We live in an encouraging day. Please allow me to share my dream for Heritage. We formed 15+ years ago as we (with GA approval) spun off from Delmarva Presbytery, PCA. We wanted to be more geographically compact. Our goal was to have a more effective ministry of Presbytery, more focus upon essentials like church planting, ministerial accountability, fellowship among pastors, etc. Dr. Bob Auffarth really pushed new Presbytery through. Now, as we all know, Bob has passed on after serving EP church for years and then in “retirement” as a Pastor at large, traveling & encouraging Pastors throughout our region.
Where will we be in next decade? This is worthy of our reflection! Undoubtly there will be many changes. Most likely I will be gone. So will many of you. But our churches will remain. God willing, may they be still healthier & more vibrant in sharing the gospel of Christ with the peoples in our area. May we particularly outgrow our white middle to upper class ghetto and reach out to all peoples of our region, especially the new peoples moving in.
Currently we have 18 churches & missions in our Presbytery. We are nearly to the GA mandated minimum size to consider splitting again! May I be so bold as to suggest that if we can aggressively plant some more churches that we will be in a position to have another “split” in a decade or so? May I suggest that the boundary may be New Castle County and the Chester County sliver of our Presbytery in one Presbytery and the remainder of the Delmarva Peninsula in the other Presbytery? (The C&D Canal has traditionally been the dividing line between upstate & down state Delaware. However, due to recent housing growth the area in New Castle County north of canal is now part of metro Wilmington.) After this division in a decade or so we should still focus upon planting healthy churches. But I do not believe the geographical area will be so large to necessitate another division.
Healthy churches are our goal. Of course, this presupposes Biblical churches! But that does not mean identical churches. There will continue to be large and small churches. Contemporary & traditional churches. There will be different philosophy of ministries in place. But one thing we will have in common is deep commitment to Reformed Christianity. Rock solid orthodoxy with Biblical freedom.
Let’s Bring God as much Glory as we can as faithful stewards of the Mystery of Christ! Let’s give Him the honor He deserves! Let’s plunder Satan’s Kingdom & rescue those held captive in self-delusion! To God be all the glory!