Letter to the ARP Church
I am Alan Flowers, a 1996 Erskine Theological Seminary graduate, now serving as Pastor with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Chair of our Ecumenicity Committee for Michigan Ontario. I wanted to write and rejoice with the good blessings you are having particularly in regards to your committee report on the removal of the two chapters of the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Too often, when historically orthodox churches have drifted, that is when splits occur. One more Presbyterian denomination is born and a bit of our corporate witness is silenced. It is much more rare to see a change of course back to greater faithfulness. But this is what I read with the ARP; to God be the glory!
OPC Book of Order: Form of Government IV:4 The visible unity of the Body of Christ, though not altogether destroyed, is greatly obscured by the division of the Christian church into different groups or denominations. In such denominations, Christians exercise a fellowship toward each other in doctrine, worship, and order that they do not exercise toward other Christians. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error, and some have gravely departed from apostolic purity; yet all of these which maintain through a sufficient discipline the Word and sacraments in their fundamental integrity are to be recognized as true manifestations of the church of Jesus Christ. All such churches should seek a closer fellowship, in accordance with the principles set forth above.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my believed brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
In Christ the Lord,
Alan M. Flowers
First Greenwood ARP Church
First Greenwood ARP Church, Greenwood, SC, is seeking an experienced pastor. The church just celebrated 100 years of service and ministry to the Greenwood community and would like to continue in that tradition with a visionary minister. For more information, please visit their website at www.greenwoodarp.org. If interested in the position, please send your resume or Ministerial Data form to Bob Bowyer, 135 Valley Road, Greenwood, SC 29646 or email caandbob@embarqmail.com.