Reformed Living

A recent article I posted (below) entitled Evangelical no more? raised some questions.  I should respond.  Am I an Evangelical?  Who is, or better yet, what is an "Evangelical"?  What follows is a very brief overview which overlooks many important facts and developments.  I am going here for the basics of a broad subject to explain where and why I am at in my personal spiritual taxonomy.  The overview is about Evangelicalism, past and present; it is not about Anglicanism as such or what attracts me to it.  I have already written about that on my website.

1.  Evangelicals are orthodox Christians, inasmuch as they accept the doctrines of the early catholic church found in the "Apostles Creed" and the "Nicene Creed", except for three of them.

Evangelicals have a problem with the statement "We believe in one holy catholic ... Church".  Typically and historically Evangelicals consider themselves to be Protestant and are anti-Roman Catholic.  Thus they have a problem with the word "catholic" and often change it to "universal" when they recite the Nicene Creed.  Conservative Evangelicals do not use the Creeds at all- they think they are "Roman Catholic".   (Many contemporary "Evangelicals" do not see a problem with the word "catholic' and do use the Apostles Creed. This is due most probably to their lack of interest in being "Protestant" or in being very dogmatic about doctrinal matters.) 

Here are some thoughts about evangelism and missions and those who are engaged in these activities from Peter Berger.  This article is full of subtopics worth serious reflection

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/berger/2010/08/27/is-proselytizing-a-bad-word/

With all the discussion about why people are unhappy with their local churches, perhaps the primary purpose of those churches is being overlooked.  That purpose is Worship.  The weekly assemblies are normally called "Worship Services" for a reason.  Christians gather to serve God by offering up to Him their worship (their hymns and prayers of praise and thanksgiving, as well as their confession of sins and prayers seeking forgiveness and then their intereceessions for His mercy and grace).  They present to Him for His use their tithes and offerings.  And finally, they offer to Him their ears to listen to His Word. In doing so they, in turn, receive assurances of His grace and mercy (especially if they receive Holy Communion), a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit and His counsel and direction for living their lives in the week ahead.  These are the main things to keep in mind before critiquing other ministries or activities a local church may or may not offer.

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For those who appreciate, or would like to try, Morning or Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer,  I highly recommend http://cradleofprayer.org/free-daily-prayer-download.html

The Offices are sung and read in a wonderful manner- a real blessing!