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Evangelicals in the Presbyterian Church (USA) are not alone
in their fight to maintain orthodoxy in theology and ordination standards,
assures Rev. Jim Heidinger, a leading spokesman for renewal in the United
Methodist Church. Every mainline Protestant denomination in the western world
has a committed core of believers who are working to preserve the church’s
historic teachings.
Heidinger spoke to nearly 200 members and supporters of the
Presbyterian Coalition at its annual breakfast during the General Assembly. He
shared positive results from the work of "Good News", his ministry and publisher
of its bi-monthly magazine for over 20 years.
He acknowledged that for years it seemed as if efforts to
bring positive renewal to the 10-million member United Methodist Church were
bearing little fruit. Facing an entrenched bureaucracy unresponsive to the voice
of the congregations, and a seminary establishment dominated by 20 th
century liberalism, the chances of preventing further moral and theological
decay of the church seemed dim. But in recent years, through patient grass roots
organizing and through the endowment of evangelical scholars to pursue doctoral
studies, Heidinger has noticed a significant shift. The 2000 General Conference
of the denomination (which only meets every four years) produced some major
policy shifts that have heartened those committed to orthodoxy.
The renewal movement in the mainline churches has spread its
arms to encompass those of the Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, American
Baptist, and other traditions as well as the Methodists. Heidinger has been
involved for many years with evangelicals of various denominations, including
several from the PC(USA), in a group called the Association for Church Renewal.
The ACR held its first-ever conference in October 2002; the major addresses of
that historic meeting are printed in a recent publication, Confessing the
Faith, by Reformation Press.
Heidinger closed his address to the Coalition by encouraging those who love
the Lord and His Word to be bold and courageous, and at the same time gracious
and loving. "We must contend for the faith without being contentious," he
exhorted.
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June, 2003, Newsletter back to Presbyterian Coalition home page
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