A Presbyterian

TUES., FEB. 26, 1991, 6:33 AM
FARM, STUDY

“I am a Presbyterian, which is one kind of Christian.” This sentence, or one like it, would be a good beginning for your coming sermon. You can note that it isn’t a designation of how you believe but of how the church is governed… by elders in a democratic, representative way. The implication is that you are one of a group that does business “decently and in order.”

As a Presbyterian you are a Christian, and hence you believe in a Triune God – Almighty Father, the Creator; Jesus Christ, the Son Who offers us salvation from sin; and the Holy Spirit, the Teacher, Counselor, and Guide in this present earth life. You are a unique Presbyterian in that you know Me, the Holy Spirit, quite well, hear Me often, and accept My leading you in certain ways. You read the Bible about like most Presbyterians, which is not very often. You pray less than many of your brethren.

You are comfortable with the general Presbyterian style of worship. It is semi-liturgical, with the same format each week but the actual words being somewhat different each Sunday. For some worshippers this offers a feeling of some awe of the Lord (as liturgical worship should). For some it is rather boring. For most it is familiar and comfortable. You shall not vary the style of worship much, even as you have decided with My help, to decide on the words that will be used.

Presbyterians are generally comfortable in being staid in their worship. We stand. We sit. We repeat, without emotion, words of praise and adoration… and of supplication. We respond only as we are supposed to. The service is quiet except for the scheduled words and music.

Presbyterians are friendly with one another. We like to welcome visitors and newcomers, but we like some likeness to us – in dress, in work, in behavior. If a visitor is from another Presbyterian church we are more comfortable and hospitable. Yet we are not unlike most other Christian congregations, who also are most friendly to those who seem to be like them in relation to worship of and service to God.

We Presbyterians (and I, the Spirit, do say “we” because, yes, I am with you and a part of you, even as I am, finally, the ultimate “church hopper”) are not forceful in our evangelism. We assume that all who come believe in God and in Jesus Chris… and also the Holy Spirit, though some still remember the term Holy Ghost… and tend to stay away from spooks. We tend not to ask one another about faith matters, and particularly about special, somewhat deviant spiritual paths. We like to feel that we all are in about the same relationship with Christ, and we don’t want to know that this isn’t true.

For, you see, we Presbyterians believe in freedom of conviction, so you, a Presbyterian, can be allowed to be against war, to be a revolutionary, to be a mystic. You even can tell us about “it”, but we don’t want you to try to bring us along, if we don’t agree. So, this Sunday ahead you will be risking some of your credibility, for you will be telling about experiences some would not want to have. Hence you could seem like an “outsider,” for you have participated, willingly and joyfully, in Christian experiences that are not Presbyterian.