|
Written by Earl S. Johnson Jr.
|
|
Monday, 03 October 2005 12:00 |
|
The Book of Order is a compendium of Presbyterian experience based on nearly three hundred years of practice, prayer and study of Scripture. Occasionally church officers get the mistaken opinion that it is a static document, forever fixed by someone in the presbytery or General Assembly. In fact, the Book of Order is designed to be very fluid, constantly open to amendment, change and reform. As the Book of Order itself says (G-18.0100): The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) would be faithful to the Lordship of Christ and to its historic tradition of the Church reformed always reforming, by the Spirit of God. In this faith, amendment procedures are understood as a means to faithfulness as God breaks forth yet more light from God's Word. What if an individual, a session, a presbytery, or commissioner to General Assembly does not like part of the Book of Order? Several options make it possible for us to change the way we govern ourselves. We can do nothing and hope for the best. We can complain and grumble, wondering why nothing changes. Or we can work through the constitutional process at a session and/or presbytery level to send an overture to the General Assembly with the hope that it will eventually govern the whole church.
|
|
|
Written by Earl S. Johnson, Jr
|
|
Monday, 05 September 2005 12:00 |
|
Sometimes a dream is not a nightmare; it is a message from God that is received waking or sleeping and you cannot mistake it. Paul had a dream when he was asleep that he should go to Macedonia. It was so vivid and the voice of the man so urgent asking him to come over and help the Greeks that he got passage on a boat next morning (Acts 16:6-10). Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream when he was wide awake. God showed him that his children could be free and that people should not be judged by the color of their skin. It changed his whole life. Do you have a dream for your church or presbytery? Is there a strong sense that God wants something done and that it cannot wait? I have a dream for the church that is absolutely compelling. How it can be accomplished I do not know. My simple efforts to begin its realization have met with failure but I cannot give it up. * It is a plain vision of Presbyterians and peacemaking.
|
|
Written by Earl S. Johnson, Jr
|
|
Monday, 11 July 2005 12:00 |
|
|
|
Written by Earl S. Johnson, Jr
|
|
Monday, 25 April 2005 12:00 |
|
|
|
Written by Earl S. Johnson, Jr.
|
|
Monday, 14 March 2005 00:00 |
|
The response to the tragic tsunami on December 26 in a wide area of southern Asia has been overwhelmingly positive as the United Nations, numerous countries around the world, non-governmental agencies like the Red Cross, Oxfam, Catholic Charities, and United Jewish Appeal, orchestras in Vienna, celebrities and school children have donated generously to save lives and rebuild destroyed cities and villages.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 8 of 9 |
