Welcome , my name is Andy Martinez, pastor at Elk Rapids

1. Welcome, my name is Andy Martinez, pastor at Elk Rapids Centering on Holy God, revealed in Christ and entering this time with God’s Holy Spirit Hebrews 12.28 and 29 Giving of thanks-Individual prayers of silence, listening and returning thanks Meditating on ‘since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken’ Meditating on ‘let us give thanks’ Meditating on ‘we offer to Go an acceptable worship with reverence and awe…for indeed, our God is a consuming fire.’

2. Background • I am a presbyterian minister, who has focused more on the local church than the GA issues. • I have served our presbytery on ad hoc committees • My parents’ grandparents, great-grandparents are presbyterian. My great grand dad was converted by Scot Presbyterians. Both he and my grand dad have started presbyterian churches in their spare time

3. From my perspective, only • The issues for conservative are not about a single issue, of the definition of marriage. • The issues include the following

4. The 50% loss of members over the last decades is symptomatic. Of what? The question begs to be answered (more on that, please ask questions later) • Since 1977 (GA in Los Angeles) some of the very active and large churches have struggled whether to stay and work together or leave. Its been difficult. • The role of the Bible for some appears to be compromised. • The divinity of Jesus Christ has been a subject of concern. This is from people like the past president of Princeton Theological Seminary • I and others are perplexed re. the Book of Confessions vis a vis our ordination vows. There is disappointment re. our ordination vows to be guided by a constitution that seems not to be a guide for some.

5. The lack of defined essential tenets (brought up again at last month’s GA) is a huge issue for conservative presbyterians

6. In 1910 the GA adopted five essential tenets. The inerrancy of the Bible; the virgin birth of Christ; Christ’s substitutionary atonement; Jesus’ bodily resurrection and the authenticity of miracles. These no longer stand • The 1924 Auburn Affirmation (2001 New Auburn Affirmation) is the issue defined for many conservatives: Safeguard liberty of thought and teaching of its ministers; prohibit the restricting of church teaching to rigid interpretations of Scripture and doctrine; and refuse to rank ecclesiastical authority or the authority of the Bible above that of the individual Spirit-led conscience.

7. The Auburn Affirmation influenced commissioners of the 1924 GA which declared that individual presbyteries, not the national church body, would have authority over ordination (Carmen Fowler LaBerge, The Layman Online) • Thus, the issue, once more, is lack of essential tenets and the emphasis on one’s individual, not connectional theological shared biblical values. This is a major cause for splintering in our denomination.

8. A new denomination, ECO is an example of where many presbyterians stand where they define not only their essential tenets (their statement of faith, http://eco-pres.org), but their purpose: • By 2018, ECO churches seek to baptize more than they bury. We will pursue this goal by focusing on four priorities:  Four Priorities • Lift up the centrality of the gospel. • Grow with an emerging generation of leaders. • Prioritize a wave of church innovation. • Create an atmosphere of relational accountability.

9. The problem revisited (cf. NYT, July 14, 2012, Can Liberal Christianity be Saved?) • This article, written by a strong episcopalian, who has looked into his denomination’s decline concludes, “It is flexible to the point of indifference on dogma, friendly to sexual liberation in almost every form, willing to blend Christianity with other faiths, and eager to downplay theology entirely in favor of secular political causes. Yet instead of attracting a younger, more open-minded demographic with these changes, the Episcopal Church’s dying has proceeded apace.”

10. “Practically every denomination-Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian-that has tried to adapt itself to contemporary liberal values has seen an Episcopal-style plunge in church attendance….Both religious and secular liberals have been loath to recognize this crisis.” • Disclaimer: I do not think presbyterians are poor theologians. They are highly gifted theologians. That is not the issue. An inclusiveness that bleeds out our reformed values is the issue. • Those values include Christ, the Bible, Grace, Faith all to the Glory of God

11. What I think • The motto that is tattooed on every baptized presbyterian pastor goes, ‘reformed, always reforming’ • “The church is reformed and always [in need of] being reformed according to the Word of God.” The verb is passive: the church is not “always reforming,” but is “always being reformed” by the Spirit of God through the Word. Although the Reformers themselves did not use this slogan, it certainly reflects what they were up to (Semper Reformanda, Michael Horton).” Originally used in 1674 by Jodocus van Lodenstein, Dutch reformer.

12. Therefore, I see our current discussion on the definition of marriage, the state of our denomination, the three hundred fifty churches who have left in the last two years and the loss of fifty percent of our members to point to this one conclusion: We must be corrected by the Word of God. We must (Karl Barth and reformers and the prophets) stand under the Word of God. Why is this good news? Because God is a God of grace. That is unchangeable. It is not practical or true for us to say whatever we do is reformed. No, what ever the Word of God speaks with the witness of the Spirit is what we are to do.

13. An unwelcome scripture • 1 Kings 22.19 Then Micaiah[ said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing beside him to the right and to the left of him. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said one thing, and another said another, 21 until a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 ‘How?’ the Lord asked him. He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the Lord[c] said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.’ 23 So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has decreed disaster for you.”

14. I am not sure if any side in our conversation has done the work of repentance, together, as a denomination. ( I would put myself in this category.)

15. The Gift of Marriage, a very brief overview

16. There is a consistency in the text of Genesis 1.27, ‘In the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’ This travels throughout the Bible like a known road leading us. • 1 Corinthians 11.14. It would be my opinion, that the reformers would interpret the passages in the Bible and the present struggle by an appeal to nature, ‘ Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is degrading to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.’

17. Final Thought It is basic to our reformed heritage to be under the Word of God. It is also in our d.n.a. to repent. Repentance begins with the words, “I have sinned” never, “You”. Both I and my family have sinned. 7 We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.’