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Time to Train


This post is written for the members of the church I serve, Grace Community Presbyterian Church, PCA in Fort Worth, TX.

The members of our church nominated 8 men for office this last spring. These eight men begin their training for office on August 14th. If all goes according to schedule, we will complete our training February 19, 2017. It is during this training where these men (along with their wives and families and the current officers of GCPC) will determine if they are willing and able to stand for election and serve their church in the office to which they've been nominated.

For all of those who agree to stand for election, there will be written and oral exams to be completed by them.

We hope to have officer elections in mid- to late spring, 2017.

But I didn't write this only to give you our timeline. I'm asking you to pray for these men and their families. We believe this is one of the most consequential decisions in the lives of these families and the life of our church. These men and their families and your church need the wisdom of God throughout the process in helping to discern whether He has called each one to this specific service. Please pray for them.

Secondly, I want to recommend to you the reading that is required for them. The books below will be of great benefit to the men who are in training, but they would benefit you greatly too. If you're looking for reading that gives you a sense of the heart of GCPC, these books will begin to do that.

First and most importantly, the men will work their way through the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) and the Larger and Shorter Catechism. Every officer in the PCA must subscribe (or agree) that the WCF is a faithful summary of what the Bible teaches. Members of GCPC are not required to subscribe to the WCF, but it would be to your great benefit to read along with us. Here are some links if you want to purchase what our guys will be reading:

Westminster Confession of Faith

http://www.wtsbooks.com/westminster-confession-of-faith-with-modern-english-study-version-westminster-assembly-9780934688871?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners











This is their workbook, which includes the WCF in the back.
http://www.wtsbooks.com/the-westminster-confession-of-faith-study-book-joey-pipa-9781845500306?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners












http://www.wtsbooks.com/confessing-the-faith-a-readers-guide-to-the-westminster-confession-of-faith-chad-van-dixhoorn-9781848714045?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners
Another absolutely excellent resource not required but well worth getting is this one.










What follows are the books the men will work their way through and discuss in training. It isn't a reach to say that these books provide the practical application in community of the rich theology of the Bible that we will cover.

Only the deacon nominees will read and discuss this book.
http://www.wtsbooks.com/new-testament-deacon-alexander-strauch-9780936083070?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners











Only the elder nominees will read and discuss this book.
http://www.wtsbooks.com/the-shepherd-leader-timothy-witmer-9781596381315-2?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners












Then, all nominees will begin to work their way through these books, in the order that they are listed:

The Trellis and the Vine best captures the culture we have been seeking to fold into our church body. It is an excellent, excellent book.
http://www.wtsbooks.com/the-trellis-and-the-vine-colin-marshall-tony-payne-9781921441585?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners
The Compelling Community works out in many ways what is proposed in The Trellis and the Vine.
http://www.wtsbooks.com/the-compelling-community-where-gods-power-makes-a-church-attractive-jamie-dever-dunlop-9781433543562?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners












And finally, Side by Side is a macro- look at personal ministry, complementing very much our work in the previous two books.
http://www.wtsbooks.com/side-by-side-walking-with-others-in-wisdom-and-love-edward-t-welch-9781433547133?utm_source=koliphint&utm_medium=blogpartners

I hope you will consider purchasing some of these books and reading along with us.

We do covet your prayers.

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