Shuck and Jive


Friday, April 02, 2010

John Shuck: Emptier of Pews

A letter to the editor in today's LayMAN (sorry, can't provide a link as to do so would be hazardous to y'all's spiritual health):
Thanks to Parker Williamson for saying what needs to be said: Our denomination refuses to deal with heretics like John Shuck. We abandon the truth of Holy Scripture, and we tolerate unbelievers in pulpits. Where is the Committee on Ministry in Holston Presbytery? Are they in agreement with this nonsense?

No wonder so many of our stronger churches have left the PCUSA, and that so many of our pews have emptied.

Rev. John R. Kerr, pastor of First Presbyterian Church
Jacksonville, N.C
Need any pews emptied near your town? I come cheap!!

14 comments:

  1. Yet another twit who is more than happy to do the truly hard word of typing a few letters on a keyboard to criticize a "heretic" but can't be bothered to actually ... you know ... do anything about it. "Our denomination" doesn't refuse to deal with anyone. Instead these bullies don't have the stones to do their own dirty work.

    This does add an interesting perspective. The BFTSs are happy to bring charges regarding people's naughty bits, but they don't do so regarding "heresy."

    Sort of shows you where their priorities are, eh?

    "we tolerate unbelievers in pulpits"

    Yes, Rev. Kerr. You certainly do.

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  2. Didn't the LayMAN just publish an article about true believers from as far away as Boise swarming like flies to join the groupfest filing of charges against Rev. Jane Spahr?

    Answer: yes.

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  3. Blaming me (and my kind--whatever that is) for empty pews is the most bizarre theory I can imagine. Talk about blaming someone else for your problem.

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  4. Well, he did you a good turn. He pointed out yet another thing you're good at. May his Jesus bless him.

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  5. My work will not be complete until every dogmatic pew is empty and every mind clear of superstition.

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  6. @Don

    According to Rev. Kerr you should have no trouble finding a seat.

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  7. As I've said numerous times, 34,000 conservatives left the denomination because of their obsession over genitals, and 104,000 people left the denomination because they got sick of conservatives' obsession over genitals.

    The denominational stats back me up on this.

    Sorry John, I'm afraid you're not the real Pepe le Pew of this denomination. That would be the BFTSs.

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  8. All this stuff about reasons for declining numbers and blaming this group or that is a simply not true. Yes some have left for a variety of theological issues but the primary reasons are:

    1. People don't care about brand anymore. When Protestants move (well those from the former mainline denominations) they don't care about the new congregation's denomination. They look for a "fit." That might mean how welcomed they feel, the liturgy, the pastor's sermons, Sunday School, etc.

    2. It's been happening since 1965. The major way to leave the PCUSA and a lot of other denominations is to wait until your parents stop making you go to church and then don't go back except for weddings, baptisms and deaths. (I've always wondered about the baptism thing. You don't believe enough to go to worship but your child has to be baptized? Is this a fire insurance issue?) 50% of our children took this route, the one who is living with us right now! (He is also an Easter and Christmas guy.)

    Tully Memorial is growing simply because we welcome the stranger: African Immigrants.

    So John is not a pew emptyer. I suspect his congregation is growing because he appeals to a particular group of people.

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  9. Oh, and if John's congregation is happy with him the COM isn't going to do anything. They have more than enough business without looking for trouble.

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  10. We don't have pews at our church, we have chairs. Maybe that's what Rev. Kerr meant.

    Thank John Shuck for more comfortable seating!

    Bob, you know correlation doesn't equal causation. And I know correlation doesn't equal causation. But the BFTSs don't know that. So if you keep suggesting that correlation doesn't equal causation, you're just going to make the poor BFTSs little heads spin. You can almost hear them now, "You mean my alarm clock going off every morning doesn't actually make the sun rise?!?! Then how can I make any sense of the world?!?!"

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  11. Thank John Shuck for more comfortable seating!

    You are welcome.

    And for my next trick, I will drive yet more of the "stronger churches" out of the denomination.

    Boo ya!!

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  12. Wow. You're like the St. Patrick of BFTSs.

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  13. @Onedia

    Well, shucks, that was very nice to say. :)

    Happy Easter to you, too!

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