ON JOHN CALVIN AND THE WORLD OF PRESBYTERIANISM! _______________________________________ 1. Protestant Reformation spread from Germany to Switzerland. John Calvin (1509-1564), a French law student, pastored a Reformed church in Geneva. A brilliant Bible teacher and organizer, Calvin’s teaching and writing crystallized the Presbyterian movement. His contributions to the Reformation include: Education – Calvin believed everyone should be educated so that everyone could read the Bible and hear God’s voice for themselves. As a result Geneva spawned the first public schools. Presbytery – The word “Presbyterian” comes from the New Testament Greek word, presbuteros, meaning “elder.” 2. Calvin believed that the church should be governed by the people and the leaders they elect, not by a pope and his appointed hierarchy. He built in checks and balances to power so that the church would not be dominated a few. So Presbyterian churches are run not by pastors but by the member-elected elders.Calvin’s Presbyterian pattern of church government puts governing authority in the hands of elders, laypeople elected by the congregation. The body of elders elected to govern a particular congregation is called a session. Together with their pastor(s), elders exercise leadership, government, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church at large. In a sense, elders are representatives of the congregation. On the other hand, their primary charge is to seek to discover and represent the will of Christ for their church. Moderated by Senior Pastor Jim Rueb, MVPC’s session consists of eighteen men and women, elected to three-year terms in three classes of six people each. MVPC has twenty-four deacons, ordained officers who offer congregational care and service to the church. Deacons are assigned to geographical areas for the purpose of extending care, facilitating communication, and bringing support in special times of need. They also help with the MVPC membership process, visitation, chancel upkeep, and memorial services. Other governing bodies are: Presbyteries, composed of all the pastors in a geographical region plus an equal number of elders appointed by sessions. Presbyteries examine and ordain pastors and hold them accountable for godly behavior. The presbytery also helps congregations, for instance, in times of conflict and trouble. There are about 170 Presbyteries in the US. More information on the San Francisco Presbytery, comprising 78+ churches. Synods, composed of pastors and elders from several presbyteries. More on the Synod of the Pacific, comprising 7+ presbyteries. General Assembly represents the entire denomination and is involved in international mission, curriculum development, and new church development. Every two years presbyteries elect commissioners who participate in a five day General Assembly meeting where important issues are debated and decided. The first presbytery in America was organized in 1706; the first synod in 1717; and the first General Assembly was held in 1789. Today’s PC(USA) was created by the 1983 reunion of the two main branches of Presbyterians in America separated since the Civil War — the Presbyterian Church in the US and the United Presbyterian Church in the USA. Together, the Book of Order and the Book of Confessions make up the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The Book of Order contains guidelines for church life, including structure and worship. It explains how and why we do things. The Book of Order was developed by the General Assembly and can be modified with the ratification of a majority of presbyteries. We have copies of the Book of Order and the Book of Confessions in the church office if you’d like to see them. 3.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 22:23:53 +0000
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