Robert L. Howard, Chairman
Presbyterian Lay Committee
New Year’s resolutions have become so trivialized that they may not seem appropriate within the Church. But the chaos of 21st century culture should cause Presbyterian leaders to resolve anew to do what the Church is called to do.
The recent examination and ordination of new elders reminded me that exactly 40 years ago I was first called to serve as elder in the PCUSA. During those 40 years, dramatic and accelerating change has caused virtually every institution and discipline to either reinvent itself or dwindle into irrelevancy. The PCUSA, like most mainline denominations dominated by liberal theology in the ’60s and ’70s, has consistently lost members and influence, while the evangelical churches have experienced phenomenal growth worldwide.
As the PCUSA renewal movement has grown during the last two decades, some overdue change has occurred. But incremental changes spread over decades will not be enough for our denomination to remain relevant to a culture that reinvents itself every five to 10 years. As nature abhors a vacuum, so society longs to fill the void created by postmodern nihilism. Historic Christian faith provides the only effective way to fill that spiritual vacuum. But the PCUSA will be unable to help society fill that void if we continue to do business as usual.
Presbyterians cannot continue to neglect fulfilling the Great Commission just because we are uncomfortable doing evangelism. We cannot continue to play church while the world burns with hatred and yearns for an authentic demonstration of Christian faith. We cannot continue to spend our energy and resources at General Assemblies that look and act like political conventions. We cannot continue to allow secular agendas to dominate the dockets of our solemn convocations.
It is time for all who are called to be servant-leaders of the Church, deacons, elders and ministers alike, to repeat and faithfully live out our ordination vows (
Book of Order, G-14.0207 and G-14.0405b) as personal New Year’s resolutions. Just think what the Presbyterian Church (USA) would be if all our leaders were servants who really believed that the Scriptures
are the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ and that our Reformed confessions
are reliable expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do. If we genuinely trusted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of all and head of the Church, then, we
would be governed by our polity,
would graciously abide by its discipline, and
would be a friend among colleagues in ministry, working together subject to the ordering of God’s Word and Spirit.
Such resolutions sincerely made and conscientiously kept would truly transform the Presbyterian Church (USA) and empower it to transform the world. The burning question is –
will you renew and keep such resolutions?
Robert L. Howard of Wichita, Kan., is chairman of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.