- Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
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Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church 
Country 
United StatesDenomination Presbyterian Church in America Website http://www.crpc.org History Founded 1960 Founder(s) D. James Kennedy Architecture Style Modern Clergy Senior pastor(s) W. G. Tullian Tchividjian
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. It was founded in 1960 by D. James Kennedy (1930–2007), who served as the church's senior pastor until his death in 2007. The present church building seating 2,800 persons was dedicated in February 1974 by evangelist Billy Graham. It became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America denomination on May 16, 1978. The church espouses a traditional Calvinist theology.Beginning in 1978 under pastor D. James Kennedy, the church's weekly services were televised as the Coral Ridge Hour, eventually reaching a nationwide audience of more than 3 million.[1] Production of new broadcasts from the church were discontinued in 2007 after Kennedy's passing, although reruns of Kennedy's sermons continue to air on some networks.
The Westminster Academy and Knox Theological Seminary, also in Ft. Lauderdale, are educational ministries of the church. Christian radio station WAFG-FM in Ft. Lauderdale is also affiliated with the church. The current senior pastor is W. Tullian Tchividjian, a grandson of Billy Graham, who succeeded Kennedy as senior pastor of the church in April, 2009.
Contents
History
Main article: D. James KennedyThe church was founded by D. James Kennedy on May 22, 1960, who began with a congregation of 45 persons attending a typical Sunday service at a rented elementary school auditorium.[2] Kennedy developed the "Evangelism Explosion" ("EE") method of evangelism in the 1960s, which emphasizes the training of church laypeople to share their faith by home visitation in the community.[3] Coral Ridge became the fastest-growing Presbyterian church in the U.S. in the 1960s and had 1,366 members by 1968.[3] Outgrowing its first church built in the early 1960s, construction of the church's present 2,800-seat sanctuary, surmounted by a 300-foot (91 m) tower and designed in a modern style, was undertaken in the early 1970s. On December 21, 1973, the first services were held in the church's new building. In February, 1974, the sanctuary was formally dedicated by Billy Graham.[4] By the 1980s, the church's membership had grown to a few thousand persons.[5] Evangelism Explosion was the subject of Kennedy's doctoral dissertation, who said he earned a Ph.D. "to dispel the idea there is an inconsistency between evangelism and education...evangelical ministers [need] to be thoroughly educated and equipped to meet on equal terms anyone with whom they come in contact".[3][6] A 1970 film, Like a Mighty Army, starring actor Chris Robinson as Kennedy, portrayed the Evangelism Explosion story at the church.[3]
By the 1980s, the church's television ministry had a weekly audience of 3.5 million viewers, as the Coral Ridge Hour aired on more than 400 stations and four cable networks, including the Trinity Broadcasting Network, The Inspiration Network (INSP) and the NRB Network, as well as broadcast to more than 150 countries on the Armed Forces Network.[5]
As the result of a heart attack from which he never fully recovered, Kennedy last preached at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church on December 24, 2006. His retirement was officially announced at the church on August 26, 2007, and he died in his home ten days later.[7][8] In a statement following news of Kennedy's retirement, the church announced the development of the D. James Kennedy Legacy website in tribute to the life of the Christian evangelist.[9]
Current ministry
The church's current senior pastor is Tullian Tchividjian, a native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Named after third century theologian Tertullian, he is a grandson of famed evangelist Billy Graham.[4] Previously, he pastored New City Presbyterian Church, an Evangelical Presbyterian Church congregation meeting at a high school in nearby Coconut Creek. He was invited on January 12, 2009, to become Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church's senior minister, as part of a merger of the two congregations.[4] The Coral Ridge congregation approved Tchividjian's appointment and merger of the two churches by vote on March 15, 2009, with 920 of the 1,014 members present voting in favor.[10][11] Tchividjian was installed as the church's current senior pastor on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009.[12] He studied philosophy at Columbia International University and earned a divinity degree at Reformed Theological Seminary. His writings include Do I Know God? Finding Certainty in Life's Most Important Relationship and Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different. At the beginning of 2009, the church had 2,200 members and weekly attendance averaged 1,800 persons.[4]
Schism
After taking over, Tchividjian instituted sweeping changes. Although he is as conservative as Kennedy theologically, he is somewhat more inclined toward contemporary worship than Kennedy had been. For instance, he usually does not wear vestments, as Kennedy did, preferring a suit and tie. Also, his sermons are less tinged with political themes than Kennedy's had been.
Several longtime members, including Kennedy's daughter, Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy, opposed the changes and garnered enough support to call for a congregational vote of confidence. The opposition group accused Tchividjian of using heavy-handed methods against those who wanted to oust him. Six leading dissidents, including Kennedy Cassidy, were banned from the church,[1] and several members of the choir were told to recant their opposition to Tchividjian if they wanted to stay in the choir. On September 20, 2009 a sizable majority of the congregation voted to retain Tchividjian.[1] In a news release following the decision, the church said, "attendance had doubled in the past year, that 300 new members had been added since Tchividjian was installed, and that 192 people are registered for the next new members class, making it the largest new members class in the church’s 50-year history".[13] Tchividjian's detractors assert that a majority of these new members came from his former congregation but there is no evidence to support this claim. However, Tchividjian's followers have not denied the claim either.
In response, more than 400 members broke away to form a new church called The New Presbyterian Church. The breakaway church held its first service on September 28, 2009, at Butterfly World in Coconut Creek. Butterfly World's owner, Ronald Boender, had been a longtime Coral Ridge member before lending his support to the breakaway church. After The New Presbyterian Church was formed, some have stated that Tchividjian started firing people who opposed him or attended the "breakaway" church. [14] Several members of Coral Ridge's prominent music ministry—including music minister John L. Wilson, organist Samuel Metzger and much of the choir—joined the new church.[15] The breakaway New Presbyterian Church currently meets at Pompano Beach High School and continues some of the musical traditions formerly held at Coral Ridge, such as the performance of Handel's Messiah during the Christmas season and the long-running annual patriotic concert instituted by Kennedy.[16]
On January 19, 2010, South Florida Presbytery officials reversed Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church's ban on the six dissident members from church premises, saying that Coral Ridge "acted impulsively, improperly, prematurely, and without warrant" in ordering the six off church property in August.[17]
Music
The church has a rich history of traditional music with the Rufatti Pipe Organ at its heart since Kennedy started the church over 50 years ago. With the appointment of Tchividjian the musical style shifted towards a contemporary style, and for the first time became more commonplace than the Traditional style. Mark Miller is the music director as of May 2011. There is currently no senior organist. Brandon Wells led the contemporary worship until the classical and contemporary services were combined on August 22, 2010.
From 1997 until his resignation on September 24, 2009, John L. Wilson was the director of music ministries. Other former directors were Rev. Stephen Carroll, Brian Trevor, Roger G. McMurrin and Steven Phillips. The church has a 100-voice adult Chancel Choir and the "Coral Ambassadors", composed of 50 high school-age youth, along with handbell choirs. (Attendance in choirs has seen a significant decline on account of the schism.)
The large Fratelli Ruffatti pipe organ built in 1974 has 6,600 pipes in 117 ranks. In 2004, the organ was expanded with the addition of 61 digital voices, resulting in the equivalent of 178 total ranks.[18] Samuel Metzger, organist from 2003 until his resignation on September 24, 2009, has recorded seven CDs of music on the Rufatti instrument.[19][20] The organ is also regularly featured on the Joy of Music television programs of Diane Bish, one of the church's former organists, and is often heard on the Sacred Classics radio show, along with recordings by the church's choir. Other former organists include Rebecca Owens, Colin Howland and Garrett F. Martin. Since 1972 the church offered an annual concert series featuring guest artists as well as the church's musicians. The September 2009 church split, however, led to the departures of a large portion of the music ministry, forcing church officials to cancel the 2009-10 concert series.[15]
Discography
A number of phonograph records and compact discs of the choir and organ have been released since the 1970s, including:[20]
Title Artist(s) Genre Artistry at the Coral Ridge Organ Diane Bish organ Be Still My Soul Samuel Metzger organ The Best of Coral Ridge Chancel Choir choral Christmas Festival Diane Bish organ Fanfare! Samuel Metzger organ His Truth is Marching On Chancel Choir choral Hymns on the Coral Ridge Organ Diane Bish organ Joy to the World! Samuel Metzger organ King of Instruments Samuel Metzger organ Majesty and Glory Samuel Metzger organ Morning Has Broken Chancel Choir choral Pipes and More Pipes Diane Bish and
St. Andrews Bagpipesorgan and bagpipes Prayer and Meditation Samuel Metzger organ Shout to the Lord! Coral Ambassadors choral Toccata! Samuel Metzger organ References
- ^ a b c Robert Samuels (September 21, 2009). "Coral Ridge Presbyterian votes to retain controversial new pastor". Miami Herald. http://www.miamiherald.com/living/religion-values/story/1243679.html. Retrieved 2009-10-05.[dead link]
- ^ "Church History". Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. 2009. http://www.crpc.org/index.php/articles/church_history/. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
- ^ a b c d Chandler, E. Russell (1972). The Kennedy Explosion. Elgin, IL: David C. Cook Publishing. ISBN 0912692022.
- ^ a b c d Davis, James D. (January 19, 2009). "Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church chooses pastor". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-coralridge0118,0,7957788.story. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
- ^ a b "D. James Kennedy, influential Christian broadcaster, retires". St. Petersburg Times. August 26, 2007. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOU_KENNEDY_RETIREMENT_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME.
- ^ Kennedy, D. James. "The Genesis, Development, and Expansion of Evangelism Explosion International, 1960-1976". DAI 40 (03): 1381.
- ^ "Rev. D. James Kennedy, 76; pioneering Christian radio, TV broadcaster". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/features/religion/la-me-kennedy6sep06,1,6628648.story?track=rss. Retrieved 2007-11-06.[dead link]
- ^ "Powerful pastor D. James Kennedy dead at 76.". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. September 5, 2007. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-djkennedydead0905,0,4390768.story.
- ^ "Dr. D. James Kennedy Retires: Founder and Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church Steps Down from Pulpit with Rich Legacy of Faith". Coral Ridge Ministries Press Release. August 26, 2007. http://www.djameskennedy.org/media.aspx. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
- ^ Davis, James D. (March 16, 2009). "Coral Ridge Presbyterian has its man: Tchividjian". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/1661465421.html?dids=1661465421:1661465421&FMT=ABS&FMTS. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
- ^ "Graham Grandson to Lead Megachurch". The Washington Post (Associated Press). March 16, 2009. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/15/AR2009031502201.html?hpid=sec-religion. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ^ Young, Eric (2009-04-13). "Coral Ridge Church Installs Tchividjian as New Senior Pastor". The Christian Post. http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090413/coral-ridge-church-installs-tchividjian-as-new-senior-pastor/index.html. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
- ^ "Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church Gives Its Pastor Overwhelming Vote of Confidence (news release)". Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. September 20, 2009. http://www.crpc.org/publications/crpc_pastorvote_092009.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ James D. Davis (September 29, 2009). "Coral Ridge dissidents organizing breakaway church". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/religion/sfl-coral-ridge-092909,0,4506111.story. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
- ^ a b James D. Davis (2009-10-02). "Coral Ridge Presbyterian cancels 2009-2010 concert series". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-coral-ridge-100109,0,7849569.story.
- ^ "Welcome". The New Presbyterian Church. 2010. http://www.thenewpresbyterianchurch.com. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
- ^ James D. Davis (January 21, 2010). "Denomination sides with six dissidents banned from Coral Ridge". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/fnews/broward/fl-coral-ridge-012210-20100121,0,7436385.story. Retrieved 2010-1-21.
- ^ "The Sanctuary Organ". Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. 2009. http://www.crpc.org/index.php/ministry_articles/the_sanctuary_organ/. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ Davis, James D. (October 1, 2009). "2 Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church elders resign". The Miami Herald. http://www.miamiherald.com/living/religion-values/story/1260555.html. Retrieved 2009-10-05.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Compact Discs". Metzger Music. http://www.metzgermusic.com/component/content/article/25-compact-disc/54-majesty-and-glory. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
External links
Categories:- Presbyterian churches in Florida
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