'Meet Me in St. Louis'
The 26th Presbyterian Church in America General Assembly
gets set to meet in the Gateway City. Silver anniversary celebrations
are on the agenda. The business sessions promise to contain controversial
items, including discussion of Creation; church planting in the
West; women in combat; and Interchurch Relations.
Church Planting in the West
Northern California Presbytery's proposed doubling of its territory
is being opposed by Central Georgia and Grace Presbyteries.
Those two Deep South presbyteries are also raising concerns regarding
worship practices and philosophy of ministry evident especially
in Utah, particularly at New Song-Salt Lake, a PCA mission work
in downtown Salt Lake City. To understand the story behind the
story, click on: The Saga of Jason Wallace;
A Closer Look at New Song-Salt Lake;
Interview with New Song's Jeffrey Szakonyi; Following the Money Trail;
One Family's Experience with New Song-Salt Lake;
New Song's Unique Sacramental Practices;
A Baptism in Utah; Ordination Day at New Song-Salt Lake;
Lewis Ruff on New Song-Salt Lake; and An Incomplete Interview with Cortez Cooper.
[We would also call the reader's attention to the Editor's Note on the New Song-Salt Lake Articles.]
'Failure' at Church Planting
A minister in the Christian Reformed Church draws some startling
conclusions regarding 'success' in church planting.
Creation Debate Heats Up
Covenant Theological Seminary President Dr. Bryan Chapell has
raised the stakes in the debate over Creation, especially regarding
the meaning of 'day' in Genesis 1. Westminster Presbytery's bold declaration
has also upped the ante.
Turning the World Upside Down
Is the church a secret society? Constitutional expert Vaughn Hathaway
discusses the implications if church court minutes are regarded
as private.
Editorials
The Editor offers Sympathy for New Song-Salt Lake,
Conscience Bound, and A Complaint by Any Other Name . . . .
Letters to the Editor
Among the topics of interest to our readers are the
following: Thankfulness for the News; the Heartland Matter; Political
and Ecclesiastical Secession; Frank Brock's Speech at NAPARC;
and League of the South.
Lawful and Unlawful Orders
A ruling elder in Ft. Collins, CO, Rich Blinne disagrees with
the Editor on the extent of church authority.
Rocky Mountain Rules Bruce Nickoley 'Not Guilty'
Rocky Mountain Presbytery declared Bruce Nickoley to be 'not guilty',
by virtue of lack of jurisdiction.
Bearing Testimony Before a Government Panel
Captain Robert Miller (USN, Retd.), a PCA ruling
elder, testified before a government panel looking into the role
of women in the military.
Greenville Seminary Inaugurates New President
Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary inaugurated
Dr. Joseph Pipa as its new President.
Interested Groups Meet
Concerned Presbyterians
meet in Greenville, SC, and Briarwood Presbyterian in Birmingham
hosts a special meeting of people with a more 'moderate' agenda.
News from the Presbyteries . . .
Ascension, Eastern
Canada, Eastern Carolina, Northeast,
Philadelphia, Southeast Alabama,
Southern Florida,
Tennessee Valley, and Westminster are covered
in this issue. [Please note: the supplying of the names and addresses
of the presbytery stated clerks does NOT imply that they were
the direct source of the information upon which the stories are
based.]
Louisiana Presbytery Responds to Bob Vincent
Former PCA minister Robert Vincent had left Louisiana
Presbytery because of his concerns regarding theonomy and the
advocacy of political secession by members of that presbytery.
At its April meeting, Louisiana responded to Mr. Vincent.
Teaching Elder Jim O'Brien has founded a new ministry,
dedicated to "bringing to light what our fathers knew and
we have forgotten."
Harvard Witnesses Debate Between John Robbins and a Resident Atheist
Under the sponsorship of Hope for Harvard, an organization
founded by the PCA's chaplain at Harvard, a debate was held on
April 4th between a noted Reformed apologist (of the Gordon Clark
school) and an atheist.
Veteran Mission to the World missionary Hugh Wessel
shares his concern regarding his daughter.