by Kevin DeYoung
GUEST POST from Jason Helopoulos:
This week is the Presbyterian Church in America’s (PCA) annual General Assembly. Over a thousand Presbyterian pastors and elders will be descending upon Nashville, Tennessee. Now that may sound boring to you (and if I am honest—it is at times), but it is always one of the highlights of my year (I know, I need a more exciting life). Here are a few thoughts and things to watch for at this year’s PCA GA:
Why I love attending General Assembly
1. There are few things like hearing 1500 men sing at the opening worship service. Is there anything better than a convention hall full of men’s voices (sorry ladies—I really do like men’s voices) singing the great hymns and psalms of our faith?
2. Robert’s Rules of Order—I know….I know…it is sick, but there is something beautiful about hearing it wielded like a sword cutting everything to precision.
3. Unity—Few things amaze me more at General Assembly than hearing respectful and heated debate. I remember being awed by this at my first GA. Here were men arguing vigorously for things that matter, spiritual things, and yet there was always (o.k. almost always) a tone of respect and honor.
4. Seeing Like-Minded Men—It is encouraging to see a room full of like-minded men, who are ministering in every part of the United States and the world. Often we feel like we are laboring alone and it is good to be reminded that there are many faithfully believing the same thing and laboring in the same Kingdom throughout the world.
5. Seeing the Church in Action—I love seeing the Church at work during the week. This is the Church at work, though it is not as celebrated as missions or corporate worship.
6. Being reminded of the seriousness of our call—It is hard not to think Gospel ministry is serious work when you are around 1500 Presbyterians for a week!
7. Refreshment—Each year I walk away being refreshed by hearing testimonies of churches planted, missions established, and students converted. And I always walk away stimulated by conversations with new and old friends.
What to watch for at this year’s General Assembly
1. Deaconess Issue—This has become the issue of debate in recent years within the PCA. Can women be deacons? If no, then can they fulfill the roll of deacons and just not hold the office? If they can’t be ordained as Deaconesses, can they be commissioned? If women are commissioned to help and assist deacons in their work, can these women be referred to as Deaconesses? There are different overtures before the Assembly this year to attempt to define this issue one way or the other.
2. Central Funding—The PCA has no required giving to the denomination, its agencies, or committees. In the eyes of some, this has caused major problems. Each agency has to try and persuade churches to support it. In the eyes of others this is a good thing. There has always been concern in the PCA about agencies holding too much power (there is a lot of history here in Presbyterianism), so mandatory funding has been shunned. However, there is a proposal this year to require giving by churches and presbyteries to the Administrative Committee/Stated Clerk’s office or those churches (their ruling elders and pastors) would not be unable to vote at the General Assembly. This would be a big change in the PCA.
3. Strategic Plan—There is a report before the Assembly this year (which includes the Central Funding above) which purports to help prepare the PCA for future ministry and the changing times. There has been a great deal of conversation about the proposals over the past few weeks in the blogosphere. Too much to recount here. However, it is safe to say that this plan—if adopted—will have wide-ranging effects upon the PCA, its future, and its relationship with other Reformed bodies and broader Evangelicalism. Many are focused on the Deaconess issue, but the GA’s decision on this plan (the portion which it is being asked to approve) will have far wider and deeper effects upon the future of the PCA. This is the issue to watch.
The PCA has grown rather quickly over the past 37 years. It is not the same, small, southern denomination it was at its inception. And this has created great opportunities and problems. The PCA is trying to figure out what it will look like going forward. This year’s assembly will have a great deal to say about that. And I will be on the floor with my little voting card and heart bowed in prayer praying that this branch of the Lord’s Church would honor Him and continue to uphold the banner of Christ for generations.
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