“This project is not about getting the Gospel right nor is the project about getting the Gospel out. This is about getting the gospel ‘in’ and then it can be expressed fully in our lives. This is about you being shaped — an officer or member of the church,” said Jerry Andrews as he described the Pastoral Rule at the 2012 Summer Gatherings of the Fellowship of Presbyterians (FOP) and ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
During the January 2012 FOP/ECO event, Andrews said that the Pastoral Rule would help “to identify the theological practices that will sustain us for the next generation and which we must, therefore, commit to and sustain.”
It is designed to help Christians focus on three aspects of ministry: personal disciplines, personal conduct in ministry, and mutual encouragement and accountability.
Giving the presentation at both the Colorado Springs (Aug. 19-21) and Atlanta (Aug. 22-24) summer gatherings, Andrews said “that we covenant with one another is required. We serve a covenant making and keeping God. But what we covenant to do — beyond what all the saints covenant to do — with the stewardship of this time and this place, is largely left up to us.”
He said that the Pastoral Rule and the Fundamental Rhythms and Patterns of Congregational Life are “the core of what that mutual accountability will look like.”
“If you choose not to commit to these kinds of practices, then God bless you – elsewhere,” said Andrews. He spoke of Calvin’s Geneva as a refuge that knew what to do with refugees who came out of chaos.
“Outside of the gate it said, ‘come and be safe.’ Looking back it says, ‘In Geneva, we live this way….’” he said. “We attend church on Sunday morning. We learn the Apostle’s Creed. Our relationships will be guided by these principles and we will hold you accountable to them. You may not feel that’s a city of refuge any more, but the choice is yours. Inside Geneva this is how we live.”
In response to the question, “How do we know when people are actually worshipping?” Andrews said “Interview them. Know them. Ask them questions: ‘Do you have a sense that God is keeping covenant with us? Are you practicing the presence of God? Do you have a sense that the Word of God is also God’s Word to you? Do you know that God is attentive to your prayers, and if not, can we persuade you of these things?’”
The Pastoral Rule has three expectations: Personal disciplines, personal conduct in ministry and personal accountability. It offers ways in which to carry out those expectations.
- Read the Bible: “So read Scripture. Daily. According to a plan. Including all of Scripture, eventually,” said Andrews. “Read them as a whole and read the whole thing. … Set aside a daily time and place to read and meditate on Scripture. Let God speak and let there be an appropriate gap before a human voice follows.”
- Pray: “Select good models of prayer and perfect it as a practice — Daily prayers; morning and evening prayers; pray globally; pray ecumenically.” he said.
- Read theological and spiritual material: This Andrews said is best done with other Christians. “Read slowly and deeply in order to keep it. The goal is not to read through books, but to own the books you read, not just to own books. Immerse yourself in the words,” he said, adding that at the end of a page, or paragraph or sentence, ask, “So, what am I supposed to do with that?”
- Keep the Sabbath . “I dare you! Really,” he said. “Keeping the Sabbath will mark you as more different from your neighbors than any other practice. There’s nothing more foreign than that idea. … There is to be a Lord’s day in our life — not a family day. Unless your family is your Lord, it’s not their day. You have six days to put food on the table, to help your children with their homework, to affirm your wife as the best gift in the world, to talk with your friends. God gets this day. This practice takes a whole day away from your current practice and gives it wholly to God.”
The list goes on:
- Participate in a theological reflection group.
- Take study leave.
- Care for your body.
- Honor commitment to others.
- Let your home be a church.
- Prepare to lead worship, prayerfully.
- Examine your call to ministry.
- Confess sin
- Attend to others
Andrews then asked the question, “Will you do this? … This is a place of refuge, but here, we live this way.”
Accepting and living into The Pastoral Rule is an essential expectation of officers participating in both the FOP and ECO.
Related links
- Required narrative process was difficult but a blessing
- More articles from FOP/ECO
- The Pastoral Rule
- Fundamental Rhythms
- The original PCUSA versionof the Pastoral Rule