The Calling of Women In Ministry
The Calling of Women in Ministry By Mark Mitchell Late in the summer of 1997 two very prominent and powerful women passed away: Princess Diana and Mother Teresa. These two women, who were acquainted with each other, had common humanitarian concerns, but they were two very different people. One was taken in the prime of…
Read MoreWater Baptism
Water Baptism By Mark Mitchell WHAT IT MEANS Jesus gave two symbolic rites to His Church to follow: the Lord’s Supper and water baptism. These were commanded to be carried out in order to be reminded of certain realities of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Both of these are outward symbols of inward realities. The…
Read MoreSame-Sex Marriage
Same-Sex Marriage The Supreme Court recently issued a decision to impose a same-sex marriage mandate on all fifty states. The Court held that the Equal Protection Clause requires a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and to recognize a same-sex marriage entered into lawfully in another state. The decision…
Read MorePremarital Preparation
Premarital Preparation The Board of Elders Deciding on a life partner is a serious matter, and the Elders and pastors at CPC feel responsible to help couples prepare on every level for the commitments before them. Due to the increase in divorce in our society (no less, the church!) and the breakdown of the family…
Read MoreMinistry of Elders
Ministry of Elders Biblical Leadership Throughout the history of the church, there have been various ways churches have been governed. Episcopal governance is a form of church government in which the chief authority over a local church rests in a Bishop. The Bishop is distinct and superior to the priest or rector. The bishop ordains and…
Read MoreMinistry of Deacons
Ministry of Deacons The Scriptures teach there are two offices in the local church, the office of elder and the office of deacon. In Acts 6:1-7 the apostles made a distinction between their ministry, which was to be focused on prayer and the word, and the ministry of another group who was to be in…
Read MoreDivorce and Remarriage
Divorce and Remarriage By Mark Mitchell As I address the issue of divorce and remarriage, I won’t bore you with depressing statistics about the divorce rate in our country. I don’t have to tell you that the divorce rate among Christians isn’t all that different. When we bring up the issue of divorce, we are…
Read MoreAre We A Charismatic Church? Part 2
Are We a Charismatic Church? Part 2: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit By Mark Mitchell The question of if we are a charismatic church also leads us to the subject of spiritual gifts. The believer first receives the “gift” or “baptism” of the Spirit at the start of his new life in Christ, but…
Read MoreAre We A Charismatic Church? Part 1
Are We A Charismatic Church? Part 1: The Baptism of the Holy Spirit By Mark Mitchell It is not unusual for newcomers to CPC to ask, “Are you a charismatic church?” We are not always sure how to answer that question. We are usually quite certain that they are not using this term as it…
Read MoreBaby Dedication
Baby Dedication By Mark Mitchell I remember well the day each of my three children was born. Though each was different, the emotions were the same. There was relief that my wife, Lynn, had survived labor. There was joy and gratitude for a healthy child. There was a sense of awe over the miracle of…
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