The Five Stages of Conversion

Oh man, this guy must have followed me around for the last 15 years - he describes my journey into the reformed tradition and the PCA with stunning accuracy.   Here's where I am now:

While many of the reasons that you had for joining your current tradition remain, and thus so do you, you decide it's time to cut yourself, your church, everyone else's churches, and rest of the world some slack.

Comments

[Deb]

David,
Wow. What an excellent article. It's like holding up a mirror for my journey too. Currently, I'd say that in my thoughts and in my heart I've been wavering around in Phase 5 - back and forth within all 3 options.

Seriously, I was thinking - man I think I just need to change to Luthern and be done with all this PCA 'stuff.' Or to throw myself into some para-church ministry where people aren't as entrenched in denominational issues.

But it's great to see my "disorder," if you will, spelled out in such an entertaining way. It makes it easier to trust that option 3 is the most rational way to think! Really good stuff.

[David Wayne]

Deb - yep. I actually came out of the Southern Baptist Convention to the PCA and felt I had found complete doctrinal fidelity and ecclesiastical purity. Little did I know . . . the deeper I have gotten into the politics of the PCA the uglier it has looked. But, like you said - this is anywhere. And, it is also helpful to remember that total depravity applies to me so that, even though I can't see it I have to acknowledge that I have blind spots and make my own unique contributions to the corruption of any body of which I am a part.