Puritan Church In America Response To Supreme Court Ruling

As Christians, we are committed to Biblical faith and ethics. Puritans stand on the authority of Christ and God's Truth in Scripture as central to our lives.

What the Bible says about marriage is clear, definitive and unchanging. We affirm biblical, traditional, natural marriage as the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The Scriptures' teaching on marriage is not negotiable. We stake our lives upon the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Consequently, we will not accept, nor adhere to, any legal redefinition of marriage issued by any political or judicial body of any secular nation or court. We will not recognize same-sex "marriages", our churches will not host same-sex ceremonies, and we will not perform such ceremonies. 

While we affirm our love for all people, including those struggling with same-sex attraction, we cannot and will not affirm the moral acceptability of homosexual behavior or any behavior that deviates from God's design for marriage. We also believe religious freedom is at stake within this critical issue – that our first duty is to love and obey God, not man.

Therefore, we strongly encourage all Christian pastors, leaders, educators, and churches to openly reject any mandated legal definition of marriage and to use their influence to affirm God's design for life and relationships. 

We join together with those all over the world who define marriage as between one man and one woman for life.

Bishop Candidates For Presbytery of San Francisco

Rev Charles Winston

Born in Souix City, Iowa and graduated from Sioux City High School.  Graduated from Hyles-Anderson College.  Graduated from Manchester Puritan Seminary (Manchester, Iowa) and ordained Puritan Minister in 1991.  STD from Cromwell Puritan Graduate Seminary, 1998.

Pastor Dubuque Bible Church, Dubuque, IA 1993-1996
Pastor Gardenview Fellowship, Kansas City, MO, 1996-2000
Pastor Kansas City Bible Church, Kansas City, MO, 2000-

Mission work performed in Mexico and The Philippines.

Rev. Jaime Saltillo

Born in Los Angeles, CA and graduated from Roosevelt High School.  Graduated from Southern California Bible Institute.  Graduated from Western Puritan Seminary and ordained Puritan Minister in 1997. 

Pastor Los Angeles Union Gospel Mission, Los Angeles, CA 1997-2007
Pastor Happy Hollow Bible Church, Orange County, CA 2007-2014
Pastor Barstow Downtown Bible Fellowship, Barstow, CA 2014-

Mission work performed in Guatemala, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Antigua.

Duan Liang

Born in Kingman, AZ.  Graduated from Wilson High School in Flagstaff, AZ.  Graduated from Christ For The Nations (Dallas, TX) and ordained a Puritan Minister in 1989.

Pastor Royal Lane Congregational Church, Dallas, TX 1989-2000
Pastor Glendale Chinese Bible Fellowship, Glendale, CA 2000-2009
Pastor Los Angeles Chinese Fellowship, Los Angeles, CA 2009-
Director of Orange County Gospel Mission, 2012-

Mission work in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong

Retirement of Bishop Peter Morimoto - US Synod President

US Synod President - Bishop Morimoto

June 21, 2015

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It is with heart filled with gratitude and some sadness that I tell you I shall retire as Bishop of the San Francisco Presbytery on July 12, 2015.  I shall also resign as US Synod President after the Puritan Church Convocation on July 11.

My decision to retire was not an easy one, because I love you.

I am eternally grateful to God for allowing me the wonderful opportunity to be with you these past years. My time as bishop has been filled with the splendor and joy of knowing and serving you.  I am also grateful for the 35 years I have been a minister in the Puritan Church. I look with joy as being pastor of Alameda Christian Fellowship in Alameda, CA from July 15.

Thank you Lord, for allowing me to serve you and your people as Bishop of the San Francisco Presbytery. Thank you for giving me the grace to be US Synod President. It has been a blessing that only you through God could grant. I am so grateful that you selected me to be your instrument of grace. You have been so generous with your grace in so many moments of my life. I trust and pray that I have served your beloved people with the love you and they have shown me constantly since the first moment of my arrival as a minister.

I ask that you pray for the candidates that have been selected to replace me as the Bishop of the Presbytery of San Francisco.  May we be guided by the Holy Spirit.

In Christ's love, His unworthy servant,

Rev. Peter Morimoto

US Synod President

Bishop, Presbytery of San Francisco 

Candidates for Bishop of the Presbytery of San Francisco 

Rev. Charles Winston, Kansas City, MO

 

Rev. Jaime Saltillo, Barstow, CA

Rev. Duan Liang, Los Angeles, CA

2015 Convocation

The 2015 Convocation of the Puritan Church in America is scheduled for July 8-11 in Boston,MA.

The Convocation shall be held at the Boston Plaza Hotel.

We will cover the following:

Electing a new bishop for the Presbytery of San Francisco, CA following the retirement of Bishop Peter Morimoto on July 15.

Electing a new USA Synod President following Bishop Morimoto's retirement.

Addressing the anthropocentric global warming issue.

Politics and the church.

Homosexual marriage.

Statement on Israel.

We ask that all pastors arrange to attend and that all member representatives of churches attend as all measures will require voting to adopt.

2015 Directory

Use the Contact Form on the sidebar to the right to enquire more information for Puritan Church in America church and fellowship locations.  

Many of our churches are home churches, some meet in hotels or the congregation has had a building constructed. Some are very old churches.  There is no "typical" Puritan congregation.  Some have split from their denominations for various reasons and come to our call to be autonomous fellowships.  

A few simply wish to share unity with Puritans as a fellowship of believers where we welcome them and they welcome us.  All share the Puritan desire to give glory to God in all we do.

USA Presbyteries

 

Plymouth Presbytery (yellow)
Bishop Rev. James Hill

Houston Presbytery (striped)
Bishop Rev. Paul Duff 

San Francisco Presbytery (maroon)
Bishop Rev. Peter Morimoto

Mission Presbyteries

Japan Presbytery
Bishop Rev. Daniel Rea

Hong Kong Presbytery
Bishop Rev. Paul Wong

UK Presbytery
Bishop Rev. Peter Masters

Australia - New Zealand Presbytery
Melbourne, Australia
Christ Church, New Zealand
Bishop Rev. Paul Warneke


Churches in full communion

Free Reformed Churches of North America

Independent Baptist Church

Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly

Reformed Presbyterian Church North America

Church of Christ (Free Churches)

Traditional Church of Christ


 

Statement On Idols, Images, and Ancestors

As there have been many converts from Buddhism, Hinduism, and other faiths over the years we feel it is necessary to make the following statement.

It is a tradition in Buddhist, Shinto, and Hindu homes to have an altar with incense, candles, and statues.  These home altars are used to offer daily food and drink to ancestors.  This practice must stop in Christian homes.  Once one has accepted Christ as Savior then all associated Pagan traditions are to end.

Some have had images or shrines in their home for years after converting to Christianity.  People may see these as merely cultural items, or they may even feel attached to some of these items. But God is the one who says how He should be worshipped, and the Bible teaches that He does not want us to use images. (Read Exodus 20:4, 5; Psalm 115:4-8; Isaiah 42:8; 1 John 5:21) 

So you can take a stand for true worship by destroying any items you own that are connected with false worship. By all means, come to view them as Christ does—as something “detestable.”—Deuteronomy 27:15.

Ancestor worship also is common in many false  religions. Before learning Bible truth, some believed that the dead are conscious in an invisible realm and that they can help or harm the living. Perhaps you used to go to great lengths to appease your dead ancestors. The Pagan dead are in Hell and have no conscious existence anywhere. Thus, attempts to communicate with them are of no use. Any messages that seem to come from a dead loved one really originate with the demons. Therefore, God forbade the Israelites to try to talk with the dead or to participate in any other form of spiritism.—Read Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

If the use of images or the practice of ancestor worship was part of your former way of worship, what can you do? Read and ponder over Bible passages that show you how God views these things. Pray to Jehovah daily about your desire to take a stand for true worship, and ask him to help you to think as he does.—Isaiah 55:9.

As the Apostle Paul urges in Romans 12:1:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

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.