Position Statements

of the

Oceanside United Reformed Church

&

United Reformed Churches in North America

 ____________________

Profession of Faith of Covenant Children at the Oceanside URC

Adopted by the Consistory, February 2003

 

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’ And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph 6:1–4)

“My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.” (Prov 1:8–9)

 

Introduction

The public profession of faith of a child who has grown up in the church, of new converts to the Christian Faith, or of believers who have never united themselves to a visible church is one of the most precious blessings we receive as a congregation from our covenant-keeping God.

As an historic Christian and Reformed church, we follow the practice of those who have gone before us in this area. In the early church, new believers would attend the Lord’s Day worship of the church through the sermon, then would be dismissed as the Lord’s Supper was celebrated. Over a period of up to three years, these “catechumens” (those being instructed) learned the basics of the Christian Faith. During the Reformation period of the church this practice regained its prominence. Children would be brought to the local chapel for catechism instruction every Sunday afternoon, in which they would recite together the questions and answers they had learned the previous week. The pastor would then ask further questions of them to see if they not only had recall of their answers but understanding. This would occur for several years until children would make a public profession of faith and be welcomed to the Lord’s Table, expectedly around the age of 10 according to John Calvin:

How I wish that we might have kept the custom which, as I have said, existed among the ancient Christians before this misborn wraith of a sacrament came to birth! Not that it would be a confirmation such as 
they fancy, which cannot be named without doing injustice to baptism; but a catechizing, in which children or those near adolescence would give an account of their faith before the church. But the best method of catechizing would be to have a manual drafted for this exercise, containing and summarizing in simple manner most of the articles of our religion, on which the whole believers' church ought to agree without controversy. A child of ten would present himself to the 
church to declare his confession of faith, would be examined in each 
articles, and answer to each; if he were ignorant of anything or insufficiently understood it, he would be taught. Thus while the church looks on as a witness, he would profess the one true and 
sincere faith, in which the believing folk with one mind worship God. If this discipline were in effect today, it would certainly arouse some slothful parents, who carelessly neglect the instruction of their children as a matter of no concern to them; for then they would not overlook it without public disgrace. There would be greater agreement in faith among Christian people, and not so many would go untaught and ignorant; some would not be so rashly carried away with new and strange doctrines; in short, all would have some methodical instruction, so to speak, in Christian doctrine (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.19.13).

As pastors and elders seeking to minister the timeless truths of the Christian Faith in our 21st century world, we have discussed how best to educate our covenant children as a church, and how best to encourage you as their parents to bring them up in the Lord to prepare them for their public professions of faith.

 

What We Expect From Parents

As a Reformed church, we believe that as members of the covenant of grace, God ordinarily works through the family. This means that it is the primary responsibility of parents, especially fathers, to raise their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Therefore, we expect parents, especially fathers…

1. To have your children baptized “as soon as feasible” (Church Order, Article 41).
2. To bring your children to Sunday morning catechism instruction, or satisfy the elders that you are providing equivalent instruction.
3. To help your children memorize, review, and explain their catechism lessons throughout the week.
4. To remind your children of the meaning of their baptism and to encourage them to publicly testify of their trust in the Lord before the consistory and congregation.
5. To faithfully model the Christian life to your children.

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. (Col. 3:21)

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Eph 6:4)

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (Prov. 31:26)

 

What We Expect From Covenant Children

As a Reformed church, we believe that children are members of the covenant of grace. Therefore they are to begin learning from the earliest of age the meaning of their baptism – that they need to die to themselves in repentance of their sins, embrace Jesus Christ with a true faith, and begin to live for Christ in newness of life (Rom. 6). Therefore, we expect children…

1. To memorize the Lord’s Prayer. This should be the first thing you as parents help your children do. Then, as they mature, they should be able to explain the meaning of this prayer (see Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 116–129).
2. To memorize the Apostles’ Creed. This should be the second thing you as parents help your children do. Then, as they mature, they should be able to explain the meaning of the Creed (see Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 22–58).
3. To memorize the Ten Commandments. This should be the third thing you as parents help your children do. Then, as they mature, they should be able to explain the meaning of the Commandments (see Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 93–115).
4. To memorize Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 1, 2, 21, 26, 27, 60, 69, 75, 86, 116. Then, as they mature, they should be able to explain the meaning of these questions.

We realize that all children are different, and this means that we must be flexible, but we are setting a basic standard for our children to ensure that the faith is passed down from generation to generation. The spiritual vitality of our original core group of adults must become that of our children to ensure a solid Reformed church here in the future.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’ (Eph. 6:1–3)

“My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.” (Prov 1:8–9)

 

What You Can Expect From the Consistory

As a Reformed church, we believe that the pastors and elders (consistory) are the “overseers” (1 Tim. 3:1) of the church, responsible for “keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account” (Heb. 13:17). Therefore, the consistory is responsible for the doctrine and life of the church, which includes instructing our covenant children and new members in the Faith. Therefore, you can expect the pastors and elders…

1. To pray for parents, covenant children, converts, and new members from the pulpit, when we meet as a consistory, and at home.
2. To provide and oversee weekly catechism instruction.
3. To provide a pre-profession of faith class for covenant children, converts, and new members who desire to make a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. This class will be led by a pastor and will review the basics of the Christian Faith as well as teach the meaning of being a full, communicant member of the church.
4. To periodically provide public instruction for parents on how to teach these basics to their children and to keep our pastor(s) available for ongoing encouragement and instruction in this area.

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. (1 Pet. 5:1–3)

Let children hear the mighty deeds

Which God performed of old,

Which in our younger years we saw

And which our fathers told.

He bids us make His glories known,

The works of power and grace,

That we convey His wonders down

Through every rising race.

Our lips shall tell them to our sons,

And they again to theirs;

And generations yet unborn

Must teach them to their heirs;

Thus shall they learn, in God alone

Their hope securely stands;

That they may not forget His works,

But honor His commands. (Psalter Hymnal #150)

____________________

Guidelines for Missions Support

Adopted by the Consistory, 2004

 

Preamble

The Council of the Oceanside United Reformed Church, in gratitude for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and in obedience to His Great Commission, hereby adopts the following guidelines for missions support, in order to build Christ’s kingdom and be good stewards with the blessings He has given to us:

 

Principles

1. The Council will primarily support the work of home missions/church planting.

Grounds:

We have a special link to church planting because of our congregation’s history;

There is a great need, especially in Southern California, for confessionally Reformed churches;

The present time seems to be one of great opportunity to plant churches;

There is an eagerness of our sister churches to plant churches;

Our proximity to Westminster Seminary California’s resources (students, professors) makes us a prime overseeing consistory;

2. Church planting involves our membership in supporting, planning, and praying for church planting.

3. The church planter/ missionary must be confessionally Reformed.

4. The church planter/ missionary must be gifted and capable for the work.

5. The church planter/ missionary must be sent by a confessionally Reformed church to either work in and with a local mission church/church plant or being working to begin a mission church/church plant.

6. The church planter/ missionary has an initiative to be accountable to us as a supporting church.

7. The church planter/ missionary has an outstanding need for support.

Application

We will assess their budgetary need;

We will assess their other sources of income.

 

8. The church planter/ missionary has a long-term plan.

Application

We must ask and be satisfied with their short/long-term goals;

We must ask and be satisfied with how our resources will be used.

____________________

The Ministry of the Deacons at the Oceanside URC

Approved by the Council March 1, 2005

 

Introduction

The deacons are the ministers of mercy within Christ’s Church. The roots of this office and ministry go back to the time of the establishment of an organized congregation under the Old Covenant with Israel. There the LORD impressed upon all his people the obligation to show mercy to the needy. This mercy of the people was based in the LORD’s own care and protection for the needy as “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows” (Ps. 68:5). This care of the LORD for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow was reflected in his Law for his people to imitate. For example, we read,

When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled, then you shall say before the LORD your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion out of my house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I forgotten them’ (Deut. 26:12–13; cf. Deut. 14:28–29, 16:11, 14, 24:19–21).

In fact, so serious was the care of the needy that the Law pronounced a curse upon “anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow” (Deut. 27:19).

This mercy to the needy especially found official expression in the office of the priests, who were to receive the offerings of God’s people as well as to care for the sick and diseased in the community of faith (Lev. 13–15).

Under the New Covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ embodied this mercy of God (John 14:9), in feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and showing compassion on the afflicted (Matt. 4:23–24).

Our Lord’s life is also an example for the church (John 13:15), as he calls us all to show hospitality, generosity, and mercy, so that the weak and needy may share abundantly in the joy of God’s people, and so that no one in the congregation of Christ may live under the pressure of sickness, loneliness, or poverty (Matt. 25:31–46; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2, 16). Following the Lord’s example, the first Christians took care that no one in her midst went without as each contributed according to need (Acts 2:46, 4:32, 37).

Yet as with the Old Covenant, so under the New there is an official ministry of mercy, which is performed by the deacons, as the official representatives of the “interest and love of Christ in behalf of his own” (Form for the Ordination of Elders and Deacons). When the apostles, as the ministers of the Word, realized that they would have to give up preaching if they had to devote their full attention to the daily support of the needy, they assigned this duty to “the seven” (Acts 6:1–7). Thus it is an apostolic institution to have deacons, serving alongside of ministers and elders in the congregation (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8–13).

This booklet is for the education of future deacons in the Oceanside United Reformed Church, her members, and those who desire to learn more about our life as a congregation. What follows are the basic principles upon which diaconal ministry is performed among us as well as several practical applications of these principles both for the deacons and the parish they serve. 

 

General Principles

Mercy Within the Congregation

1. The diaconal ministry is covenantal in nature and consequently will focus especially on “the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).  The deacons’ primary calling is to remember the needy, “that the poor and distressed may be relieved and comforted” (Belgic Confession, article 30).  By doing this, they will endeavor to ensure that all members of the Body of Christ have the resources to live “a peaceable and quiet life” (1 Tim. 2:2).

2. The diaconal ministry will seek to reinforce, complement, and encourage the ministry of the Word and Sacraments (Acts 6:1–7).

3. The deacons will fulfill their office by “continuing in prayer” (Church Order, article 15) for God’s provision for people and their circumstances.

4. Since the deacons receive “the offerings of God’s people in Christ’s name” (Church Order, article 15) they are stewards of the Church’s resources. Therefore they are to be concerned with a “humble and cheerful distribution” of the gifts of God’s people (Form for the Ordination of Elders and Deacons)

5. The deacons will be active in “acquainting themselves with congregational needs” (Church Order, article 15) focusing particular attention on widows, orphans, the oppressed, the sick, the distressed, and the fatherless, within the congregation.

6. The deacons will seek to encourage members benefiting from the resources of the congregation to work or to obtain work as they are able to provide for their own needs and to be faithful members of the congregation.

7. The deacons will work with the elders in “exhorting members of the congregation to show mercy” (Church Order, article 15) give freely, generously, joyfully, and with thanksgiving to support the needs the household of faith and other needs that may arise. This will be done primarily through the gathering of benevolent offerings in connection with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, since this sacrament is the visible sign of our unity in Christ (1 Cor. 10:17, 11:17–34).

 

Mercy Outside the Congregation

1. In addition to the family of faith, the deacons will seek to minister mercy and compassion to the “needs of those outside the congregation, especially of other believers…as resources permit” (Church Order, article 15).

2. The ministry of mercy will not merely be in deed but also in Word, by “encouraging and comforting with the Word of God those who receive the gifts of Christ’s mercy” (Church Order, article 15)

3. The deacons will seek to minister to those outside of the family of faith in the context of existing relationships with church members, as there is opportunity and means (Church Order, article 15)

4. The response to those outside the church will be dependent on the resources of the congregation to meet the existing and anticipated needs of those within the family of faith.

5. The deacons will respond to catastrophes and unusual events as God provides the resources and opportunities to do so.

 

Benevolent Ministry Protocols

General Guidelines

1. When distributing benevolence, there will always be at least two deacons in agreement.

2. The deacons will never give out cash, but will always write a check to ensure an adequate record for accountability as stewards of the congregation’s gifts.

3. The deacons will never go on a benevolent appointment alone, to protect both themselves and those to whom they seek to minister.

4. The deacons will never take along personal cash on a visitation.

5. The deacons will respond to benevolence needs as the opportunity arises.

6. The deacons will pray for wisdom on how to minister to those in need and pray for specific situations as they arise.

7. The deacons will also encourage those in need to make use of resources provided by the government where possible, as this is God’s common grace provision for the poor. In this light, the deacons will keep a current list of services available and their locations in the deacon bag.

8. Benevolent funds are not for mortgage payments, back rent payments, storage payments, credit card payments, auto loans, or any other type of loan. Any such emergency requests must be reviewed and approved by council.

 

Specific Guidelines for Church Members

1. The deacons will encourage church members to provide for themselves and their families if they are receiving benevolent funds and are able to work.

2. The deacons will never release a family’s name or a members’ name without first discussing the circumstances with other Deacons or Elders.

3. If during the course of diaconal ministry, the deacons become aware of a situation that requires the attention of the elders, they will inform the elders quickly.

 

Specific Guidelines for Non-Church Members

1. The deacons will always give food certificates, not cash, to the homeless and those who walk in off the street.

2. The deacons will be prepared to give such in need advice on where he or she can go for shelter and a meal.

3. The deacons will be prepared to explain the gospel. They will encourage non-believers to accept Christ and become a part of his covenant community and will encourage professing believers who are outside of the church to become a part of the visible covenant community.

4. The deacons will focus on opportunities for mercy that include a relationship between one or more members of the congregation and non-church member(s).

____________________

On the Weekly Celebration of Holy Communion

Adopted by the Consistory, May 31, 2005

 

As Christians, our only comfort is that we belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ, whom we experience by the power of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Holy Gospel and participation in the Holy Sacraments. As pilgrims in this age, we need to hear, see, touch, smell, and taste this Gospel through the Word and Sacraments to create and strengthen our faith, lift up our hearts to our heavenly hope in the life of the world to come, and unite us in brotherly love. Thus, celebrating the Gospel in both the Word and sacrament of the Lord’s Supper as we assemble every week is best for our spiritual health.

From the time we began worshipping together as a community in June of 2000 until now, we have incrementally increased the frequency of our participation as Christ’s body in his body and blood. From June 2000–October 2002 we partook of holy Communion between 7–9 times a year, as we were a church plant of the Escondido URC. After we became a distinct congregation, we participated monthly from November 2002–July 2003. Then we increased this to twice a month from August 2003–November 2004 and most recently to three times a month from December 2004–May 2005. Now we move to celebrating the Gospel in Communion weekly for the following reasons.

 

The New Testament Scriptures Lead Us to This Conclusion

The Lord’s Supper is an ordinary element of New Covenant worship. For instance, Acts 2:42–49 describes its worship life by saying several things were done “continually.” This means that whenever they met, they participated in these elements. In Acts 2:42 we read, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, and in the fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers” (own translation). These four basic elements of New Covenant worship were celebrated “daily” in the early days of the Church (Acts 2:46). This is why John Calvin argued for the Lord’s Supper “at least weekly” (Institutes, 4.17.43) and also said,

Thus we ought always to provide that no meeting of the Church is held without the word, prayer, the dispensation of the Supper, and alms. We may gather from Paul that this was the order observed by the Corinthians, and it is certain that this was the practice many ages after (Institutes, 4.17.44).

We know that the “breaking of bread” was the Lord’s Supper because St. Luke uses the definite article “the” before each of the four elements mentioned in Acts 2:42: the apostles’ doctrine, the fellowship, the breaking of the bread, and the prayers. This is a definite article par excellence, meaning, it is not just any bread. The Supper was called “the breaking of the bread” because that was what Jesus did on the Passover night (Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19, 24:30; 1 Cor. 10:16, 11:24). The Lord’s Supper, then, was just as ordinary as preaching, prayer, and fellowship. This is why Calvin said, “For there is not the least doubt that the Sacred Supper was in that era set before the believers every time they met together" (Institutes, 4.17.46). Calvin also said, “For there cannot be a doubt that at that time the sacred Supper was dispensed to the faithful at every meeting” and Francis Turretin said, “This sacrament was ordinarily administered in the public assemblies of the church” (Institutes of Elenctic Theology, p. 424; cf. Joachim Jeremias, The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, pp. 118–122).

Also, the New Testament describes the worship of the Christian community as “coming together” for the express purpose of “breaking bread.” In Acts 20:7 we read, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to [for the purpose of] break bread…” According to men such as Matthew Henry and John Stott, this text teaches us that this was the “normal, regular practice of the church in Troas” (John R. W. Stott, The Message of Acts, p. 321; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, p. 2154). And joined with the Supper was preaching (vv. 7, 8, 11). On this passage, John R. W. Stott eloquently comments, saying,

Word and sacrament were combined in the ministry given to the church at Troas, and the universal church has followed suit ever since. For God speaks to his people through his Word both as it is read and expounded from Scripture and as it is dramatized in the two gospel sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper...What builds up the church more than anything else is the ministry of God’s word as it comes to us through Scripture and Sacrament (that is the right coupling), audibly and visibly, in declaration and drama (Stott, 321).

Paul uses this same terminology in 1 Corinthians (11:17, 18, 20, 33, 34, 14:23), describing the weekly worship service of the Corinthians as a “coming together,” for the purpose of preaching and partaking of the Supper (cf. Acts 20:7-11). Turretin speaks in this way:

From the practice of the apostolic church, which constantly retained the breaking of the bread. Hence the disciples are said to have ‘continued in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers’ (Acts 2:42). Christians are said to have come together upon the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7), i.e., to celebrate the holy Supper, which was customarily done on the Lord’s day when they assembled to hear the preaching and to perform the other public exercises of piety” (Institutes, p. 445).

And this “coming together” was as the “Church” (14:23). The Greek word ekklesia is the New Testament equivalent of the Hebrew qahal, “covenant assembly.” So what was the purpose of “coming together” as the covenant assembly? To “eat” the Lord’s Supper (11:33). Paul, though, had to rebuke the Corinthians because they were not coming for that purpose but instead for their own purpose (11:17, 20). To this one commentator says,

It is no wonder that Paul could not call the gatherings of the church at Corinth ‘the Lord’s Supper’: they were not under the Lord’s authority; there was hardly any awareness of the Lord’s presence; the purpose behind them seemed to be scarcely directed towards remembering the Lord’s death (David Prior, The Message of 1 Corinthians, p. 187).

Hughes Oliphant Old, one of the great scholars of Reformed worship, says these texts lead us to conclude

that it is in the meeting together for the purpose of sharing the meal that these individuals become the church, the body of Christ. It is this supper which constitutes the church...the service is called “the Lord’s Supper…” The Lord’s Day is distinguished by the fact that it is the day for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper at the Lord’s Table, sharing all together the Lord’s Cup (Worship That Is Reformed According to Scritpure, p. 110).

Therefore, the life of the early Church was marked by a participation in preaching and the Lord’s Supper, whether that was daily in Acts or weekly (“on the first day of the week;” 1 Cor 16:2) in Corinth. This is explicitly taught in our Heidelberg Catechism in question and answer 103, which explains the fourth Commandment. We are to “diligently attend church to learn the Word of God, to use the Holy Sacraments, to call publicly upon the Lord, and to give Christian alms.” Notice that these four elements are those of Acts 2:42. In his exposition of this Commandment, Zacharias Ursinus (1534-83) says that besides preaching, prayer, and alms, we are “to use the Holy Sacraments,” saying, “…the use of the sacraments is most intimately connected with a proper observance and sanctification of the Sabbath” (Zacharias Ursinus, Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism, p. 568).

 

This Practice is Based on the Old Testament Covenant Renewal

Biblical worship is a covenant renewal ceremony. Every time we gather for worship we are renewing our vows of trust in the Lord, but more importantly, he is renewing his covenant of grace with us through the means of covenant signs and seals. What we are doing is participating in a covenant ceremony as did Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and the disciples in the Upper Room. And as we know, every covenant and every covenant ceremony is ratified by a sign. With Adam it was the animal skins, with Noah it was the rainbow, with Abraham it was circumcision, with Moses it was the blood of the covenant, with Joshua it was circumcision of the second generation, and with the disciples and us it is the Lord’s Supper, which is “the new covenant” (Luke 22:20) in visible form. And when a covenant is renewed, a communal meal is celebrated in the presence of God (e.g. Neh. 8:9–12, 18; Ex. 24:11; Deut. 12:6–7, 14:26; John 6:53–58; 1 Cor. 5:7–8, 11:25–26; Rev. 3:20, 19:9).

 

We Need the Holy Supper Because of Our Struggle With Sin

We need the Lord’s Supper because of our wretchedness. Our confession as a Reformed congregation is, “We believe that our gracious God, mindful of our insensitivity and weakness, has ordained sacraments” (Belgic Confession, Article 33). The sacraments are the gifts of God for the people of God, which we need to take advantage of as much as we are able in “this present evil age” (Gal 1:4). As those who are “insensitive” and obstinate in heart and will, our Father has given us bread and wine to fill us with his grace and move us to gratitude. They are also an accommodation to us, as our Father is “mindful” of our sin; “For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103). God has given Christ’s body and blood in visible form to those who cry, “Lord I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24), and, “increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). Thus the Confession says that God gave the sacraments “to nourish and sustain our faith” (Art. 33) while the Catechism says they are the means by which the Holy Spirit “confirms” our faith (Q&A 65).

 

The Word and Sacraments Are Ways God Works Among Us

God works through the elements voices, water, bread and wine. Notice how our Confession speaks of the Supper, in terms of the personal pronouns used:

God…has ordained sacraments to seal His promises…to be pledges of His good will and grace…He did so to nourish and sustain our faith. He has added these to the Word…to represent better…what He declares…and what He does inwardly in our hearts. Thus He confirms to us the salvation which He imparts to us. Sacraments are visible signs and seals of something internal and invisible, by means of which God works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit…

Because we are Reformed we believe the Lord’s Supper is not a matter of our working, our receiving, our preparing, but of God’s work in us through these means. Most specifically, the Supper is the instrument of the Holy Spirit, “By means of which God works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit” (BC, Art. 33). Along with preaching, the primary way the Spirit sanctifies us to be holy is through these means. He fills us with Himself and all His goodness that we might truly be “temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 3:16). The Holy Spirit is among us not in tongues or exciting music, but in his Word and Sacraments.

 

The Holy Supper is the Clearest Way to Proclaim the Gospel

The sacraments are the clearest way the promises of God are given to us—not the preached Word; as the Confession says, “He has added these to the Word of the gospel to represent better to our external senses both what He declares to us in His Word and what He does inwardly in our hearts.” As Calvin says, “The sacraments bring the clearest promises; and they have this characteristic over and above the word because they represent them for us as painted in a picture from life” (Institutes, 4.14.5); and, “It is indeed true that this same grace is offered us by the gospel, yet as in the Supper we have more ample certainty, and fuller enjoyment of it” (Calvin, Short Treatise on the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, paragraph 10). Calvin’s successor, Theodore Beza, described this aspect of the sacraments in this way, saying,

The Word on its own strikes only one of our five natural senses, but the Sacraments touch more the sight and other bodily senses…It is therefore easy to recognize how much the aid of the Sacraments is necessary to us to support our faith. In a manner of speaking, they enable us to touch with our fingers and see with our eyes, and as to taste and feel Jesus Christ in Person, as if we already had and held Him (Theodore Beza, The Christian Faith, 55).

We can also say that the reason why the sacraments, especially the Lord’s Supper, most clearly proclaims the Gospel, is that does so in the dramatic of ways. Our services are too often considered dull, boring, and overly “teachy” because we have neglected drama – God’s drama of the holy Supper. Thus the Supper is to be festive, not overly-didactic, joyful not somber, celebratory not a drudgery, especially in a day when many evangelical Christians are joining Rome and the Eastern Orthodox Church because of their multi-sensory worship. We Protestants tend to present Christianity either through  an overly rational presentation or via entertainment-based worship, neither of which sufficiently quench the spiritual thirst of most postmodern people. As well, because the Supper is to be enjoyed and celebrated, it is to be done so with a sense of holy mystery. As Calvin says,

Now, if anyone should ask me how this [Christ lifting believers up in the Supper to heaven to commune with him] takes place, I shall not be ashamed to confess that it is a secret too lofty for either my mind to comprehend or my words to declare. And, to speak more plainly, I rather experience than understand it (Institutes, 4.17.32).

So how do we ascend to heaven to partake of Christ? By the word and sacraments. Calvin says, “It is thus that the Holy Spirit condescends for our profit, and in accommodation to our infirmity, raising our thought to heavenly and divine things by these worldly elements” (Commentary on the Psalms, vol. 5, 150).

 

Historically Speaking, Weekly Communion is the Norm

Weekly communion follows the pattern of the most ancient churches. According to the Didache, a text written for Christian instruction probably between 60 and 80 A.D., we see instructions on how to perform communion, which was done every week, “On the Lord’s own day gather together and break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure” (ch. 14).

The early apologist, Justin Martyr, wrote his First Apology around 150 A.D. In this writing he describes the routine worship of the early Christian Church, which included the following elements: Scripture Lessons, Sermon, Prayer, Presentation of the Bread and Wine, Prayer, Distribution of the Bread and Wine, and an Offering.

He went on to describe the Lord’s Day worship service in second century Palestine in these words:

And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the presiding officer verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the presiding officer in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given…And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the presiding officer…(ch. 67).

In the late 4th century, St. Augustine speaks of the frequency of communion in his First Epistle to Januarius, saying,

Some communicate daily in the body and blood of the Lord; others receive it on certain days: in some places, not a day intervenes on which it is not offered; in others, it is offered only on the Sabbath and the Lord’s day: in others, on the Lord’s day only. But since, as we have said, the people were sometimes remiss, holy men urged them with severe rebukes, that they might not seem to connive at their sluggishness.

But the Medieval Church added the innovation of less-than-weekly communion. In fact, the Medieval Roman Church developed the non-Mass “prone” (Latin, pronaus) service with only preaching. Because of superstition it was administered eventually by Calvin’s day, only once a year, which Calvin called “an invention of the devil” (Institutes, 4.17.46). Infrequent communion is the innovation, not the practice of frequent communion. It is not “Roman Catholic” to have the Supper weekly but Christian and Reformed.

Weekly communion, then, was a reform that was left for us to institute where able. As Calvin said at the end of his life, “I have taken care to record publicly that our custom is defective, so that those who come after me may be able to correct it more freely and easily” (Cited in The Liturgy of the Church of Scotland, Part I: Calvin’s Liturgy, p. 6). Without the obstacles of the Genevan city council for Calvin or the obstacle of not having enough ministers for Knox in Scotland or the Reformed in the Netherlands, they would have instituted weekly communion and we would not have this debate today.

The people of God must learn, Calvin said in 1540, “the necessity of their frequent participation in the flesh and blood of the Lord as well as to its great benefits, which are received from this participation and mastication” ("The Form of Prayers and Manner of Ministering the Sacrament according to the Use of the Ancient Church," in Calvin’s Ecclesiastical Advice, p. 165). He went on to say, in opposition to Papist infrequent communion, “the Lord’s Table should have been spread at least once a week for the assembly of Christians, and the promises declared in it should feed us spiritually” (Institutes, 4.17.46).

There is a lengthy history in the Reformed tradition of advocacy of frequent communion. Some, such as the Puritan Thomas Goodwin, have argued that the Lord’s Supper is a continual ordinance, such as the preaching of the word and prayer, in which minimal requirements appear to be weekly rather than arbitrary, such as the quarterly, monthly, or bi-monthly celebrations of many Reformed churches (Thomas Goodwin, Works: Volume XI, pp. 388–409). And as Goodwin notes, since other continual ordinances such as preaching and prayer appear to be required during the church’s worship on the Lord’s Day and are characteristic of distinctly Christian worship, why is the Supper arbitrarily excluded from those things which characterize what is to transpire on the Lord’s Day when the church gathers?

 

The Holy Supper Shows Our Concern for the Needy

The Supper has always been the occasion for diaconal offerings throughout the history of the Church. We are moved to care for the poor and needy as the one body of Christ. Throughout the history of the Church the poor have been cared for by the benevolence offering after the Supper. As we see the one bread broken we are reminded that all of us must pool our resources to care for each other in our times of need.

 

The Holy Supper Shows Our Love for One Another

The Supper is also the way we grow together as the one body of Christ. As the Confession of Faith says, “In short, we are moved by the use of this holy sacrament to a fervent love of God and our neighbors” (Art. 35). As a joyful celebration we see each other come forward to receive the elements and partake together and we depart the service refreshed in grace and renewed in our love for each other.

As we can see, celebrating Communion every Lord’s Day is not only biblically, historically, and theologically sound, but of immense practical benefit to us; for, in Communion, the Holy Spirit feeds us with Christ, applying him to our souls in grace power. May we come to the Table with a hunger and thirst for righteousness. In doing so, the Lord will satisfy our hearts. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8).

____________________

URCNA Statement on Creation

Acts of Synod 2001, Articles 38, 43 (pp. 20–23)

 

Synod affirms that Scripture teaches, as summarized by the Creeds and the Three Forms of Unity:

The authority and perspicuity of Scripture (Belgic Confession V; Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day VII).

Necessity and sufficiency of Scripture (Belgic Confession VII; Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day VII).

God the Father almighty created the heavens and the earth and all things visible and invisible (Apostle’s and Nicene Creed).

The Father created the heavens and the earth out of nothing (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day IX).

God gave every creature its shape and being (Belgic Confession XII).

The creation and fall of man. “God made man of the dust of the earth; man gave ear to the devil.” (Belgic Confession XIV).

The historicity of Adam (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day VII.20; Canons of Dort III, IV.1).

Man was created good, in a garden, and tempted by the devil, committed reckless disobedience (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day III and IV).

God’s words to the serpent in Paradise are noted as the first revelation of the Gospel

(Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day VI).

Adam plunged himself and his offspring by his first transgression into perdition (Belgic Confession XVI).

Adam’s fall into sin and our connection to it (Canons of Dort I.1).

God came seeking man when he, trembling, fled from Him (Belgic Confession XVII).

God created all things good in six days defined as evenings and mornings (Genesis 1 & 2 and Exodus 20:11). This means that we reject any evolutionary teaching, including theistic evolution, concerning the origin of the earth and of all creatures (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day IX).

Synod affirms our commitment as churches to discipline those who teach anything that stands in conflict with the Bible, as summarized in the Creeds and the Three Forms of Unity.

Synod affirms our commitment as churches to the Church Order’s procedure in dealing with matters of discipline of those whose teaching stands in conflict with the Bible as summarized in the Creeds and the Three Forms of Unity.

 

Grounds:

1. The above is consistent with the basis of our federative unity, which we declare is in the Bible as summarized in the Three Forms of Unity. We have said together in the introduction of our church order:

We as a federation of churches declare complete subjection and obedience to the Word of God delivered to us in the inspired, infallible and inerrant book of Holy Scripture. We believe and are fully persuaded that the Reformed Creeds do fully agree with the Word of God and therefore do subscribe to the Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort. . . The churches of the federation, although distinct, voluntarily display their unity by a common confession and church order.

2. The Three Forms of Unity adequately contain the parameters within which the interpretation of Genesis 1 and 2 can responsibly take place.

3. The above will provide the context in which we are able to protect the churches from heresy and spur one another onto faithful and vigilant discipline in order to protect our confessional unity. There is no specific case before this synod in which someone has been charged with violating the Three Forms of Unity regarding matters put forward by any of the overtures.

4. This provides a brotherly way to address the concerns raised by the OCRC and to give pastoral response for the members of our own federation.

____________________

Statement on Paedo-Communion

Acts of Synod 2004, Article 51.I (pp. 20–21)

 

The confessions to which the URCNA subscribe (the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort) accurately summarize the teaching of scripture in, for example, 1 Cor 11.24–25; 28. Thus our confessions, in harmony with the scripture, require that the Lord’s Supper be administered only to those who have publicly professed their faith, in the presence of God and His holy church.

 

Grounds:

1. The validity of this statement

a. In the Three Forms of Unity (particularly the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism), we confess the purpose, participants, and manner of partaking of the Lord’s Supper in such a way as to make clear that a personal and understanding faith is a prerequisite for coming to the Table of the Lord (BC, Articles 33, 35; HC, Lord’s Days 25, 28, and 30).

b. For the purpose of consistorial supervision of the Lord’s supper the church order applies our confessions by stipulating that those who partake must first express their faith via a public profession Church Order 43–45).

2. The value of adopting this statement

a. A central point of debate over paedo-communion is whether the Confessions provide a definite standard on this issue.

b. Because this issue concerns the churches at large, it should be addressed by the collective wisdom of the federation’s broadest assembly.

c. The adoption of a statement clarifying this matter would uphold the Confessional basis for our Profession of Faith, thereby promoting unity in truth among the churches.

____________________

Statement on Justification (2004)

Acts of Synod 2004, Article 66.B (pp. 25–26)

 

1. Synod affirms that the Scriptures and confessions (Heidelberg Q/A 59–62; Belgic Confession articles 20–23) teach the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, based upon the active and passive obedience of Christ alone.

2. Synod declares that the sermon under consideration (The Lion Won’t Bite the Innocent) is unclear and confusing on the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone.

3. Synod advise the consistory of AAA to work pastorally with Rev. BBB to bring any divergent view that he may have on this issue into conformity with what Synod here affirms.

4. That this be Synod’s answer to the Mr. and Mrs. CCC’s appeal.

____________________

Statement on Justification (2007)

Acts of Synod 2007, Articles 90, 95

 

2. That Synod Schererville reaffirm the statement of Synod 2004 “that the Scriptures and confessions (Heidelberg Catechism Q/A 59–62; Belgic Confession articles 20–23) teach the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, based upon the active and passive obedience of Christ alone” (Acts of Synod 2004, Article 66). Adopted without dissent.

3. That Synod Schererville affirm that the Scriptures and confessions teach that faith is the sole instrument of our justification apart from all works (Heidelberg Catechism answer 61, “Not that I am acceptable to God on account of the worthiness of my faith, but because only the satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ is my righteousness before God; and I can receive the same and make it my own in no other way than by faith only.” Cf. Belgic Confession Articles 22, 24). Adopted without dissent.

4. That Synod Schererville remind and encourage individuals and churches that, if there are office-bearers suspected of deviating from or obscuring the doctrine of salvation as summarized in our confessions, they are obligated to follow the procedure prescribed in Church Order Articles 29, 52, 55, 61, and 62 for addressing theological error.

 

That Synod present the following statement to the churches as pastoral advice:

Synod affirms that the Scriptures and confessions teach the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone and that nothing that is taught under the rubric of covenant theology in our churches may contradict this fundamental doctrine. Therefore Synod rejects the errors of those:

who deny or modify the teaching that “God created man good and after His own image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness,” able to perform “the commandment of life” as the representative of mankind (HC 6, 9; BC 14);

who, in any way and for any reason, confuse the “commandment of life” given before the fall with the gospel announced after the fall (BC 14, 17, 18; HC 19, 21, 56, 60);

who confuse the ground and instrument of acceptance with God before the fall (obedience to the commandment of life) with the ground (Christ who kept the commandment of life) and instrument (faith in Christ) of acceptance with God after the fall;

who deny that Christ earned acceptance with God and that all His merits have been imputed to believers (BC 19, 20, 22, 26; HC 11-19, 21, 36-37, 60, 84; CD I.7, RE I.3, RE II.1);

who teach that a person can be historically, conditionally elect, regenerated, savingly united to Christ, justified, and adopted by virtue of participation in the outward administration of the covenant of grace but may lose these benefits through lack of covenantal faithfulness (CD, I, V);

who teach that all baptized persons are in the covenant of grace in precisely the same way such that there is no distinction between those who have only an outward relation to the covenant of grace by baptism and those who are united to Christ by grace alone through faith alone (HC 21, 60; BC 29);

who teach that Spirit-wrought sanctity, human works, or cooperation with grace is any part either of the ground of our righteousness before God or any part of faith, that is, the “instrument by which we embrace Christ, our righteousness” (BC 22-24; HC 21, 60, 86);

who define faith, in the act of justification, as being anything more than “leaning and resting on the sole obedience of Christ crucified” or “a certain knowledge” of and “a hearty trust” in Christ and His obedience and death for the elect (BC 23; HC 21);

who teach that there is a separate and final justification grounded partly upon righteousness or sanctity inherent in the Christian (HC 52; BC 37).