Why Presbyterian Denominations Fail

 By Dewey Roberts - Posted at Vanguard Presbyterian Church:

(Number 1)

It has often been stated that Christianity thrives best in poverty, rather than riches. While there might be some truth to that statement, it is superficial in my opinion. There are many poor countries of the world where the gospel has been preached, but not well received. The truth seems to be that Christianity only thrives when the church focuses on prayer, revival, and evangelism. Without those emphases, members, churches, and denominations become like the Laodicean church and say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” (Revelation 3:17). Certainly, material wealth has a great influence in promoting that self-satisfied spirit that is a death knell for the cause of Christ, but there are many wonderful Christians who are wealthy and who have used their gifts for God. I have known many wealthy Christians who were very earnest in praying for revival.

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus gave the first beatitude as: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). Those who meet the qualifications for this blessing of ‘the kingdom of heaven’ are not simply or only poor in material things. They are evangelically poor, as Thomas Watson noted in The Beatitudes:

“Poor in spirit’ then signifies those who are brought to the sense of their sins, and seeing no goodness in themselves, despair in themselves and sue wholly to the mercy of God in Christ. Poverty of spirit is a kind of self-annihilation. Such an expression I find in Calvin. The poor in spirit (says he) are they who see nothing in themselves, but fly to mercy for sanctuary. Such an one was the publican: ‘God me merciful to me a sinner’ (Luke 18:13). Of this temper was St. Paul: ‘That I may be found in Christ, not having mine own righteousness’ (Philippians 3:9). They are the poor which are invited as guests to wisdom’s banquet (Proverbs 7:3, 4).[1]

Continue here...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Number 2)

During the Winter Theological Institute at Reformed Theological Seminary in January of 1975, I was conversing one evening with one of the professors of RTS and the editor of The Presbyterian Journal, Dr. G. Aiken Taylor. I had worked under Dr. Taylor the previous summer in helping to start a new church in Asheville, NC. In that conversation, Dr. Taylor made a statement that I will never forget. It started with his comment: “Presbyterians have a problem.” The professor responded, “Yes, we have a problem with evangelism.” Then, Dr. Taylor replied, “Yes, yes. . . but they have another problem. Presbyterians have a problem with the Holy Spirit.” Dr. Taylor was certainly correct in that statement. The problem Presbyterians seem to have with the Holy Spirit is not theological in nature—but practical. It is not enough to merely agree with the learned tomes of such men as John Owen, Thomas Goodwin, and George Smeaton—all of whom have written large volumes on the Holy Spirit—or even to assent to the sound statements found in the standard systematic theology books of such authors as Charles Hodge, Herman Bavinck, Robert L. Dabney, Louis Berkhof, and many others. Something more is needed and demanded than just orthodoxy. There must also be orthopraxy. Doctrine and life must be wedded together. Truth and godliness must go hand-in-hand. Neither are possible without the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a believer. Thus far, I imagine everyone is in agreement.

Continue here...