I remember the first time I brought home my own puppy. He was a Great Pyrenees, which means that even as a tiny pup he still had big feet and an even bigger head. I named him Atlas, anticipating the hundred-and-fifty-pound fur ball that he would grow up to be. If you’ve ever had a puppy, you know that training them is a slow process. I was thrilled the first time he ever responded to “Sit” …but he didn’t sit still for more than a second. Thankfully he got better and better as time went on, sitting still for longer and longer periods of time. It took Atlas time to grow and mature from a puppy with a short attention span to a dog who could behave in public. But in the meantime, I was encouraged by his step-by-step progress. He kept getting closer and closer to the goal. Maturity takes time but it also includes progress. As we travel that road, we stop to celebrate the small victories.
Last week Pastor Don and I went to Greensboro, NC for the 45th General Assembly of our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America. The General Assembly is the annual gathering of elders from across the denomination to conduct the business of the church. Last year, the assembly passed an overture to repent of the sin of racism and take positive steps toward racial reconciliation. But many members of the church were skeptical. It’s easy to say one thing, but what are we going to do about it?
Reconciliation doesn’t happen overnight and I was encouraged to see some of that progress this year. The first night we elected Alexander Jun as moderator. Now, electing a moderator might not sound like a big deal – it happens every year. This year, however, was unique because it was the first time a person of color was elected moderator of the PCA’s General Assembly. Ever. It’s a small step forward, but it’s a step nonetheless.
Though our church has its greatest presence in the American South, multiple languages were represented throughout the week. We sang songs in Spanish and Korean during the evening worship services. Jun gave part of his address is Korean. One day a Latino pastor led prayer for the body in Spanish. These were small evidences no doubt, but they were signs that we’re moving closer and closer to a church of every nation, tribe, and tongue.
The PCA’s an imperfect denomination. I could give you plenty of examples from just this past week! But the Lord is at work in his church, growing us into the maturity of Christ’s likeness. We’re not there yet, but the Holy Spirit isn’t finished with us yet – and for that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for the church we are as well as the church we aspire to be. I’m grateful for our God, who bears with us in patience as we grow in maturity.
In Him,
Tom