Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the Crossroads

Siler Presbyterian Siler Presbyterian Church glorifies God by Church glorifies God by inviting all into a inviting all into a relationship with relationship with Christ, growing in Christ, growing in faith, and serving faith, and serving Christ in the Christ in the Crossroads.Crossroads.

Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the CrossroadsCrossroads

Why am I not in Why am I not in Sunday Sunday School ?School ?

Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ at the Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ at the CrossroadsCrossroads

Monthly Information Sessions – 2Monthly Information Sessions – 2ndnd Sunday’s Sunday’s

1. Why has Siler chosen to enter the 1. Why has Siler chosen to enter the process?process?

2. What is Presbyterianism?2. What is Presbyterianism?

3. How has Siler responded to PCUSA in the 3. How has Siler responded to PCUSA in the past?past?

4. Where are we going?4. Where are we going?

Pending meetings with the Charlotte PresbyteryPending meetings with the Charlotte Presbytery


What is going to happen ……What is going to happen ……

““Presbytery of Charlotte Presbytery of Charlotte Commitment to Pursuing Commitment to Pursuing Reconciliation with Member Churches Reconciliation with Member Churches Seeking Dismissal from the Seeking Dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)”Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)”


On November 8On November 8thth, the Session of Siler , the Session of Siler Presbyterian Church voted unanimously Presbyterian Church voted unanimously to enter:to enter:

““Presbytery of Charlotte Presbytery of Charlotte Commitment to Pursuing Commitment to Pursuing Reconciliation with Member Churches Reconciliation with Member Churches Seeking Dismissal from the Seeking Dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)”Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)”


On November 8On November 8thth, the Session of Siler , the Session of Siler Presbyterian Church voted unanimously Presbyterian Church voted unanimously to enter:to enter:

W H Y ?W H Y ?

1. The mystery of the Trinity1. The mystery of the Trinity2. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ2. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ3. Justification by Grace through Faith alone3. Justification by Grace through Faith alone4. Substitutionary Nature of Atonement4. Substitutionary Nature of Atonement5. Scripture as our final authority5. Scripture as our final authority6. God’s absolute sovereignty 6. God’s absolute sovereignty 7. God’s election of the People of God7. God’s election of the People of God8. The Covenant life of the church 8. The Covenant life of the church 9. Stewardship of God’s Creation and resources9. Stewardship of God’s Creation and resources10. The idolatry of sin10. The idolatry of sin11. The Call to obedience11. The Call to obedience


Essential Tenets of the Reformed FaithEssential Tenets of the Reformed Faith

The Mystery of the TrinityThe Mystery of the Trinity

ScriptureScripture

John 14:6 John 14:6 ““Jesus said, Jesus said, ‘‘I am the I am the way the truth and the life. No one way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except comes to the Father except through me.through me.’”’”

Matthew 16:15-16 Matthew 16:15-16 ““But But what about you?what about you?”” he he asked. asked. ““Who do you say I am? Who do you say I am? Peter answers this question Peter answers this question by saying, by saying, ‘‘You are the Christ, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.the Son of the Living God. ’”’”

PC USAPC USA Over the past two decades The Jesus Seminar, Over the past two decades The Jesus Seminar,

which blatantly denies the divinity of Jesus Christ, which blatantly denies the divinity of Jesus Christ, has been invited to speak at PCUSA conference has been invited to speak at PCUSA conference centers and has been published by the PCUSA centers and has been published by the PCUSA funded publications.funded publications.

In 1994, The PCUSA co-sponsored In 1994, The PCUSA co-sponsored ““Celebrate! Celebrate! Gathering at the Crossroads,Gathering at the Crossroads,”” an ecumenical an ecumenical student conference in St. Louis. The Bible student conference in St. Louis. The Bible Study leadersStudy leaders’’ book for that occasion was book for that occasion was Journeys by Heart: A Christology of Erotic Journeys by Heart: A Christology of Erotic Power. Here is a quote from that book: Power. Here is a quote from that book: ““Christ Christ is a major problem for feminist theology. That is a major problem for feminist theology. That problem has been born of an unholy trinity, problem has been born of an unholy trinity, father-son-holy ghost, that has cradled Christ father-son-holy ghost, that has cradled Christ in its patriarchal arms.in its patriarchal arms.””

The 2006 study titled The 2006 study titled The Trinity: GodThe Trinity: God’’s Word s Word OverflowingOverflowing undermined our Trinitarian undermined our Trinitarian understanding of God the Father, Christ the understanding of God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Person of the Holy Spirit with Son, and the Person of the Holy Spirit with such euphemisms as such euphemisms as ““mother, child, wombmother, child, womb””..

The Incarnation of Jesus The Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of Christ, the Eternal Son of GodGod

ScriptureScripture Luke 1:35 Luke 1:35 ““The angel answered, The angel answered, ““The Holy The Holy

Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.one to be born will be called the Son of God.””

John 1:14 John 1:14 ““The Word became flesh and The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, glory of the one and only Son, who his glory, glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and came from the Father, full of grace and truth.truth.””

Colossians 1:15-17 Colossians 1:15-17 ““He is the image of He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.and in him all things hold together.””

PC USAPC USA Over the past two decades The Jesus Seminar , Over the past two decades The Jesus Seminar ,

which blatantly denies the divinity of Jesus Christ, which blatantly denies the divinity of Jesus Christ, has been invited to speak at PCUSA conference has been invited to speak at PCUSA conference centers and has been published by the PCUSA centers and has been published by the PCUSA funded publications.funded publications.

In 1994, Kwok Pui-lan was invited to be the In 1994, Kwok Pui-lan was invited to be the featured leadership seminar speaker at the featured leadership seminar speaker at the PCUSAPCUSA’’s Stony Point conference center. She s Stony Point conference center. She told her audience of presbytery leaders that told her audience of presbytery leaders that our gods are the products of our own our gods are the products of our own experiences. It follows, she said, that many experiences. It follows, she said, that many experiences will generate many gods. This experiences will generate many gods. This is no problem, she said, so long as one is no problem, she said, so long as one avoids avoids ““superior attitudessuperior attitudes”” and does not get and does not get hung up on hung up on ““the myth of Christian the myth of Christian uniqueness.uniqueness.”” Kwok Pui-lan Kwok Pui-lan’’s writings have s writings have been published by the PCUSAbeen published by the PCUSA’’s s denominationally funded publishing house, denominationally funded publishing house, Westminster/John Knox Press. In 1994, she Westminster/John Knox Press. In 1994, she was a featured author for was a featured author for Horizons, the Horizons, the official publication of Presbyterian Women.official publication of Presbyterian Women.

Justification by Grace alone Justification by Grace alone through Faiththrough Faith

ScriptureScripture John 3:16 John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world that For God so loved the world that

he gave his one and only Son, that whoever he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.eternal life.””

Romans 3:22-25 Romans 3:22-25 ““This righteousness is This righteousness is given through faith ingiven through faith in Jesus Christ to all who Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,atonement, through the shedding of his through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.blood—to be received by faith.””

Galatians 2:16 Galatians 2:16 We…We…””know that a know that a person is not justified by the works of the person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.””

PC USAPC USA In 1993, a conference entitled In 1993, a conference entitled ““Re-Imagining Re-Imagining

GodGod”” was funded by the PCUSA and planned was funded by the PCUSA and planned largely by PCUSA personnel at largely by PCUSA personnel at denominational expense. At the conference, denominational expense. At the conference, ““worshipworship”” leaders denied the existence of a leaders denied the existence of a transcendent God, worshipped transcendent God, worshipped ““the god the god within ourselves,within ourselves,”” and exchanged the and exchanged the goddess goddess ““SophiaSophia”” for Jesus Christ, declaring for Jesus Christ, declaring that Jesus that Jesus ““was first born only in the sense was first born only in the sense that he was first to show us that it is possible that he was first to show us that it is possible to live in oneness with the divine source to live in oneness with the divine source while we are here on this planet.while we are here on this planet.””. .

In 1996, at the In 1996, at the ““Naming, Claiming and Re-Naming, Claiming and Re-Imagining PowerImagining Power”” conference, heavily conference, heavily supported and funded by the PCUSA, the supported and funded by the PCUSA, the following prayer was chanted: following prayer was chanted: ““Bless Sophia, Bless Sophia, Dream the Vision, Share the Wisdom Dream the Vision, Share the Wisdom Dwelling Deep Within.Dwelling Deep Within.”” The conference The conference theme promoted the idea that our salvation theme promoted the idea that our salvation is achieved by discovering is achieved by discovering ““the god within us,the god within us,”” rather than looking to a male figure [Jesus] rather than looking to a male figure [Jesus] who purportedly came from above.who purportedly came from above.

The Infallibility of ScriptureThe Infallibility of Scripture

ScriptureScripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ““All Scripture is All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”equipped for every good work.”

1 Thessalonians 2:13 1 Thessalonians 2:13 “And we “And we also thank God continually because, also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who God, which is at work in you who believe.”believe.”

PC USAPC USA

1991 Presbyterian Women’s Horizon Bible 1991 Presbyterian Women’s Horizon Bible study (funded by PC USA) issued the study (funded by PC USA) issued the following statement that elevated human following statement that elevated human authority above scripture: “In obedience to authority above scripture: “In obedience to the Bible, we sometimes must disobey a the Bible, we sometimes must disobey a given biblical imperative”. given biblical imperative”.

1995 Miriam Theresa Winter, keynote 1995 Miriam Theresa Winter, keynote speaker at Women’s Ministries Program speaker at Women’s Ministries Program Area of General Assembly Council stated Area of General Assembly Council stated that relying on scripture is like “peering at that relying on scripture is like “peering at the universe through a straw”. 1996 the universe through a straw”. 1996 Winter’s songs of praise to the pagan Winter’s songs of praise to the pagan goddess Sophia were sung at a youth goddess Sophia were sung at a youth gathering at the Massanetta Springs gathering at the Massanetta Springs Conference center. Conference center.

In 2010, the Rev. Landon Whitsitt, vice-In 2010, the Rev. Landon Whitsitt, vice-moderator of PUCSA, declared, “Sola moderator of PUCSA, declared, “Sola Scriptura is dead in most places and rapidly Scriptura is dead in most places and rapidly dying in others.”dying in others.”

The Substitutionary The Substitutionary Nature of AtonementNature of Atonement

ScriptureScripture

John 14: 4-6 John 14: 4-6 “You know the way “You know the way to the place where I am going.” to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except comes to the Father except through me.”through me.”

1 Peter 3:18 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. spirit.

PC USAPC USA

In 1993, Delores Williams, speaker at the In 1993, Delores Williams, speaker at the PCUSA-sponsored “Re-Imagining God” PCUSA-sponsored “Re-Imagining God” conference, declared: “I don’t think we need conference, declared: “I don’t think we need folks hanging on crosses and blood dripping folks hanging on crosses and blood dripping and weird stuff … we just need to listen to and weird stuff … we just need to listen to the God within.” the God within.”

In 2002, at a conference sponsored by the In 2002, at a conference sponsored by the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, Anna Covenant Network of Presbyterians, Anna Case-Winters, associate professor of Case-Winters, associate professor of theology at the PCUSA’s McCormick theology at the PCUSA’s McCormick Theological Seminary, declared that the Theological Seminary, declared that the atoning death of Jesus Christ is an outdated atoning death of Jesus Christ is an outdated doctrine. Winters has often declared that the doctrine. Winters has often declared that the atonement is an evil doctrine, because it is atonement is an evil doctrine, because it is child abuse for a father to sacrifice his son, child abuse for a father to sacrifice his son, and the doctrine encourages such child and the doctrine encourages such child abuse in today’s world. abuse in today’s world.

The Call to a Life of The Call to a Life of ObedienceObedience

ScriptureScripture

1 Peter 1:2 1 Peter 1:2 who have been who have been chosen according to the chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Christ and sprinkling by his blood: May grace and peace be yours in May grace and peace be yours in abundance. abundance.

1 Corinthians 10:31 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”do, do it all for the glory of God.”

PC USAPC USA

In 1987, the 199th General Assembly of the In 1987, the 199th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) called for “the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) called for “the elimination … of laws governing the private elimination … of laws governing the private sexual behavior between consenting adults [and sexual behavior between consenting adults [and the passage] of laws forbidding discrimination the passage] of laws forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientationbased on sexual orientation

Stated in the 2006 Report on Peace, Unity and Stated in the 2006 Report on Peace, Unity and Purity (PUP), General Assembly: "Therefore, we Purity (PUP), General Assembly: "Therefore, we believe the church should seek constructive, believe the church should seek constructive, Christ-like alternatives to the 'yes/no' forms in Christ-like alternatives to the 'yes/no' forms in which questions about sexuality, ordination, and which questions about sexuality, ordination, and same-gender covenantal relationships have same-gender covenantal relationships have been put to the church in recent decades." been put to the church in recent decades."

In 2010, for the fifth time, the PCUSA General In 2010, for the fifth time, the PCUSA General Assembly voted in favor of submitting to the Assembly voted in favor of submitting to the Presbyteries its recommendation to overturn the Presbyteries its recommendation to overturn the “fidelity-chastity” clause governing ordination in “fidelity-chastity” clause governing ordination in the Book of Order. the Book of Order.

What Should I Do Now?What Should I Do Now?ScriptureScripture

2 Timothy 4:1-5 2 Timothy 4:1-5 ““In the presence of God and of In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. instruction.

For the time will come when men will not put up with For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.discharge all the duties of your ministry.””

Do you have any questions Do you have any questions regarding regarding whywhy Siler Siler Presbyterian Church has Presbyterian Church has entered the process with the entered the process with the Charlotte Presbytery?Charlotte Presbytery?


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Siler Presbyterian Church - Serving Christ in the Crossroads

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