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The Presbyterian Outlook

The Presbyterian Outlook

Creating and curating trustworthy resources for the church, the Presbyterian Outlook connects disciples of Jesus Christ through compelling and committed conversation for the proclamation of the Gospel.

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Preventive health care tool was introduced last year

PHILADELPHIA — The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has announced that it will continue to offer the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment, a benefit for active Medical Plan members and spouses designed to encourage members and their families to engage in preventive healthcare, thereby improving their overall health and helping contain healthcare costs.

Indian Christians say state government wants to punish them

Bangalore, India — (ENI) Christian groups have expressed dismay at attempts by the government of India's southern Karnataka state to take action against hundreds of church educational institutions after they closed for a day to protest at ongoing violence against Christians in eastern Orissa state.

College Issue

What does the future hold for the high school students in your family, your church, your neighborhood?  You can help them choose a college or university that will nurture their souls and ennoble their activities while informing their minds. 

Presbyterian leaders assessing damage from Gustav

LOUISVILLE — Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders were still working Tuesday (Sept. 2) to assess Presbyterian-related damage from Hurricane Gustav, which roared from the Gulf of Mexico into southern Louisiana on Monday as a category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 mph.

The Presbyterian Elder

The position of elder is the oldest active office still being used in the Christian church today. Although the apostleship no doubt precedes it in prestige, power, and antiquity, it did not remain a permanent office since it was limited to those who had a direct commission from the risen Jesus himself and had unique gifts from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1–26; 1 Cor. 12:1–11, 29).

Burning out or bearing fruit

Years ago members of a church I was serving talked about people who had once been very active in the congregation but whom I had never met. I asked someone who these people were.

Benefactors or beneficiaries?

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people. … ” The gifts he gave that were some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the full measure of the full stature in Jesus Christ (Eph. 4: 7-8, 11-13.)

New networks for leaders

The call to leadership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is a call to diverse forms of service. Ruling Elders are also charged to nurture the faith and life of the congregation while encouraging members in worship, service, mission, and care.

What elders should know about preaching

Preaching forms the theological mind and heart of a congregation. A congregation nurtured by preaching that plumbs the murky depths of truth, preaching that provides a realistic and relevant engagement with the Scriptures, will show signs of spiritual depth and maturity.

Presbyparity

Sister elder, brother deacon, do you get it? Do you understand how radical it is for you to have been ordained to your position of leadership?

Embrace the frog

For as long as I have been a pastor (almost 20 years), I have heard my evangelical brothers and sisters use as a paradigm for dealing with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) the parable of the frog in water brought to a gradual boil.

Dangerous Elders

Why have such a conference?

I anticipated that question might be on the minds of many of those who gathered for the first-ever National Elders Conference in Nashville, Tenn., in August 2007.

Indian schools shut down to protest attacks on Christians

Bangalore, India — (ENI) Churches in India are to close about 30,000 of their educational institutions across the country tomorrow (August 29) to protest against continuing attacks by mobs of Hindus in the country's eastern state of Orissa and which Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told bishops, is a "national shame".

Lakes and Prairies PJC upholds restoration of openly gay minister

Synod of Lakes and Prairies Communications Director

 EAGAN, MINN.  — (PNS) The Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies on Aug. 12 dismissed a remedial case filed against the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area that sought to nullify the presbytery’s Jan. 26 action to restore Paul Capetz, an openly gay man, to the exercise of ordained ministry.

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