CDM Archive

Discipleship Ministries of the PCA

Seniors' Ministries

Deacons: Leading Churches Into Pure and Undefiled Religion

by

The role of deacons is critical to the ministry of the local church. However, for some time it has suffered from a poor image. In reformed circles the office is rightly seen as one of service and helps. But with the growth of church buildings and property, deacons are often viewed more as caretakers of property and less as caretakers of people. I have talked with many deacons in recent years who have confirmed that most of their time is spent on property and repair issues. Alexander Strauch makes this significant comment in his book The New Testament Deacon, “Since the first Christians did not have buildings to maintain, the first deacons were preeminently people helpers and administrators of the church’s charity. They were ministers of mercy.” Which of these two descriptions does the Bible and the Book of Church Order (BCO) teach? Let’s briefly consider this question.

In Luke 22:27 Jesus describes himself as a deacon when He says, “But I am among you as one who serves.” He even demonstrated service in the upper room with the towel and washbasin. His miraculous works were to heal and show mercy to those suffering in body as well as soul. After the resurrection, on the road to Emmaus, His disciples described Jesus with these words, “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.” He was the perfect example of a Prophet/Servant. His redemption included the whole person and all of creation. What better incentive could deacons have than to realize that the eternal Son of God saw Himself as a deacon in the service of His heavenly Father. Nothing could bring higher esteem to the office.

BCO 9-1 says that the office of deacon is one of sympathy and service. This obviously places the significance of the office in ministry to people. In the introduction to Tim Keller’s Resources for Deacons, George Fuller says, “The office of deacon is a high calling under Jesus Christ. It is not a training ground for elders, although some deacons later become elders. It is not a secondary office; it is not unimportant. It is absolutely critical to the life of the church, in spite of often being ignored.” The last phrase of BCO 9-1 describes the office in these words, “it expresses also the communion of saints, especially in their helping one another in time of need.” This description of the office is in line with the sentiments of The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter XXVI, 1-2, on the Communion of the Saints. Deacons are called to lead the whole church in mercy ministry.

Within in the PCA, mercy ministry has taken on a rather high profile in the last several years. This has been partly due to several conferences organized by the Committee on Christian Education and Publications. The most recent conference in March 2001 was jointly sponsored by CE/P and Mission to North America. Almost six hundred people attended; only ninety-five were deacons. It seems there needs to be an awakening among pastors and deacons regarding the diaconal role in mercy ministry.

One clear wake-up call comes from BCO 9-2 where the duties of the office are described as follows:

  1. Minister to those in need, sick, friendless, and any in distress.

  2. Develop the grace of liberality in members.

  3. Devise methods of collecting gifts and distribute these gifts among objects to which they were contributed.

  4. Have care of property, and keep in proper repair.

This list of duties demonstrates again that the primary focus of deacons is ministry to people, and that property takes a secondary place. Whether you believe the seven in Acts 6 were actually the first deacons or were just the prototype of what was to follow, it is clear that they were chosen for ministry-to help the widows.

Finally, BCO 9-7 reads, “It is often expedient that the Session of a church should select and appoint godly men and women of the congregation to assist the deacons in caring for the sick, the widows, the orphans, the prisoners, and others who may be in any distress or need.” Deacons are to be out front, leading and overseeing the work of mercy ministry in the local church. It is a mistake to assign mercy ministry primarily to a team outside the diaconate. This will only reinforce the image of deacons as primarily groundkeepers and building maintenance workers.

James 1:27 says, “Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” The words “to look after” are a good description of the importance of mercy ministry and the role of deacons. Many deacons may need to revisit their call and even be retrained to fulfill the role and responsibilities of that call. This review will help correct the way the congregation sees the office and will encourage the deacons in their ministry. Then they will be able to experience what Paul wrote in I Timothy 3:13, “Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”

When Mercy Falls Through the Cracks

by

It should not be unusual for Christians to be actively concerned and involved with those around us. Our Savior lived and taught the ministry of mercy throughout His life. But, though many of our people have been “moved with compassion” (Mt. 9:36), not all of our churches have focused their organization and resources on showing mercy. A church-based mercy ministry benefits not only those who receive help but also those who show mercy by blessing them with the heart of Christ for a needy world. At Chapelgate Presbyterian Church we have rebuilt our corporate mercy ministry to work more effectively throughout our whole congregation. We hope other churches will be encouraged to join us in the quest to discover a deeper passion for mercy and develop better methods and tools for managing mercy ministries.

How Growth Fragmented Ministry

Several years ago, there were all kinds of bright spots in the Caring Ministry at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church, but nothing connected these good efforts into an effective safety net. No matter how many persons’ needs were met, too many others were falling through the cracks. Chapelgate had had a long history of faithful servants extending the love of our Lord Jesus Christ to others. But as our membership grew larger, busier, and more spread out geographically, old communication and collaboration channels broke down. Even our deacons were being asked to focus on church maintenance concerns and the problems of accommodating our growing numbers, rather than their biblical calling to service and mercy.

As Chapelgate’s mercy ministry became less effective, a great number of independent para-church ministries sprang up among our members. These good-hearted but isolated ministries did not communicate well with each other. They duplicated each other’s efforts and sometimes stepped on each other’s toes. Often people in need of help did not know that these ministries even existed. Under these conditions, the task of overseeing the pastoral care, mercy, and service needs of our congregation of 1500 members was overwhelming. There seemed to be a huge black hole of never-ending needs into which enormous efforts by disassociated caregivers disappeared. Results were haphazard. After studying our situation, we decided we could coordinate our various caring and mercy ministries by addressing three issues: Communication, Cooperation/Collaboration, and Encouragement.

Communication

Problem. Whether a particular need was made known to a pastor, church member, or receptionist, there was no guarantee that the right people would get the information so that they could address the need in an appropriate, timely, and consistent fashion. Thus, though we were sometimes thorough, other times the people in charge of filling the needs were unaware of them until it was too late. For example, in one instance we might handle a death in the family of one of our members with great care and attention, but another grieving family might only receive acknowledgement in the bulletin.

Process Solution. It was necessary to change our procedures for receiving and processing information about needs. We established a full-time Caring Coordinator position so that one person receives all information about needs in the congregation and the community. No matter where the information originates, the congregation and staff know they must contact the Caring Coordinator immediately as a first step toward meeting the need. As simple as this sounds, having just one person (and one computer system) process all requests dramatically improves the consistency of our care giving.

It took time and constant reminders to re-train the congregation to call or email the Caring Office, but soon everyone began to notice the benefits of having a central clearing house where information can be obtained on any ministry in process. We call the organization of all our pastoral care and mercy ministries our Caring Umbrella. Our caring and mercy ministries form a big circle, like an umbrella with spokes radiating from a center point (the Caring Office) out to the edge of a big protective canopy that shelters the lives of those in our community. The ministries operate interdependently, through the network provided by the Caring Office, which is composed of the Caring Coordinator, a pastor, and the Pastoral Care Management System “ShepherdWorks.” Information about needs flows not only up and down the spokes, but also in a collaborative fashion between the different ministries that make up the fabric of the Caring Umbrella.

ShepherdWorks Solution. While appointing a Caring Coordinator helped untangle the inconsistencies in our care delivery, we still needed a computerized Pastoral Care Management System to facilitate caring coordination. We needed a central repository of information about the resources of all the different mercy ministries (the people who were providing care, their skills, the goods and services they had and the ones they needed, etc.) and the demands that were placed on these resources. After a few false starts with a simple home-grown database, we saw that it would take a more sophisticated system to manage the day-to-day operations of our network of mercy ministries.

After conducting an exhaustive search of available software programs for pastoral care management, we realized that we would have to design and develop our own application to provide our mercy ministries with the requisite functionality. ShepherdWorks, the result of several years of development, is designed for both small and large churches. It can augment the work of a full-time Caring Coordinator, but it can also empower other staff or volunteers to perform caring coordination.

Moreover, ShepherdWorks will support many concurrent ministry users. It will be accessible through the World-Wide Web over the Internet, making it possible for mercy ministry workers, church staff, pastors, deacons and elders to collect, organize and maintain mercy information from anywhere in the world through a standard Web browser on an ordinary computer with an Internet connection. Participating churches and mercy organizations create, modify, store and retrieve their data over the Internet in a completely secure environment without having to purchase any software or maintain an expensive and complicated computer network infrastructure. ShepherdWorks will bring to faith-based organizations tools that promote communication, collaboration and coordination hitherto only available to corporate enterprises, but at a fraction of the cost.

Cooperation/Collaboration (Networking)

Problem. We found that some of our ministries were trying to handle problems that were addressed more appropriately by some other ministry. For example, if a caregiver delivered a meal and discovered a transportation problem, he might try on his own to find someone to repair the car instead of referring the matter to the transportation ministry.Essentially, we were faced with the kinds of needs that represent the challenge of collaboration in many group efforts. How do we:

  • find the right persons to perform a particular job?

  • inform others about problems and potential solutions?

  • monitor the current status of a problem-solving effort?

  • determine who tackled a particular problem and what exactly was done?

  • capture past experience in dealing with problems so we can apply the acquired knowledge to future cases?

Process Solution. The Caring Office has established and maintains a network among our various ministries to eliminate redundancy. The Coordinator has been able to foster cooperation between the various ministries so that each one works on the part of a problem that relates to its ministry, yet in concert with all those involved. Caregivers avoid frustration and the time they invest brings greater tangible results.

ShepherdWorks Solution. ShepherdWorks will offer a plethora of features that provide our ministries with the following collaborative functionality: shared content (ministry documents and discussions maintained in a central location, document revisions/versions tracked); shared sense of time (group calendars and Gantt charts capture task assignments, project milestones and meeting schedules; real-time, on-line awareness and chat facilities allow instant contact among ministry staff; automatic email notification); shared workflow (process management tools monitor status and control the orderly completion of tasks within a ministry project); shared knowledge (ad hoc processes may be captured and re-used in future projects).ShepherdWorks empowers mercy ministry staff to work together, exchange information, ask questions, find answers, and perform complex tasks with accountability as individuals and as members of teams.

Encouragement

Problem. Ministry leaders were often overwhelmed by the number of people under their personal care. Even when they felt equal to the needs they were serving, they felt they were working in a vacuum, unsupported and unacknowledged, without feedback from the church.

Solution. The Caring Team makes sure that our ministry leaders know they are not working alone, and that they are not required to meet all the needs of an individual or family. Our ministries provide great encouragement to one another as they work together to resolve a need. In particular, we support and encourage our shepherding elders and deacons by letting the congregation know that shepherding takes place when all the different ministries work together in concert with the oversight of an elder and deacon. No elder or his deacon counterpart can meet all the needs of those under his care. False expectations of shepherding can occur when the person being cared for assumes that one caregiver possesses all the gifts and resources to meet his need. The Caring Coordinator can explain that he must allow others to provide appropriate care for him in the name of Christ and His under shepherds. Now when a ministry is detailed to help a family, the elder is in continual communication, through the Caring Coordinator, concerning what is taking place in the life of those under his care. As the shepherding elders and deacons are kept abreast of a particular situation, they can come alongside their charge in appropriate and timely ways.

Blessings of a Well-Organized Mercy Ministry

In addition to all the benefits described above, the records of the Caring Coordinator and ShepherdWorks save us from having to reinvent the wheel. Good reporting and feedback provide the information needed to design a workflow path that can be used the next time a similar situation presents itself. Capturing the workflow and expertise of skilled caregivers enables us to maintain the same level of care even when we lose an expert caregiver for some reason.As we have organized our corporate mercy ministry, we have maximized the effectiveness. Enabling our members to more effectively express Christ’s love to our neighbors will be the true measure of a successful mercy ministry.

Pure Religion

by

Since the first congregational meeting was called in first century Jerusalem to elect seven spiritually qualified men to serve as deacons and focus on deeds of mercy and kindness, the church has been committed to meeting the needs of those inside and outside the church. From church history we learn that the expressions of love and service have been stronger at some times than at others. This is one of the moments, especially in the Presbyterian Church in America, when the pendulum is swinging to the stronger side.

In September 1999 Christian Education and Publications, through its Women In the Church ministry, held a mercy ministry conference in Atlanta for four thousand women. In March 2001, CE&P and Mission to North America jointly sponsored “The Call of the Gospel: Sharing Christ, Showing Mercy” conference for six hundred men and women. (Ninety-five deacons attended.) The CE&P / MNA partnership was a natural because CE&P is the training arm of the church and is also responsible for women’s ministry at the denominational level, and MNA coordinates mercy ministries.

The PCA, seeking to obey the Spirit and the Word, and to understand and apply the whole counsel of God, believes that it must demonstrate a heart of mercy towards those in need. The CE&P and MNA staffs are convinced that without a strong Christian presence demonstrating ministries of mercy and justice that the church will not be effective in meeting people’s legitimate needs. Nor will we have a positive witness to the postmodern world of young people who are looking for authentic and genuine evidence of the Christian faith in people’s lives.

In the opening remarks at the conference I quoted the late Francis Schaeffer who wrote in The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century, that unless young people see the church demonstrating community, compassion, love, and mercy, they will not listen to our message-nor should they! Those words were written thirty years ago. How true they are today when at least two generations of young people (around 130 million) are looking for that kind of reality.

Mercy ministry is vital in applying our biblical faith, especially while the organized church struggles to maintain its identity and to be intentional in its mission. We must determine to present the truth of God, centered in the Gospel in a way that touches people’s lives at the deepest level. There was a period in the twentieth century when the church was hesitant to involve itself in areas commonly called “social needs,” because of the liberal extremes of those proclaiming a social gospel. However, men like John R Stott and Francis Schaeffer, movements such as the Lausanne Conference on World Evangelization, and organizations like Prison Fellowship Ministries, called for Christians to see the challenge to minister the people’s physical and spiritual needs. Of course, that has been God’s heart all along: in the Old Testament when the priest represented a concern for peoples’ needs, in the New Testament when the office of deacon was officially established, and periodically demonstrated throughout church history.

While we must not overly boast, because we are only scratching the surface, it was clear to those at the conference that a host of mercy ministries are going on the PCA. Some are being done quietly without fanfare, others are more organized and visible, and still others genuinely want to learn how to move in this direction. It is encouraging to see the growing interest in this vital expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a hurting and needy world. Several churches presented their ministries through seminars and displays. Dan Faber presented the model used by Chapelgate PCA in Marriottsville, Maryland. The lead article in this issue is a summary of that presentation and gives an example of what one PCA church is doing to sensitize, mobilize, and equip its people for mercy ministry.

The Changeless Truths article, by Richard Aeschliman, discusses the office of deacon and its importance in the life of the church. Deacons should not focus their attention merely on the physical church plant, but particularly on the lives and needs of the people in the church and community. The Book of Church Order reflects our biblical understanding of diaconal ministry, sometimes referred to as mercy ministry. While it is the work of the whole church, deacons are the focal point of that ministry. The BOCO states that local church sessions should appoint godly men and women to work together and assist the deacons in the ministry of mercy.

CE&P’s emphasis has been to help local churches better coordinate their diaconal ministries with gifted men and women working together just as the BOCO, reflecting Scripture, suggests. We hope to have more conferences to raise the level of awareness, provide training, and help network mercy ministries within the PCA. The CE&P office has resources that can be used in this task. We hope soon to develop a communication network among deacons in local churches as well as more cooperation and partnership with the Women In the Church.

Elsie Anne McKee in her book Diakonia in the Classical Reformed Tradition and Today, wrote, “Christian concern for the suffering of the world is not a new development, but the church’s role of providing service to the afflicted has sometimes been neglected. Christians have frequently stood out as shining examples of self-forgetful compassion and many more have labored quietly in their daily tasks to relieve the poor, sick, and oppressed. These individuals have frequently felt that the church has given them very little support, guidance, and even recognition.” May that not be true in the PCA!

While the church ministry is multifaceted (home missions, world missions, education, training, etc.), we firmly believe that the church must be the church before the watching world or we will never claim its attention, as Schaeffer so eloquently stated. Through our training resources, publications, such as Equip for Ministry, the Bulletin Supplement, the WIC Resource Letter, and CE&P Website (www.pcanet.org/cep), we hope to continue to challenge, share ideas, and network resources to make the PCA even more effective in Sharing Christ and Showing Mercy.

Passing on the PCA Distinctives to the Next Generation

by

As the Coordinator of Christian Education and Publications and as one who was involved in the development of the Presbyterian Church in America, I am often asked, “What is distinctive about the PCA? Why did you leave the mainline denomination to form a smaller one?” There are multitudes of denominations of all stripes. That’s nothing new (although denominationalism is basically a modern, Western phenomenon). There are numerous Presbyterian denominations, some older and even one or two younger than the PCA.

Why the PCA? What is distinctive about it? It is good to ask these questions periodically to remind ourselves where we came from and how our past impacts our present and future. During my years of serving the church, I have seen that the PCA has meant somewhat different things to different people. Two articles published on pcanews.com last year reflected two somewhat different perspectives of the PCA. Yet I believe that there are five areas that distinguish the PCA. As I describe them I do not want simply to major on the past, as though it were isolated from the present. We can make an idol of the past and miss the present, just as easily as we can idolize the present moment and forget the past.

In abbreviated form, the distinctives are these: The PCA is first and foremost committed to the triune God revealed in the Bible, and committed to the Bible as the “only rule of faith and life.” Second, the PCA is a confessional church. Its basic beliefs are reflected in those doctrines set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. Third, the PCA is a connectional church, as implied by the word “Presbyterian.” Not only are individual Christians added to the church, the body of Christ, but also each church is connected with other similar churches. Fourth, the PCA takes seriously the idea of the parity of elders. Governance in the Presbyterian system is shared, not hierarchical. And, fifth, the PCA has intentionally taken the great commission of our Lord most seriously. There are other things that are unique about the PCA, but these are the five that primarily answer the questions above. Let’s consider them more fully.

The Authority of Scripture

First, the PCA recognizes the authority of the Bible. That authority is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which we believe to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God. We take the Bible seriously. There is no equivocation on the concept that the Bible is the authoritative and revealed will of God for his people. We believe that it contains special revealed truth about the Triune God that we will not find in any other source. It tells us what God wants us to know and to believe. (WCF, I).

Because truth matters and is more than subjective opinion, God selected and led “holy men” of old to write the Word of God. The Bible is true because it is God’s Word and it is God’s Word because it is true. Attempts to undermine the Bible’s authority are always before the church-our enemy sees to that. Nonetheless, we can be pleased to be a part of a church that takes the Bible seriously. As a matter of historical fact, we are the first Presbyterian denomination to require teaching and ruling elders and deacons to affirm by a vow that they believe the Bible to be the inerrant and inspired Word of God. (Book of Church Order, 24-5). It is not simply men’s words about God, but God speaking through his Spirit. We believe that the Holy Spirit who inspired the authors to write these words works in people’s lives to open their minds and hearts to God’s truth revealed in the Bible.

Though we do not believe that the Bible contains all of God’s truth (he has written another book-general revelation), we believe the Bible is our standard for faith and life (WCF I, 2). It is the plumb line by which we judge all matters of religion and life. Because the Bible is God’s book, we say without hesitation that anything that contradicts the Bible (properly interpreted) is wrong. God’s Word is true.

The authority of Scripture was important to the PCA in 1973 but does it matter today?Yes, and perhaps more so as postmodernism emphasizes that truth is relative or is whatever you want it to be. In a recent interview on C-Span, a well-known Harvard law professor said you cannot know what is right, you can only know what is wrong. But we can know what is right because the Bible tells us. People continually testify to how God uses the Bible to change their lives, to shine his light in the darkness, or help them develop a worldview that enables them to see reality as it is. Lives are being transformed by its truth. Gratefully, the PCA has made the Bible its foundation and does not hesitate to teach that to all five generations.

A Confessional Commitment

Second, the PCA is a confessional church. Its system of doctrine is set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms written in the 1640s. This Confession connects us with the churches down through the years that have embraced that system of doctrine. Church officers are required to submit to the Westminster Standards and to believe that the system of doctrine they contain best reflects in summary form what the Bible teaches.

Of course, only the Bible is infallible and the confessional Standards must not be elevated to the same level. They can be, and have been, changed at certain points. This is one of the strengths of the Confession: it teaches in the first chapter that the final authority in matters of faith and life is the Bible.Alister McGrath made a point about the historic creeds of Christendom which I would apply to our confessional statements: while they unify us around certain understandings of biblical teaching on key topics, they can also encourage a more serious study of the Bible. Like the ancient creeds, we believe that the Westminster Standards give us a summary of some of the main tenets of the Christian faith. They do not address every biblical doctrine, and were written to deal with certain topics at a particular point in history, and are subject to the higher authority of Scripture. Nonetheless, they draw us, within the reformed, Calvinistic family, together with a common doctrinal understanding.

There is genuine commitment to our confessional Standards within the PCA, though there are different degrees of commitment and understanding. Some believe that the Confession is the system with all of its parts essential to the whole. Others believe it contains the system of doctrine and not each part is essential to that system. That diversity is not unique to the PCA but reflects historic Presbyterianism as well. B.B. Warfield and J. Gresham Machen are two familiar examples.

What has maintained the PCA’s high level of commitment to those Standards has been the agreement that it is not up to the individual officers to determine what is essential to the system, but rather it is a collective judgment made by the courts to whom the officers are accountable.Our confessional commitment was important to the PCA in 1973, but does it matter today?Yes, it still matters that the PCA is committed to those confessional Standards. Even considering the different levels of commitment and understanding of the Standards, the history of the PCA’s actions reveal the consistency of our doctrinal commitment. The actions of the church courts and the preaching and teaching of the word reflect that confessional commitment. While the PCA continues to reflect the different views stated above, we are distinguished by our commitment to those Standards.

This commitment may matter more today as postmodernism continues to sweep through our culture suggesting that beliefs are merely individual matters and choices and that no one can insist that others believe just like they do. Each person becomes his or her own standard; hence, the Bible is privately interpreted and the church’s doctrinal system is disregarded. People are free to believe and interpret those beliefs in their own way. In this context, our confessional Standards become a good unifying check and balance. They keep us in touch with the church that has gone before us in history.

Connectionalism

Third, the PCA is a connectional church. Not only are we joined together by a common faith and doctrinal understanding, but also by a common view of the church. We believe that churches do not exist independently of each other. They are joined together with churches that share a common faith and doctrinal commitment. Presbyterianism not only indicates a particular style or form of government but also a connectional approach.

Connectionalism was important to the PCA in 1973, but does it matter today?Yes, and even more so because we have been reminded of the need to see ourselves as part of something larger than ourselves. Coming out of the influence of modernity with its emphasis on privatization and individualism, the PCA seeks to reflect its connection with the Church universal throughout the ages. Plus we continue to see the need to come together and help each other better understand God’s truth. Whether it is demonstrated by a presbytery-wide men’s retreat, a mercy ministry conference for four thousand women, or a summer camp for young people, our connectionalism allows us to benefit from each other’s strengths and offset each other’s weaknesses, and it reminds us that we are a part of a larger whole.

Parity of Elders

Fourth, the PCA believes in the parity of elders. Churches are led and overseen not only by the ordained clergy but by ordained laymen as well. One of the great doctrines that resurfaced with the Protestant Reformation was the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. As the Apostle Paul stated, “there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus….” Our entry into God’s presence does not require any human hierarchical priesthood. Christ has invited us as individuals to come. However, the keys of the kingdom, referred to by Jesus in Matthew 16, were given to the elders of the church.

The PCA recognizes that there are two types of elders: teaching elders and ruling elders. Both have equal authority in overseeing and shepherding the Church. Though the PCA gave the concept a unique interpretation by requiring that an equal number of ruling and teaching elders serve on its standing committees, the idea of equal authority was present from the beginning. One of the concerns that led to the formation of the PCA was that the Presbyterian system of governance as practiced in the mainline church was becoming increasingly hierarchical in its practice.

Parity of elders was important in to the PCA in 1973, but does it matter today? Once again the answer is yes. A problem has developed that could threaten this principle of parity and the grassroots nature of the PCA. Fewer ruling elders are participating in the General Assembly and presbytery sessions. That has caused a larger number of clergy to speak and rule at those levels. With postmodernism’s challenge to authority and the strong reaction of the younger generations against what they perceive as authoritarian leaders who lord over people, the concept of parity and the priesthood of all believers is necessary to keep the laity involved in oversight of the church and ministry.

The Great Commission

Fifth, the PCA began with a strong commitment to the Great Commission-to evangelism at home and abroad, and to education and discipleship. The PCA has always demonstrated an aggressive evangelism and church growth strategy, and an educational and world missions and emphasis. At a recent weekend conference, I heard a testimony about a church where 80 percent of the members had become Christians in the last ten years. While most of the PCA’s growth has been from what we call transfer growth, we must continue to emphasize a strong evangelistic concern. Much of the growth that has come from evangelism, has been a result of personal evangelistic efforts.

The Great Commission was important to the PCA in 1973, but does it matter today?Again, a resounding yes. We must reflect a concern for the lost and for discipling those who profess faith in Christ. In a culture permeated by change, instability, and ambiguity, we must confidently declare the hope offered in the gospel. We must be able to give a reason for what we believe. We cannot afford to loose this distinctive lest we fail to challenge those without faith in Christ to believe in him and his Gospel.

There are definite demonstrations of unity in these five distinctives. Yet the PCA is a diverse denomination. Some are more focused on world missions, while others are committed to church growth and evangelism. Others have demonstrated a high level of commitment to discipling members in the Christian faith. Some have held to a broader or more universal view of the church while others have been more restrictive. Some have supported parachurch ministries, while others have questioned the validity of ministries not under the governance of the courts.

There have also been diverse understandings of certain specifics not essential to the life and health of the church. For example, in the recent debates over the “days of creation” the unifying point was commitment to the historical account of creation recorded in Scripture. The debates never questioned the authority of the Scriptures. The point of diversity was how to interpret the “days.” Worship is another example. When the PCA was organized, part three of the Book of Church Order relating to worship was written to reflect our unifying commitment to follow the Bible in the implementation of corporate worship, and freedom in practice which gave rise to a diversity of forms of worship. The role of women in church ministry has been another area where there is a unifying principle that ordination to office is for qualified men; however, there is diversity in the way PCA churches involve women in that ministry.

A strong commitment to and unity on these five distinctives, combined with flexibility on second level issues of polity implementation, has and will hold the PCA together and keep the church moving forward and growing. In Book Four of the Institutes of the Christian Religion Calvin reminds us that not all doctrines are of equal importance, and he gives examples of those that are and are not essential. That is the key to maintaining our integrity and commitment to that which God led us to establish in 1973, to maintain in 2001, and to grow in the 21st century.

Some have recently claimed that the church has begun to emphasize one or two of its distinctives at the expense of the others, and in some isolated incidents that may be true. Some have focused on a part rather than the whole. But when we evaluate the PCA at large, the five distinctives continue to define who we are. We must work to maintain that wholeness. We do not want to turn off or turn away the rising generations to which we were committed when we formed the PCA. Communicating a legalistic hard line view of Christianity, which is impossible to maintain, is the surest way I know to lose the rising generations that God has called us to disciple. I believe our greatest challenge at this moment in history is to demonstrate a commitment to our distinctives and a willingness to give one another room for diversity.