The Word of the Week is Presbyterianism.
Last week Don, Tom, and I attended the General Assembly of our denomination in Mobile, Alabama. General Assembly is a time I look forward to each year. It is a time where the teaching and ruling elders of the entire Presbyterian Church in America come together to do church business. It’s also a time when many people reunite with old friends from seminary or other churches where they served together. Finally, it’s also like many other professional conferences or trade shows. There are opportunities to dialogue with other pastors through seminars, food events, and walking among the various vendors (book publishers and service organizations).
Every year I come back refreshed having worshiped in a large gathering with other elders, having prayed with and for good friends, and having engaged in spirited debate over important issues facing our denomination. This year was no exception.
Three things of note came up on the Assembly floor.
1) We passed an overture on racial reconciliation. This was no small matter. We have been working to make this denomination a place that reflects the diversity of the whole kingdom of God in a Revelation 7:9 sort of way. There is so much to say about how this came about and the process by which it came about that I can’t fit it all in this update. I hope in the coming weeks you will hear more from us on this. For now you can read the overture here.
2) The Assembly voted to create a study committee on the role of women in the church. In the days since the Assembly this has gotten a lot of press online, and not all of it very positive. The amount of suspicion surrounding this issue by some makes me personally sad, but I am confident that God will work powerfully through this committee. If you want to talk more about my experience of the debate please get in touch. You can watch parts of the Assembly as it was recorded here.
3) Lastly, the Assembly debated again an issue about the accused taking the stand in a church trial. For the average member of our churches this probably doesn’t enter in to your everyday thought process. However, it’s part of your basic civil rights. The fifth amendment to the Constitution of the United States has its basis in Presbyterian church government. The end of the matter in the church is that we are afforded that same type of “fifth amendment” protection to not be compelled to testify against oneself.
Our branch of the church is making an impact on the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ through our local churches, our denominational college and seminary, and national and international missions agencies. It’s good be part of a church that is faithful to Scripture, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient in carrying out the Great Commission. May Christ continue to sanctify us to be more conformed to his image as we do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly in Him.
In Him,
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