The Ideal General Assembly
Another discussion topic: partly because Spring seems to be a tough time to get pastors and church planters to write new material and partly because we sometimes like it better this way.
Many of you have no doubt been making preparations for the 2009 PCA G.A. in Disneyworld. (It’s true!) You’ve also been hearing about all the issues coming down the pike. Without necessarily devolving into the inevitable debate about the merits of whatever-current-controversy is storming toward us each year, we’d like to hear from you about your ideal G.A. That is, let’s get a little bit day-dreamy and imaginative here, perhaps even ‘unrealistic’. What different would have to happen at G.A. for you to come home refreshed, renewed, and grateful in a way and to a level you might not have experienced before? Would the G.A. speak to or rule on certain topics that don’t normally come before us? Would it be certain seminars or ministerial fellowships outside of official business? Particular resources provided for your ministry? Better whole-family involvement? An afternoon at the Holy Land Experience? Etc. Think outside the box and let us know what you’d like from G.A. if you could plan it. What would make for your ideal General Assembly?
Posted: April 25th, 2009 under Denominational.
Comments
Comment from Ken Pierce
Time April 28, 2009 at 9:58 am
What Tim said. Right now, there is no voice, no discussion, no deliberation. Too large. Too little time.
And, there is precious little soul food.
It is a combination of show and incredibly irrelevant business meeting.
So feed the soul and be a true church council.
PRoblem solved.
Comment from Clyde Godwin
Time April 28, 2009 at 10:34 am
GA has improved so much from when I was first ordained in 1980.
Ah…I took a nap and I dreamed…
Day 1 - Worship and Fasting and Prayer for Gospel renewal and reformation and revival
9-11 Worship and the Lord’s Table
11-1 Repentance for the Church’s sins and failures
1-3 Regional prayer groups for NA church planting
3-5 Regional prayer groups for Global church planting
7-10 Big Rivendell party - Celebrate what God, the Father is doing
Day 2 Serve the Host City with mercy
All 1000+ delegates would be required to serve in building a habitat home, cleaning up the streams, etc
Day 3 Business of Assembly
Day 4 Presbyterys meet by state or region to dream and reclaim the Grand Cause with compelling visions for reaching the lost
Then I woke with Obstinate and Pliable by my side…
Comment from Sam DeSocio
Time April 28, 2009 at 8:32 pm
This will be my first GA, and I am just looking forward to seeing how everything works. I was in the RPCNA and their Synod is very small compared to our GA.
Comment from Nathaniel Ruland
Time May 1, 2009 at 7:46 am
Hmmm….I’d have to say ‘Disneyworld’ comes pretty close.
Comment from Gary Purdy
Time May 1, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I’d like to go to Clyde’s GA! Yet I am encouraged by what i’ve heard of the Central Florida presbytery and hopeful that their growing fellowship will color our time in Orlando.
Comment from Cal Boroughs
Time May 5, 2009 at 7:10 am
Since we are dreaming - my ideal would be a GA that included the EPC and was delegated.
Comment from Shawn Doud
Time May 6, 2009 at 9:32 am
I’ll just ditto Clyde Godwin, hold my breath, pass out, wake up and watch the live feed. GA attendance doesn’t seem to fit with the mission to reach North America. We’ll spend the $2000+ on our church planting project. http://www.newcitychurchcalgary.com
Comment from Nathaniel Ruland
Time May 6, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Cal,
I could be wrong about 2009 but I’m pretty sure that in the past GA includes a representative from each of the smaller congregations represented by NAPARC. So, the EPC does have a voice, albeit small.
Comment from Nathaniel Ruland
Time May 6, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Tim,
Could you differentiate between an assembly and a convention? Perhaps I’m dense but I don’t understand “both smaller and larger than what we have now”.
Comment from Cal Boroughs
Time May 8, 2009 at 7:31 am
Nathaniel,
The EPC is not a member of NAPARC and the PCA does not have fraternal relations with them but rather observer status. For me, while dreaming, I would like to see the PCA and EPC united together. Just a dream - but seems to me to be a rather pleasant one.
Comment from Craig Higgins
Time May 8, 2009 at 7:37 am
Great words, Clyde! Let us pray….
Comment from Nathaniel Ruland
Time May 9, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Cal,
Your’re right. And boy was I wrong. Why do you think that the EPC is not a member of NAPARC? Do you think it’s due to different perspectives on women in ministry mostly?
Comment from tim keller
Time April 28, 2009 at 7:51 am
Two things:
1. Any dreams will probably stay just dreams. In my lifetime there has been nothing harder in the PCA than to try to change the General Assembly.
2. My ideal assembly would be a delegated assembly that would overlap and parallel a convention. That way you could have the great advantages of a longer, more deliberative, and more representative (than we have now) Assembly, combined with the advantages of broader ranger of speakers, seminars, theological debates and dialogues, exhibits, and so on. It would be both smaller and larger than what we have now.