2015 - Three Signs of the Spirit Driven Church

The year 2014 was filled with many challenges that through the Holy Spirit we were able to weather through.

Our churches threw off the government yoke of 501 (c)3 slavery and ended any and all incorporation.  This caused a name change where the Synod voted unanimously through congregations to adopt the name Puritan Church in America.  

This caused an immediate reaction from the state boards of incorporation but a review by the 5th US District Court immediately put any questions of our legal standing as a Free Church to rest.

We faced in June the influx of Episcopalian, Lutheran, and Presbyterian congregations joining our fellowships.  Our church numbers grew from 27 to over 60.  While joyous and a cause for celebration in the Spirit, we found quickly that unresolved issues in those fellowships spilled into all.  Quickly the Synod acted to firmly establish order and discipline in all congregations.

It is with much thanksgiving, prayer, and humility that we thank Almighty God for the blessings of the past year.  It is with the same we look to 2015.  We wish to exhibit these three signs of a Spirit Driven Church.

One, care for the widow and orphans.  The first fruits of all collections whether monetary or material belong to the widow and orphan.  Each congregation is to care for those within the congregation and those outside in the community.  This is a scriptural command we are bound to follow.  2015 shall be the year we in the Synod firmly ask that each congregation does so.

Two, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting the sick and imprisoned.  This again is a scriptural warrant that each congregation is bound in obedience to.  As the light of the world we are to show mercy that those who see imitate our example and give glory to God.

Three, stepping outside the church and into the world.  We are all individually the church, and the church is not now nor has it ever been buildings.  The church is the bride of Christ and not an institution.  As such we are called to a public proclamation of Christ in the greater community.  It is the hope all congregations will develop and implement a public ministry program.  Whether street preaching, sponsoring public improvement projects, or hosting an event at a public park it is the call of each and every Christian to be the public face of faith in Jesus Christ.

Our focus should never be purpose but the Spirit.  Our purpose is very clear - give glory to God in all we do.  By focusing on the Spirit we live our purpose with support from God and understand that what we do to the least we do to Jesus Christ.

Our Missionary Bishop In Nagoya, Japan

This is our missionary bishop in Nagoya, Japan, Rev. Daniel Rea and his wife Itsuko.  If you could possibly go to their church website Christian Church of Japan and in the "Contact Form" ask how you can help them start a homeless day center in Nagoya, Japan it would help many needing people.

Thank you and God bless you.

Bishop Daniel Rea and Wife Itsuko

Our Bishop in Nagoya, Japan and his wife have been featured in a Japanese travel magazine Japan Visitor and on their blog as well.  They work with the homeless and minister to them.

From the article:

Over the coming year, JapanVisitor will be following the work of the Rev. Daniel Rea in Nagoya, an American Puritan, experienced and committed to finding practical solutions to the homelessness problem in Nagoya, after his previous work with the disadvantaged in Houston, Texas.

Rev. Daniel Rea has produced a comprehensive plan for a homeless day care center in Nagoya with costings and a needs analysis of the current homelessness problems of the city.

The full article can be read here: Homeless Problem in Nagoya

A follow up article has also been added about Bishop Rea and his wife, Itsuko ministering to the homeless at Meijo Park in Nagoya.

The efforts of Rev. Daniel Rea to address the homeless population in Nagoya, Japan's 4th largest city, include an out-reach to other churches active in the area addressing this pressing social problem, in an effort to co-ordinate a united policy for tackling the issue.

Full article here: Homeless in Meijo Park

Please keep Bishop Daniel Rea and his wife, Itsuko, in your prayers.

Geneva and King James Bibles Still Approved For Public Worship

Approved by a majority of congregations, clergy, and the USA Synod. 
Full and Final Draft October 8, 2014
All fellowships and ministers notified

As Puritans we never used the Authorized King James (AKJV) of 1609 or 1611 until 1875 when a choice was given in public worship between the Geneva and AKJV.  The Bible every Puritan family had in their home was not the KJV of 1609 or 1611. The Bible which they carried was the Geneva Bible. The Geneva Bible was the most widely read and influential English Bible of the l6th and 17th centuries, which was printed from 1560 to 1644 in over 200 different printings. As a product of superior translation by the best Protestant scholars of its day, it became the Bible of choice for many of the greatest writers, thinkers and historical figures of its day. 

Puritans John Bunyan and John Milton used the Geneva Bible, which is reflected in their writings. During the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell issued a pamphlet containing excerpts from the Geneva Bible to his troops. The Geneva Bible was even brought with the Pilgrims when they set sail on the Mayflower and was the generally accepted text among the Puritans. William Bradford cited it in his book Of Plymouth Plantation. 

This tradition carried into the Congregational Churches and into the Church of Christ as well.  Although the Presbyterian Congregations began to use the AKJV it was not until 1928 that the Church of Christ turned to the AKJV from the Geneva.  Many of the Congregational Churches turned to the Living Bible in 1975.  Today Puritans still use the Geneva and AKJV and some congregations have begun to use the Living Bible and New International Version.

Now that we have formed a congregation from the Puritan, Congregational, Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Anglican, and Presbyterian churches that have split with their former denominations for various reasons, and circumstances dictate we must face a reality that in public worship we must have consistency for the benefit of our congregations.  We simply cannot have congregations using which ever translation happens to turn up.  It is causing confusion among our flocks and this is not good.

Since May 2011, when we first began uniting for a joint communion we have discussed what translation would best for unity in our congregations.  The The translations still approved for public worship in the Puritan Church in America, effective October 19, 2014 is the Geneva and Authorized King James versions.   In the home, of course, the faithful are free to use whatever translation they please, but in public worship the Geneva and AKJV shall be used.  The benefit is that the majority of churches use these two translations.  Both translations are widely available and are inexpensive for those who do not already own a copy of either Bible.

Our synod for the last three years has been looking at alternative translations that were more "modern" and have the latest "scriptural scholarship and knowledge".  In almost every case we were disappointed at the rewriting of God's word or the absolute acceptance of heresy in these "translations".  What we found is that the Geneva and AKJV still both possess the finest scriptural scholarship.  

An option was the Living Bible (LB) or New International Version (NIV).  In the preface of the LB and NIV we read that one goal of the editors was to "produce in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the message expressed by the original-language text—both in meaning and in style," But when we examined the version it seems that there was no real attempt by the LB editors to reproduce the style of the original, or even the meaning of the text beyond a very basic and simplified level.  The NIV editors wanted a translation that was gender neutral and one that "was non judging and presents Christian faith as a tolerant faith".  Rather, it appears that the main idea was simply to make the version easy to read at all costs. It should be understood that the "dynamic equivalence" approach to translation does not in itself require such a reductionistic treatment of the text. The simplifications are a consequence of the self-imposed need to dramatize biblical stories and render a genderless reading.  What was accomplished was a rewriting of scripture in both LB and NIV that a true Christian congregation would refuse.

In May of 2012 we began to reach out to scriptural scholars from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Georgetown , and the Presbyterian Reformed Seminary in Baltimore.  The scholars looked at the NIV and found too many theological errors.  The next was the NKJV and again there were errors of theology and also problematic translating that reduced Divine Revelation as dreams and not communication with the one true God.  The next translation looked at was the New American Bible.

The New American Bible (NAB) contains all 73 books as the original Geneva that Puritans use.  In fact new scholarship has improved the rendering of Tobit and 1 and 2 Maccabees better than the Geneva.  The NAB was translated from original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts, the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls for the NT and OT, with some influence from the Vulgate in the Apocrypha. What the final product renders is a translation that holds true to the theology and to the intent of the Hebrew, Koine Greek, and Aramaic.

While The New American Bible is a great translation, it is still a Roman Catholic Bible and the in line notations and the footnotes show this.  The publisher is not willing to remove the Catholic constitutional pages or the Papal approval for printing for a Protestant client.  As Puritans we simply cannot use a Bible that promotes Catholic doctrine and Papal authority in a Bible for use in our public worship.

With all of the above the Puritan Church in America shall continue to use the Geneva and / or the Authorized King James translations in public worship.  While the apocryphal books may be used in teaching, it is not necessary to have a Geneva edition with the books in it.  As Protestants we are free to dismiss these books as non inspired by God. We ask our overseas affiliates to use either the Geneva or AKJV as well.

Understand, at our homes we are free to use any translation that promotes ease of understanding and reading.  For our public worship we shall use the Geneva and King James translations.

USA Synod
Plymouth, MA

Christmas and Easter Directive

As our Anglican, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Methodist members have settled into our Puritan traditions after splitting from their former denominations for various reasons, we now will begin the Christmas and Easter directives in the US Puritan Church and in our Puritan affiliates over seas.

Protestants have not always celebrated Christmas and Easter. 

Separating themselves from the Roman Catholic Church practices, Protestant Reformation leaders were generally critical of the existing “feast and saint days” of the Roman Catholic Church. For good reason, they are unscriptural and of pagan origin.
 
The celebration of Christmas became a point of contention among many Protestants. Reformation leader Martin Luther permitted the continuation of certain Catholic feast days, including Christmas. Henry VIII allowed Christmas to be kept in the Anglican calendar.  Other reformers, including John Calvin and John Knox, preferred to worship only where specifically commanded in the Bible.

It was only in the 19th century with the beginning of the "Ecumenical Movement" that Protestants outside the Lutheran and Anglican traditions began to allow Christmas celebrations.

As Puritans it is important that we hold strictly to the scriptures and to Christian traditions.  We are not to hold to the traditions and celebrations of pagans.  Our Savior was clear in this:

So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

“‘This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me;  in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Matthew 15: 6-9

Note that  in the first two centuries of New England, and then the USA most people did not celebrate Christmas.  Strange as this may sound, Protestant Christians outside Lutherans and Anglicans in New England (Pilgrims/Puritans, Congregationalists, Quakers, Baptists, Methodists, Reformed Episcopals, and Presbyterians) did not celebrate Christmas.  In fact, it was actually illegal to celebrate Christmas in Massachusetts between 1659 and 1681.  Even after the American Revolution, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution.

Christmas did not become a US national holiday until after the Civil War by then President Grant's declaration in 1870 and then approved by congress the following year.

Christmas and Easter are not Christian holidays and they are not to be celebrated in Puritan churches.

Christmas has never been celebrated in the Puritan Church for four reasons.

First, Puritans do not believe that Jesus was born in either December or January. The Bible does not give a specific date. Luke 2:8-11:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people^.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Facts point to Jesus’ birth at approximately the beginning of  May when shepherds with their flocks would begin to spend the night in the fields. The countryside around Bethlehem experiences the coldest weather during the months of December and January. Hence, to keep them warm at night, flocks are herded into protective shelters.

A second reason: The only event Jesus specifically instructed his followers to commemorate was his death, not his birth, and this was to be done as a simple communion meal. (Luke 22:19, 20) Note, too, that the Gospels of Mark and John are silent about Jesus’ birth.

 A third reason: There is no historical evidence that the early Christians celebrated the birth of the Christ. But they did memorialize his death. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) It was not until more than 300 years after Jesus’ birth that Christendom officially began to observe Christmas on December 25.  Our Puritan ancestors had an act of parliament passed that banned Christmas celebrations in England. In the United States, the Massachusetts General Court did the same, “There is no biblical or historical reason to place the birth of Jesus on December 25.  Christmas was nothing but a pagan festival covered with a Christian veneer.”

That brings us to a fourth reason: The unsavory origin of the celebration itself. The roots of Christmas can be traced back to pagan Rome with its mixture of festivals for honoring the agricultural god Saturn and the sun god Sol Invictus, or Mithra.  As noted by Puritan bishop Cotton Mather, “Like many pre-Christian customs and beliefs, the old feast commemorating the yearly return of the sun was rededicated to the birth of Christ.”

In view of the foregoing, can you see why Puritans refuse to celebrate Christmas?

A word now on Easter.

Luther at first was apprehensive about allowing Easter to be celebrated.  He had strong personal feelings against Easter because of its pagan and also occult roots.  In the end he relented to the demand of German congregations wishing to "have something to enjoy for all the labors of the past year and feast on the bounty of our hard labors." Apology of the Augsburg Confession

Henry VIII issued a royal warrant making Easter an Anglican celebration in 1534 in the Act of Supremacy which split Anglicans from the Roman Catholic Church and formed the Church of England with the Crown of England as the "Defender of the Faith and head of the Church".

Easter, like Christmas, was not a Protestant celebration until well after the dawn of the 19th century.  Easter was adopted by Methodists in 1847 in order to "Become more conformed to other denominations" Methodist Book of Order  Presbyterians in 1866 to "Thank almighty God for the victory of the Union." Book of Worship  By the Convention of American Baptists in 1870 for the same reason.

The celebration of Easter is not based on the Bible. If you look into its history, though, you will see the true meaning of Easter—it is a tradition based on ancient fertility rites. Consider the following.

1. Name: The Westminster Religion Encyclopedia says: “The English name Easter is of Druid origin; the Anglo-Saxon priest Venerable Bede in the 8th century derived it from the Anglo-Saxon spring goddess Eostre.” Others link it to Astarte, the Phoenician fertility goddess who had the Babylonian counterpart Ishtar.
2. Hares, rabbits: These are symbols of fertility “handed down from the ancient ceremonial and symbolism of European and Middle Eastern pagan spring festivals.”— Catholic Encyclopedia of Symbols.
3. Eggs: According to The Oxford Dictionary of Religion, the hunt for Easter eggs, supposedly brought by the Easter rabbit, “is not mere child’s play, but the vestige of a fertility rite.” Some cultures believed that the decorated Easter egg “could magically bring happiness, prosperity, health, and protection.”—Traditional Festivals.
4. New Easter outfit: “It was considered discourteous and therefore bad luck to greet the Scandinavian goddess of Spring, or Eastre, in anything but fresh garb.”— The Book Nordic Practices.
5. Sunrise services: These have been linked to rites of ancient sun worshippers “performed at the vernal equinox welcoming the sun and its great power to bring new life to all growing things.”
   
   
   
   
   There is no doubt that the Church in its early days adopted the old pagan customs and gave a Christian meaning to them. Cotton Mather
   The Bible warns against worshipping God by following traditions or customs that displease him. (Mark 7:6-8) Second Corinthians 6:17 states:
   Separate yourselves,’ says the Lord, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing. 
   
   Today, Independent Baptists, Reformed Presbyterian General Assembly, Free Reformed Churches in America, and the Church of Christ still refuse Christmas and Easter celebrations in their churches.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

US Synod Supports Scottish Independence

 

In support of our Reformed Presbyterian brethren in Scotland the US Synod of the Puritan Church in America supports a vote in favor of Scottish Independence at the Referendum on Scottish Independence on 18 September this year.

It is very clear that the British government has drifted too far from the teachings of Christ.  The Anglican Church openly marries homosexuals, ordains homosexuals, and has now consecrated homosexuals as bishops.  This heresy has shown that the Anglican Church is far more concerned with political points than with teaching the gospels of Christ.

The British government has cut in half support for families with children, including day care benefits for working families.  While London says it because of funding shortages the defence budget has increased five fold over the last decade.  This year the defence budget stands at $60 billion.  This simply shows London is more concerned with funding a war machine where there is no threat rather than helping British families in need.

The British government simply is not leading with justice but rather is committing all of Britain to increased poverty and over whelming debt.  The people of Britain deserve better and deserve a government that leads by Christian principles and morals.

For these reasons the Puritan Church in America supports our Reformed Presbyterian Church brethren in their endeavor for a free and independent Scotland.

Ministerial Requirements

As approved by the USA Synod and sent to our fellowship abroad.  A statement on ministerial requirements.

As Puritans we have avoided demanding our ministers be graduates of secular or accredited schools.  We wish to affirm this position and to offer an explanation why.

All too often, humble and anointed Christian ministers get beat up by fellow Christians and secular society telling them they are unqualified to teach the Bible. Without a seminary degree, they are told, a person is insufficiently trained to handle the Word of God. But we must ask now as Puritans always have, "Since when do accredited universities and theological seminaries determine who should preach and teach God's Word?" Actually, the Bible gives precise and complete ministry qualifications which should be sufficient for anyone who is called to the ministry. Paul tells us to "beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8).

Certainly, there is nothing wrong with a ministry degree, or with an education but if the purpose of the degree is to get the praise of men or add a title to your name, then we must ask about motivation. "Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away" (Job 32:21-22). 

As Puritans we founded America's first university, Harvard.  This wonderful university was taken over by the Anglicans and now look at the secular trash taught at this once great school of Christian faith and service.  This is why our Puritan schools have always and now reject accreditation.  

Jesus instructed his disciples not to be like the Pharisees who loved the best seats in the synagogues and took on titles such as "Rabbi", "Father", and "Master" (Matthew 23:1-12). Jesus taught by example that greatness in the Kingdom of God is based upon servant hood.

Seminaries today that are accredited are required to:

• Hire non-Christians
• Hire homosexuals
• Include in their curriculum Darwinian theory, secular classes such as psychology and sociology, and secular humanistic philosophy
• Hire only government accrediting agency approved educators and administrators

We simply refuse all this.  It is contrary to our faith and the Word of God.  We shall continue to educate our ministers at our seminaries.  While the degree received is not "accredited" it does show our candidates meet the Gospel standards of ministry.

• They are called by the Holy Spirit
• They have moral disposition
• Honor their father and mother
• Are good husbands and fathers
• Control their household and children
• They have the faith
• They have a solid foundation of the scriptures
• They have obedience to God and clerical authority
• They are a Christian for at least three years before application
• They believe sound doctrine
• They are not alcoholics or drug addicts
• They are heterosexual
• They are not sexual deviants
• They are righteous in Christ
• They are not violent, given to rage, or covetous
• They have been approved by our vocation committee and ministerial board

 Like the apostles of the New Testament, Puritan ministers are diligent students of the Word and have an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Each day we are learning more what Paul meant when he said, "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (II Timothy 2:4).

We uphold the standards of Christ above those of secular society and men.  We call upon all our bishops in the USA and abroad to form a seminary in their region as soon as is practical to do so.

Bishop Peter Morimoto, President USA Synod

Bishop Peter Morimoto