For this there was apparently great demand. My data form showed no pastoral experience, but it did reveal quite clearly that I was a conservative and willing to say so. It was not that there were not enough pastors there were not enough conservative pastors. Most of the 20 churches did not even wait to correspond with me they telephoned. Having selected the 20 churches, an amazing thing happened. That seemed excessive, but they assured me that we would probably have to go through a second list at a minimum. The denominational office in Columbus, Ohio, which handled such things, told me to select twenty churches from their vacant church list to whom they could send my ministerial data form. It was the summer of 1969 when I first began to seek a call to the pastorate. I come with a more personal and selective account, but with hope that even this brief account might stir some to share in my alarm and disappointment. If one just goes through the Minutes reading the protests and dissents, he will get a good flavor (and a bad taste) of what is at stake. It would be a major research project to gather all the relevant data for such. I will not attempt to document the declension in any systematic or comprehensive way. For many, the dream of what might have been seems now but a distant hope. In an ever broadening church this may still be the PCA banner, but reasonable conformity to it is no longer required. We saw the banner proudly displayed by the PCA, and none of us imagined that it meant anything other than what it said: “True to the Scriptures, the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.” Surely, this was my church home for life. In 1975 when my congregation and I separated from the UPCUSA it was with a sense of liberation. In the early 70’s, with the idealism of a young pastor in his first congregation, I quickly found it necessary to be contending for “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Women elders, abortion, sodomy, children taking communion, even a personal God was no longer an article of faith. but in regard to this separated body which declared its intention to be faithful to the Scriptures and the Reformed Faith. In recent years Presbyterians have become concerned again about the purity of the Church, not in regard to the old line denomination. Smith, and apologies if needed, I have had my variation of his title in mind for several years. In no way is this article comparable to the research and quality of that publication. It was in many respects a founding document, commissioned by the Steering Committee for a Continuing Presbyterian Church and documenting the “decline of the PCUS as reflected in its assembly actions.” To many it demonstrated the need for separation in order to continue to be a truly Presbyterian Church. Morton Smith published a significant book, How Is the Gold Become Dim. In 1973 with the formation of the Presbyterian Church in America, Dr. Bogue pastor of the Faith Presbyterian Church of Akron, Ohio. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated.
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