Last week I attended the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). This is our church's yearly denominational meeting, attended by church leaders - and some families - from all over the country.
One of the values of historic Presbyterianism is "connectualism." Remaining connected to other ministers, and remaining accountable, is not only our value but a biblical one. This takes place at local, regional, national, and even international church levels.
Hebrews 13 reminds us to "remember your leaders," plural. Acts 15 and Galatians 2 speak about church leaders gathering together to address concerns that crossed geographical boundaries. 2 Corinthians 8-9 speaks of a collection taken for needy Christians in another part of the globe. Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world" (Acts 1) -- and so we are united, whether we know it or not, to believers across all times and places. The body of Christ spans the globe, and our attitudes and priorities should reflect this.
At the General Assembly, I had the opportunity to hear reports from all different ministries - for example, Covenant Seminary, various church plants, and military ministries. I had the opportunity to hear a some matters of concern debated, and to vote on the outcome. But best of all, I was able to encourage and pray with fellow ministers who are facing challenging times. Sensing God's leading in this was the best part of General Assembly, and perhaps the most profound part as well.
It occurred to me today that pastors desire church members to be committed and accountable to the local church. (Revisit Hebrews 13 for the reasons why.) But it might be helpful to know that church leaders are likewise called to remain committed and accountable as well; we are not called to independence! God's too smart to let us get away with that.
* * *
NOTE: To read more about this year's General Assembly, you can visit Pastor Adam's blog here. He details the major issues and provides further links as well.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Thanks for the update, Ken. Glad it was a fruitful, God-honoring time.
On a side note, my Dad heads out to the OPC GA in early July (Seattle), pray that it will be as productive and edifying a time that you had! He's part of a diaconal committee in charge of collecting and sending funds to Darfur - putting 2 Corinthians into practice!
Post a Comment