowship, Koinonia. Most of whom, I’m told, are Reformed. Could it be a sign?

Comments

  1. Elizabeth ;^) says:
    2002-09-15 at 19:00

    While you may need to ponder whether you’re being honest with yourself, don’t to feel that you need to “convert” in order to find a home at Faith. Trust me — there are plenty of members who do not hold to Reformed/covenant theology in any strict sense. That simply isn’t a requirement for membership.

    I just finished editing the notebook for the “Discover the Vision of Faith” seminar. I’ll send you the pertinent pages on membership.

  2. Paulo says:
    2002-09-15 at 21:41

    Thanks, Valerie, that’s good to know.

  3. Xavier+ says:
    2002-09-16 at 16:52

    It’s good to hear that you’re close to finding a church that is a Christian home for you, Paulo. Best wishes on it.

    And it was interesting to see the website of GCF in Manila, particularly the church building and the huge window above the church’s entrance. Is it possible that you have a photograph of that window somewhere in your archive?I’d be glad to see it.

  4. Paulo says:
    2002-09-16 at 18:32

    Unfortunately, my attendance at GCF was years and years ago, before I even had a camera. The window isn’t stained or anything; it’s just dark-tinted glass with panes in the shape of a cross.

  5. Rod says:
    2002-09-16 at 23:18

    My mother used to lecture me that a person should join the church he is attending, no matter where he was or how short a time he is there, even if it is not exactly the kind of church he grew up in. She even followed this dictum, joining the churches where she did summer mission work and moving her membership back when she returned home.

    That being said, however, I don’t think she had in mind denomination hopping, although a Baptist should have little theological problems with a church in the Calvinist tradition. Despite what the SBC is preaching nowadays, classical Baptist culture has always been about polity, not theology – we are the anarchists of Christendom. We value the independence of our congregations and our members above any creed. We tend to find the yoke of any creedal donomination the be too much to bear, even if it is consistant with our own beliefs. We’re just contrary that way.

    I imagine that if you find the creed tolerable, then you will have no trouble dealing with anything else. Just remember you are a troublemaker, like all Baptists. That is your role.

  6. Xavier+ says:
    2002-09-17 at 11:14

    Thanks, Paulo. It must be an impressive window, though, even if not stained.