43RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

2015 Report

• What: General Assembly (GA) is the highest court of the PCA. It is a business meeting, a conference, a reunion, a worship event, and a ministry expo.

• Dates: June 8-11, 2015

• Place: Chattanooga, TN

• Attendance

• 1,086 TEs; 308 REs

• 79 of 82 presbyteries represented

• First time voting recorded electronically!

PCA 2014 STATS

1. Churches & Missions: 1,831 (+23 from 2013)

2. Professions of Faith: 9,425 (+299 from 2013)

3. Membership: 358,516 (+1,318 from 2013)

4. Total Family Units: 136,849 (-477 from 2013)

PCA 2014 STATS*

5. Long Term Missionaries: 596 (-24 from 2013)

6. Two Year Missionaries: 115 (-3 from 2013)

7. Missionary Interns: 230 (-46 from 2013)

8. Two Week Missionaries: 4,599 (-211 from 2012)

9. RUF: 125 campuses in 42 states in 60 presbyteries

* 10. Less than 50% of PCA churches reported their stats. It is likely the PCA had modest growth from 2014.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES DEBATED VIA OVERTURE

• Study committee regarding details of Sabbath observance. Not approved.

• Amending baptismal vows to remove “dedication” language. Not approved.

• Require ordained officers to testify in trials when officer is accused of doctrinal error. Not approved.

• Decisions by Presbytery Judicial Commissions be final and binding. Not approved.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

• Assembly-wide seminar: How to Advance Ethnic Outreach and Ministry in the PCA

• A major theme of GA (sermons, seminars, assembly prayers)

• A number of seminars (5) where same-sex marriage, controversial gender issues, and other sexual sins were addressed

• Also discussed at Covenant College CoC and RTS lunch meetings (and probably others)

ASSEMBLY HIGHLIGHT

• Resolution regarding Civil Rights

• Introduced as a personal overture upon the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery March and the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

• Called GA to express repentance for the failure of some churches and Christians of that era to stand in solidarity with African-American brothers and sisters and for failing to pursue racial reconciliation adequately.

• This became the single issue on which GA spent the most time.

• Longest extended prayer time in the history of PCA’s GAs. Many saw it as a palpable move of the Spirit.

OTHER GA 2015 REPORTS

• PCA Stated Clerk’s summary

• http://byfaithonline.com/actions-of-the-43rd-general-assembly-of-the-pca/

• One PCA pastor’s summary

• http://theaquilareport.com/pca-general-assembly-report-2015/

• A pastor’s first-hand account of “The Protest of 2015”

• https://pastortimlecroy.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/the-protest-of-2015/