Dear Hope Church,
From June 19-23, I was able to participate in our denomination’s annual business and worship gathering, called the General Assembly, in Birmingham, Alabama, where we heard reports from our denominational committees and agencies and voted on various requests (which are called “overtures”) from presbyteries. (For those who are new to or unfamiliar with the PCA or the way our system of government works, this might be helpful.)
Believe it or not, General Assembly is one of my favorite times of the year. While the business portion can be exhausting, reconnecting with friends and seminary classmates is sweet and the worship times are beautiful (imagine 4000 people in a room singing “Arise, My Soul, Arise” at the top of their lungs and being fed with some of the best preaching in the PCA). Not to mention, exploring the food options in a new city is always very fun. For those who are unfamiliar with Birmingham, I would highly recommend it for its culinary and beverage offerings, its Civil Rights history, and its affordability as a mid-sized city.
I’ll try not to bore you with too many details, but I would like to highlight a few of the major actions that took place throughout the week:
- Report on Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault: Back in 2019, our General Assembly requested that a committee be put together to study the topic of domestic abuse and sexual assault (DASA) and provide the PCA with “pastoral resources for the care of victims of these sins, as well as ministry and counsel for those overtaken by these sins.” That DASA committee was populated with seven PCA elders, as well as five women who specialize in abuse. Among those women are Rachael Denhollander, who is one of the well-known gymnasts to testify against USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, and Dr. Diane Langberg, a psychologist who has written several books on the topics of suffering and abuse. The DASA committee presented their report in Birmingham, and I’m very pleased with their hard work to educate our denomination on how to care well for victims. You can read the report in full here.
- Letter on Abortion / Lifeline Children’s Services: Of course, this past week was filled with the news of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but what’s interesting is that the day before that took place, our Assembly approved the distribution of a letter to government officials, humbly petitioning them to “take any and all legal measures to protect the lives of unborn and newly-born babies from the brutality of abortion and infanticide.” Although there were votes that were heavily debated throughout the week, this is one that our entire Assembly agreed upon. (You can read the amended letter here.) Furthermore, the Assembly wholeheartedly commended Lifeline Children’s Services, which is a faith-based organization that assists with adoption, foster and orphan care, counseling, and training.
- Departing the National Association of Evangelicals: The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) is an organization which aims to “honor God by connecting and representing evangelical Christians.” The PCA has been a member of the NAE for many years, but there have been concerns in recent years that the NAE is taking political positions with which our denomination is not in full agreement. Therefore, the Assembly voted to withdraw from the NAE. Although this will most likely have very little impact on Hope Church, I am hoping that our denomination will choose to join with other gospel-centered denominations in the near future, for the sake of unity and mission.
- Sexual Ethics: Perhaps the most intense moments were the speeches made for and against overtures that seek to address ministers and elders who struggle with homoerotic desires. Although our denomination holds to the historic Christian ethic on homosexuality and gay marriage, over the last several years there has been debate regarding Christians who identify as gay but remain celibate. (You can read more about the history of this controversy here.) The Birmingham Assembly approved three overtures that add language to our Book of Church Order which would address these controversial issues. These overtures will now be sent to our presbyteries for further approval, which means that the PCA could certainly use your prayer on these matters over the next several months. While I affirm the PCA’s doctrine on human sexuality, my hope is that we can move forward with both truth and charity, humbly guiding our churches toward holiness in sexuality while also repenting of the ways we’ve failed to love our LBGTQ neighbors.
- Electing Our First African American MNA Coordinator: Over the last 20 years, the PCA has worked hard to bring meaningful diversity to both our membership and our leadership. In the last several years, we’ve had a study committee report on racial reconciliation, repented of sins committed during the Civil Rights Era, and elected our first Asian American and African American moderators. That African American moderator, Dr. Irwyn Ince, has now been officially approved as our denomination’s coordinator for Mission to North America (MNA). MNA is our agency that enables us to reach our neighbors with the gospel through church planting, disaster response, ESL ministry, and engaging with those who are disabled, among a host of other things. I was privileged to serve on the Assembly committee that recommended Dr. Ince and look forward to his leadership.
Last but not least, I stayed an extra day in Birmingham to celebrate the marriage of Jackson Cole to Anna Hogewood. Jackson was one of our Summer 2021 interns and recently graduated from Wake Forest. He is now off to begin an RUF internship at UNC Chapel Hill (more information here).
I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank you, Hope Church, as your financial support enables me to attend the General Assembly each year. I’m so grateful for your generosity and consider it an honor to be one of Hope’s representatives for our denomination.
Peace,
Ethan
If you would like to read a full list of actions of the PCA’s 49th General Assembly, you can do so here.)