Ecclesiology Archives - Reformed Dogmatika

Pieter Saenredam's 1648 painting of the interior of St. Bavo's Church in Haarlem, showing the ordered architecture of a Dutch Reformed worship space.

When Did the Church Begin?

I wrote this article to answer a question that sounds easier than it is: Did the church begin at Pentecost? Acts 2 brought a genuine and glorious newness, but Scripture does not divide God’s redeemed people into two unrelated communities. From Eden through Abraham and Moses to the outpouring of the Spirit, one covenant of grace gathers one people under one Messiah. This article considers the strongest dispensational texts, explains what actually changed at Pentecost, and shows why the answer matters for how we read the whole Bible.

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Herman Bavinck: The Catholicity of Christianity and the Church (1888)

Herman Bavinck’s 1888 address on the catholicity of Christianity and the church, now available in full with a short introduction: the church catholic in three senses.

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What is Ordination?

Christian Bland, a pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America, joins us as a new contributor. The nature of ordination itself, and not merely the nature of the offices, settles who may be ordained, and shows why the office of Deacon is an ordained office.

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Can Women Be Deaconesses in the PCA?

The Question Everyone Is Asking, and the Answer Can Women Be Deaconesses in the Presbyterian Church in America? No. Thank you for coming to my keynote speech. On one hand, the conversation really is that simple. In addition to that, almost everyone says they agree and that they aren’t ordaining women as deacons. So X

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The Regulative Principle of Worship

If you’re visiting a Reformed church for the first time, chances are you’ll notice a great deal of simplicity in the worship service. No church band, stage lighting, or fog machines. The reading and preaching of Scripture occupies center stage, along with prayer, and worship. The Lord’s Supper, possibly a baptism, and warm fellowship will

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