IPC Messenger A WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF THE INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Office 912-236-3346 | Fax 912- 236-3676 | E-Mail [email protected] | Website www. ipcsav.org VolumeVisible 18 • No 39 and Invisible OCTOBER 2018 Behind the anti-institutional under- youthful years in a denomination that IPC Messenger standing of the church that has become believed that it alone was the bride of commonplace today is an overblown Christ and it alone would participate CONTENTS doctrine of the invisibility of the church. in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Quite often, quite unwittingly the (Rev 19:6-10). Other Christians would 2 Safety and Security word “church” itself has been defined be in heaven, we were assured; they just 3 Moral Concerns differently by its users depending upon wouldn’t be a part of the Supper. Silly as 4 Savannah Care Center context. We may identify three such that sounds, it has not been uncommon uses. for ecclesiastical institutions to claim 5 Children’s Ministry 1. “We are going to church tomorrow,” that they alone are the true church and 6 Music Ministry means we are going to the church all others are illegitimate or apostate. Conversational Suppers Rather, the true church may be found building for a church service. 7 Family Corner wherever 1) the gospel is preached; 2) 2. “The true church is not limited to a the sacraments are rightly administered; 8 IPC Veterans Celebration denomination,” means true believers are and 3) ecclesiastical discipline is 8-9 IPC’s Greatest Generation found across all denominational lines. exercised. These are the three marks 10 Intern Corner 3. “We are joining Redeemer church,” that were identified at the time of the means we are uniting with a particular Reformation and found in various 11 Announcements congregation. confessional documents (e.g. Scots 12 Covenant Care Adoption Confession of 1560). The true church Hence, there is confusion. When the transcends denominational borders. Bible speaks of the church, what does it have in mind? The theologians have The doctrine of the church’s invisibility discerned two proper uses of the term also guards us from spiritual presumption. “church.” Use #1 above is probably most What spiritual presumption? The SUBSCRIBE! frequently utilized today, but nowhere spiritual presumption of those who to be found in the Bible. Uses 2 and 3 are unconverted, but because they are are biblical, leading to the distinction members of the visible church, think IPC eMessenger between the church “invisible” (#2) they are saved. Corrie Ten Boom of and the church “visible” (#3). This The Hiding Place fame cited her father’s distinction on the one hand is vital, and wisdom in saying, “Just because a on the other hand is misleading. mouse is in the cookie jar doesn’t make it a cookie.” Better yet is the Apostle Invisibility Paul’s warning, “Not all Israel is Israel” Understanding that the true church (Rom 9:6). There is an Israel within is invisible and cannot be limited Israel, a true church within the visible to a particular time or a particular church (see Rom 9:4-11). A true believer place guards us from a destructive is a believer “inwardly,” not merely by factionalism. I spent some of my outward association, “a matter of the Continued Page 2 ISIBLE AND NVISIBLE V I from page 1 heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter” (Rom 2:29). The church Safety and in this world contains both wheat and tares, as Jesus warned, both believer and unbeliever (Mt 13:24-30). Membership in the visible church guarantees nothing. One must also be a member Security at I.P.C. of the church within the church, the church that is invisible in this world. n light of recent events, the officers of our church have been reviewing the safety and security of our Visibility Icongregation when we meet to worship and to Important as the doctrine of the invisibility of the church is, it participate in the different programs that are offered for can be misleading. How so? Because nearly every reference to our members. The following is an update on actions the “church” in the New Testament is to actual congregations. In taken to help us ensure the safety and security of our the book of Acts the word ecclesia appears 19 times, all of which members and our children as we participate in the are references to the visible church. The church fears (Acts 5:11), various programs of the ministry of the church. is persecuted (Acts 8:1, 3; 12:1), prays (Acts 12:5), gathers (Acts 14:27), sends missionaries (Acts 15:3), welcomes guests (Acts Child Protection Committee 15:4), chooses messengers (Acts 15:22), is strengthened (Acts In April 2018 the Session formed a “Child Protection 15:41; 16:5), greets (Acts 18:22), has elders (Acts 14:23; 20:17) Committee” to study ways to ensure the safety of who oversee and care for it (Acts 20:28)1. It has specific locations our children from would-be predators. The Session such as Jerusalem (Acts 8:1; 11:22); Judea, Galilee, Samaria in September approved a Child Protection Policy for (Acts 9:31), and Antioch (Acts 11:26; 13:1). implementation in our nursery, children, and student The Apostle Paul addresses his epistles to “the church in ministries. We also investigated the most effective Corinth” (Acts 1; Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1). He refers to “the church way for training and screening the large number of at Cenchreae” and the church in their house (Rom 16:1, 5; Col volunteers who work with our youth and children’s 14:15; Phil 2), “the churches of Asia” (1 Cor 16:19), “the church ministry. The Session approved a subscription to the of the Laodiceans (Col 4:16) and the churches of Galitia (1 organization Protect My Ministry which will provide Cor 16:1), Asia (Acts 16:19), Macedonia (2 Cor 8:1). He refers online training in child abuse prevention for employees to what is taught in “every church” (1 Cor 4:17; cf 5:4; 7:17; and volunteers. 14:33, 34) and to “the churches of God” (1 Cor 11:16; cf 11:22), Windows and even what is done “in church” (1 Cor 14:35). The ascended The Session approved installing windows in office and Christ speaks to the “church in Ephesus” and “in Smyrna,” and classroom doors throughout our facility. These windows “in Pergamum,” and “in Thyatira,” and “in Sardis” and “in help eliminate a level of privacy which make possible Philadelphia,” and “in Laodicea” (Rev 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). either foul play or false accusations. Churches are said to gather (1 Cor 14:23) and may be “built up” (1 Cor 14:4, 5, 12, 19). Get the point? The “church” is actual Safety awareness presentation congregations made up of actual people in actual places. On August 22, 2018, various I.P.C. officers, staff It is easy to be committed to an invisible church made up of and members of the “I.P.C. Safety Team” attended a invisible people. This invisible commitment exposes the flaw in presentation by James Hamilton about safety awareness the claim to be committed to the big “C” Church, the universal at churches. James is a former FBI agent that now and invisible church, while being unattached to any local and works for Gavin de Becker & Associates, a national visible church. A commitment to the “Church” is a commitment private security firm. The purpose of this meeting was to an abstraction, an idea. It requires nothing in particular of to educate us on how we can better ensure that I.P.C. me. It allows me in the name of the “Church” to form my members, children, staff and visitors are able to worship own fellowship group made up of people who look and think in a safe environment. Many of the suggestions remarkably like me or avoid fellowship with any group at all. provided by James are things already in place at I.P.C. In the meantime, I avoid all the headache, all the heartache, (off-duty officer at services; organizing a separate all the trials and challenges of an actual congregation made up “safety team,” etc.). However, James also gave us some of a diversity of people, from a diversity of backgrounds and additional ideas to consider as well as suggestions on experiences, and having a diversity of ages. This surely is not handling different crisis situations. The overall goal is what Jesus had in mind. for I.P.C. to strike the proper balance between enacting appropriate safety measures and providing a welcoming place to worship for people from all walks of life. —TLJ These active steps are being taken to both address the past and prevent incidents in the future. 1 See also Romans 16:16, 23; 1 Corinthians 7:17, 10:32, 11:18, 22; 12:28; 14:28; 15:9: 16:1; 2 Corinthians 2:18, 19. PAGE 2 OCTOBER 2018 IPC A little something from the Operation Christmas Child Stewardship Committee There are several ways to participate with Operation Christmas Child this year: (1) Provide a shoebox that you put together and This year Stewardship Sunday is bring $9 with your filled box to the church office; (2) If you do October 21. We will have a brief not have a box, let Patty Brodmann know—$10 includes a box “Stewardship Minute” on October 14 and postage; and (3) A new way to participate is to purchase a Ready-Made (prefilled) box for $25.