As a pastor of a non-denominational church, I typically avoid comments on denominational news. However, I want you to be aware of major developments when they happen in the American church. Last week ( June 14 – 21) the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (not to be confused with the Presbyterian Church in America or PCA) was held in Detroit, Michigan.
The selected representatives agreed upon two major issues:
1. Allowing gay marriage ceremonies.
See USA Today article:
Note, that their conservative members have been leaving since 2000, and especially since 2011, which set the tone for this direction. The USA Today article states, “In 2011, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved ordaining clergy with same-sex partners. Since then, 428 of the denomination’s more than 10,000 churches have left for other more conservative denominations or have dissolved. The church now has about 1.8 million members.”
2. Divesting investment in Israel
The Wall Street Journal reports, “The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is bleeding members. Between 2000 and 2013, almost 765,000 members left the organization, a loss of nearly 30%.” Yet, they took time to vote on pulling investments from US companies that were considered “pro-Israel” out of protest to the Israeli government.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/jonathan-marks-presbyterians-join-the-anti-israel-choir-1403476490
No doubt the loss of members in the Presbyterian USA over the last ten years have left the more liberal constituents to push through these un-Biblical measures.
As a strong supporter of traditional marriage and the nation of Israel I find last week’s development almost hard to believe.
I pray all God’s people will follow truth as revealed in Scripture, and the good people of the Presbyterian USA church work this out with love within each local congregation.
Both decisions flow from a rejection of Scripture and the inability of their “Christianity” to submit to Christ’s Lordship.