The Petra Zone

Perhaps Sue D. can answer this as far as John is concerned, but anyone with inside information is welcome to reply.

I have heard rumors that John and Bob currently do or have in the past attended a rather prestigious Reformed church in the Nashville area. Does anyone know what kind of theology these two guys ascribe to?

Does anyone know what kind of theology these two guys ascribe to?

You can hear their theology in the song "Creed", from their "Beyond Belief" album.

Not exactly what I was getting at. I was looking more for their "denomination", although that is not a word I really like to use. Actually, the song "Creed" is one of the reasons I have asked this question.

I have no idea where Bob is going to church, but a few years ago John told me (in an interview) he used to go to Christ Community Church. That's the church he recorded Ready To Go for. He told me they as a family made a change to this church because their youth work was better developed. I have no idea what church he was going to before Christ Community.

In one of the recent interviews or shows in which John gave his testimony, he said that he was converted by the effort of Chuck Smith, who pastors a Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa. Having attended one of these churches for the past year or so, I think their positions align fairly well with what I've been able to glean of Bob's writing. (Way to start out talking about John and ending with Bob, w. Real good.)

My experience with CC has been fairly mixed. I think their perspective of sovereignty is not terribly logical, and they tend to pound the apologetics (esp creation v evolution) and eschatology drums pretty hard. But their perspective of grace is good, and there are not that many churches that actually expound on Scripture, so I've mostly enjoyed myself there.

The general site is http://www.calvarychapel.com.

winterlens wrote:In one of the recent interviews or shows in which John gave his testimony, he said that he was converted by the effort of Chuck Smith, who pastors a Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa.

I think that would be the wrong John. John Elefante maybe.

John Schlitt was living in Illinois at the time of his conversion and first attend the New Wine Fellowship near his home. Yes, currently John (and Bob I believe) attend Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN. It's technical denomination is Presbyterian Church of America (PCA). Not to be confused with the liberal Presbyterian Church USA. The main pastor, Scotty Smith has written some wonderful books, and from what I've heard is an awesome preacher as well.

I can understand curiosity about denominations, but I think Christians make way too much of them.

I think what matters is not so much which church you go to as whether the church you go to follows the Bible to the best of their ability, and whether that church is aware of some of the schemes the enemy can use to take their focus off God and make them ineffective.

I grew up in a very legalistic church where I heard a lot about the Bible and how important it was to park your butt in church every Sunday but heard very little about God's love and grace and how to actually let that love and grace work in your life. I go to a wonderful church now that is rather conservative as far as their beliefs, but open-minded in thinking God can use every person for His purpose. They definitely teach about God's love, and they see church attendance as a way to learn and connect with other believers.

I think you can pretty much tell from their songs that John and Bob's theology is sound.

Matthew RJ wrote:What difference does it make?
What in Creed causes you to question?
A more important question is, how do they vote ...if they are democrats would you burn your Petra CD collection? HA.

How did you find your way over here? Aren't you supoose to be on the politics threads only?

I think the question is rather, if the guys in Petra voted Republican, and it's no business of yours or mine how they voted, would you, Matthew, call them dumb Americans blindly following Bush and burn your Petra CDs. Most of your comments, whether they are anti-Bush, or anti-America, or whatever, have a hint of sarcasm, anger, bitterness, and envy. Maybe instead of questioning Bush and those who do support him, you may want to look inward and figure out why it makes you so angry that you feel you have to irritate people with your posts to make your point. Everyone here who reads your posts gets your point. You don't like Bush, and you don't really seem to like Americans in general. We get it. We don't care.

Calico is correct about John, with the exception of Bob.

Bob doesn't attend Christ Community Church; I honestly don't remember which one he goes to, but it's not that one (I really should know this, but very few people actually ask).

The reason I mentioned "Creed" is because the creeds that were very important in the early church have been rather over looked by a majority of modern mainstream Christianity and it has always stuck out that Petra is really the only Christian band to even delve into the foundations of the early church.

My question was out of curiosity, not so I could judge them based on their theology. Since creeds are a huge part of the Reformed "movement," it just seemed to me like Petra believed along those same lines and I was just trying to confirm my thoughts.

Matthew RJ wrote:I didn't think you were out to judge based on denomination.

My response wasn't so much aimed at you as it was at the people who were saying, "well, it really shouldn't matter what denomination you are." I agree with those people to a pont, but I also just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't going to start throwing out all of their CDs because one of the members at some point in time ascribed to a denomination that isn't the one I follow.

people who were saying, "well, it really shouldn't matter what denomination you are."

I think it DOES matter IF the writer's beliefs infiltrate the song to the point where the lyrics are in opposition to what you personally believe.

sue d. wrote:

people who were saying, "well, it really shouldn't matter what denomination you are."

I think it DOES matter IF the writer's beliefs infiltrate the song to the point where the lyrics are in opposition to what you personally believe.

I don't disagree with that. I do have problems with the lyrics of several Christian artists, not because they aren't Christians, but because I feel they are so flawed theologically that the words shouldn't be sung. Luckily that is not the case with Petra.