I am a bit embarrassed to admit that before reading The Pilgrim Church by Broadbent I had only a vague idea of what a Presbyterian is. What about you? Do you know what distinguishes a Presbyterian from a Baptist?
Presbyterianism arose during the Reformation. During that time, there were four main segments of Christendom: Catholics, Reformed (Calvinists), Lutherans, and various groups, called Baptists or Anabaptists, that believed in believer’s baptism. Presbyterians were part of the Reformed churches.
Presbyterianism started in Scotland in the sixteenth century, and Presbyterians were early settlers in America.
In terms of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation), Presbyterians follow the typical Calvinist TULIP position. For most Presbyterians, faith is more than simply being persuaded that the Lord Jesus gives everlasting life to all who simply believe in Him. They think that faith includes repentance, surrender, and commitment to obey. They see the inner witness of the Spirit––a supposed feeling––and the works that we do as the twin evidences that we believe. The ultimate proof of one’s faith is perseverance until death. That means, of course, that Presbyterians cannot be sure of their eternal destiny until they die and discover their fate.
For example, Dr. James Montgomery Boice, while pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, wrote a book called Christ’s Call to Discipleship (1986). In Chapter 9, titled, “Counting the Cost,” he wrote:
…the minimum amount a person must give is all. I say, “You must give it all. You cannot hold back even a fraction of a percentage of yourself. Every sin must be abandoned. Every false thought must be repudiated. You must be the Lord’s entirely” (p. 114).i
In terms of ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church), Presbyterians are an odd mix of elder rule in the local church and rule from outside the local church. The word Presbyterian comes from the Greek word presbyteroi, which means elders. Each Presbyterian church has two kinds of elders. Some of the elders are teaching elders and some are ruling elders.
The ruling elders are chosen by the local church. In that sense, the church is independent.
However, the teaching elders are ordained ministers who must be agreed upon by the Session, Presbytery, and congregation.
The local teaching and ruling elders are called the Session.
The regional governing body that oversees many churches in that region is called a Presbytery.
Even a Presbytery is not independent. It is, in turn, under the authority of Synods, which are bodies that govern multiple regions. The Synods are under the highest authority, the General Assembly.ii
While the local congregation approves the chosen teaching elders, it does not choose who is put before it for consideration. The Session and the Presbytery together choose a person. Whoever is chosen must be agreed upon by the Session and Presbytery.
In practice, it is not uncommon in Presbyterian churches for the Session and Presbytery to recommend a pastor for a local church and for the local church to rubber–stamp that appointment.
I tried, but was unable, to find statistics on how often congregations approve the pastors put forth to them. I think it is very high.
I have read about situations in which some members of the Session wanted to remove a pastor and contacted the Presbytery, with the result that the Presbytery agreed with them and convinced enough of the other elders to vote to remove the pastor. In such cases, not only was the congregation not consulted, but the action was initiated without any vote of the Session.
More conservative Presbyterian churches appoint only men as teaching elders (e.g., PCA, the Presbyterian Church in America). However, in the more liberal Presbyterian churches (e.g., PCUSA) women are appointed as well.iii
Ken Yates told me that when he pastored a Baptist church in Honey Grove, TX, the Presbyterian church there received a new pastor, a woman.
For those of us familiar with independent local churches, this structure may seem odd. Presbyterian churches are not autonomous.
While I recognize that the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 showed that the early church did occasionally have a large gathering of local churches to decide (or, agree) on a key issue, I do not see any evidence of a Presbyterian form of church government. Local churches are autonomous (e.g., 1 Tim 3:1-7; 5:17-19; Titus 1:5-9iv). I am glad that Presbyterian churches have both ruling and teaching elders. However, I am sorry that they are not chosen by the existing elder board, but instead by a mix of the congregation, the board, and the Presbytery.
Keep grace in focus.
i He accurately described the cost of discipleship. Unfortunately, Boice thought that Christ’s call to discipleship was His call to everlasting life. He merged justification and sanctification. So do most Presbyterians today.
ii The General Assembly decides things such who can be teaching elders. Can women? Homosexuals? Transsexuals?
iii The Presbyterian Church USA started ordaining women as ruling elders in the 1930s and started appointed women as teaching elders in 1965.
iv Timothy and Titus appointed elders in Ephesus and Crete, respectively. These were new churches that needed elders. Paul sent these men to appoint the initial elders and then to mentor them as well. Existing churches with existing elder boards do not face this issue. But new churches must decide upon how to select the initial elders. There are no apostolic delegates today. Most use congregational rule to select the initial elders and thereafter the elders themselves appoint new elders. In some cases, a pastor who plants a church selects the initial elder board.
