GODS FAITHFULNESS

1
GODS FAITHFULNESS
2
FROM MODEL Ts (1909)
3
TO THE MILLENNIUM
2002 Thunderbird Concept Car
4
EVENTS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD
5
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• World War I, 1914-1918
• 10,000,000 Europeans died in battle
• 20,000,000 Europeans wounded
• 115,000 Americans died in battle

6
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• Great Depression
• From 1929-1931, National Income cut in half
• In 1937, the nation finally rose above the 1929
  levels of production- only to slide back into
  recession!

7
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• World War II, 1939-1945
• 35,000,000-60,000,000 people died
• 292,000 Americans died
• 800,000 Americans WIA/MIA

8
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• Atom Bomb
• Hiroshima, Aug. 6, 1945
• Nagasaki, Aug. 9, 1945

9
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• 60S Counter-Culture

10
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• The Dream

• The Nightmare

11
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• JFK- Nov. 22, 1963

• Apollo 11
• July 20, 1969

12
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• Watergate
• I am not a Crook
• Resignation of Richard Nixon Aug 9, 1974

13
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• November 9, 1989
• East Germany opens borders
• Fall of Berlin Wall

14
FROM MODEL Ts gt MILLENNIUM

• Desert Shield/ Desert Storm
• Aug 2,1990
• March 3, 1991

15
GENERATIONAL ISSUES
George Barna Generation Next, Baby Busters, The
Second Coming of the Church
16
THE SENIORS

• Birth Years before 1926
• Formative Factors
• World War I
• Great Depression
• Serious about faith, close relationship with God
• Appreciate stability
• Close family ties
• Rooted in community
• Generation least affected by stress
• Actively engaged in church, volunteer activities
• Part of the Greatest Generation

17
THE BUILDERS

• Birth Years 1927-1945
• Formative Factors
• Great Depression
• World War II
• Cold War
• Appreciate stability
• Family, Community, Friends, Employment
• Not open to change- prefer predictability
• Emphasis on Duty, Obligation
• Part of the Greatest Generation
• Satisfaction found in simple things

18
THE BOOMERS

• Birth Years 1946-1964
• Formative Factors
• Cold War
• 60s Counter-Cultural Movement
• Vietnam
• Question authority (the establishment)
• Uncertain of the relevance of the church
• Curious mixture of laissez faire and
  utilitarianism
• Search for Excellence in all of life

19
THE BUSTERS

• Birth Years 1965-1983
• Formative Factors
• Watergate
• Vietnam Syndrome
• Inflation, Unemployment
• Age of limitations
• Question authority (boomers are establishment)
• First generation not to have it better
• Interested in process of growth, embrace change
• Disenchanted with superficial stuff- even in
  church!
• Interested in relationships, involvement
• Want options, not directions
• Feel abandoned, are disillusioned

20
THE MOSAICS/MILLENNIALS

• Birth Years 1984-2002
• Formative Factors
• End of Cold War
• MTV Age/Clinton Presidency
• Desert Storm
• The Digital Generation (non-linear thinking)
• High Levels of Stress/Anxiety
• Self-Reliant- and Skeptical!
• Interest in spirituality
• Believe in the Bible- but not in absolute truth!
• Brighter than previous generations (IQ)
• Relationships more important than achievement

21
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

• Currently, 75 of Americans are Caucasian
• By 2050, only 50 of Americans will be Caucasian
• The Hispanic population has overtaken
  African-Americans as the largest minority
  population
• In some areas of the country (e.g., parts of
  California), there is no longer a majority
  population
• Racial and Ethnic diversity- a fact of life
• 15-20 of population moves every year

22
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS
23
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

• Contemporary American Beliefs
• God helps those who help themselves, 81
• All religions teach equally valid truths, 40
• All people pray to the same G/god, 53
• If you do enough good, you will go to heaven, 55
• Jesus was not resurrected physically, 40
• The Bible is not completely true in all it
  teaches, 34
• The primary purpose of life is enjoyment, 58
• Satan is not real, only a symbol of evil, 60
• Whatever works is the only truth you can know,
  32

24
THE ARP CHURCHTHROUGH THE YEARS
25
THE ARP CHURCH

• 1803- The Synod of the Carolinas
• 1821- Separate Synod of the South
• 1912- Synod of the South renamed Associate
  Reformed Synod
• 1935- new name General Synod of the Associate
  Reformed Presbyterian Church
• 1946- the end of exclusive psalmody

26
THE ARP CHURCH

• 1959- Confession of Faith adds chapters 34, Of
  the Holy Spirit, and 35 Of the Gospel.
• 1979- Resolution on Biblical Authority
• 1983- Union of the United Presbyterian Church in
  the USA and the Presbyterian Church in the US,
  resulting in the Presbyterian Church, USA
• 1986- Northeast Presbytery
• 1997- Pacific Presbytery

27
THE ARP CHURCH Broad Strokes

• Prior to the 1960s
• Theologically cohesive (conservative)
• Reformed
• Evangelical
• Socially conservative
• Demographically, largely confined to the
  Southeast, from good Scotch-Irish stock
• Engaged in educational, missionary, and
  ecumenical activities

28
THE ARP CHURCH Broad Strokes

• 1960s
• Theologically more diverse
• Social conservatism clashed with interests in
  Civil Rights, social justice
• Demographically, still largely confined to the
  Southeast
• Engaged in educational, missionary, and
  ecumenical activities

29
THE ARP CHURCH Broad Strokes

• 1970s
• Theologically more diverse
• Social Issues still divisive
• Demographically, still largely Scotch-Irish,
  confined to the Southeast
• Initial influx of graduates from RTS
• Synod seeks to tighten orthodoxy at Erskine
  College and Seminary
• Controversy over Scripture arises

30
THE ARP CHURCH Broad Strokes

• 1980s
• PCUS unites with UPCUSA
• Geographically, ARPs begin to break out of the
  Southeast
• Committee on Reconciliation resolves issue
  concerning authority of Scripture
• Church begins to move somewhat in more
  conservative direction

31
THE ARP CHURCH Broad Strokes

• 1990s
• Influx of ministers from other denominations,
  seminaries further dilutes traditional
  demographics
• Geographically, ARPs expand to the west coast and
  points between
• Church continues to move in conservative
  direction theologically
• Socially, church becomes more diverse

32
THE ARP CHURCH Broad Strokes
2000s
? What lies ahead?
33
GODS FAITHFULNESS