 
Presbyterian Forum: PCUSA evangelicals on the Internet Presbybob is (a) a Calvinist hairdo, (b) an old-fashioned, down by the riverside dunking, or (c) the E-mail address of a high-tech lawyer-seminarian who is the co-custodian for a web site that has become central station for evangelical PCUSA surfers. By John H. Adams Well, if you guessed (a) or (b), close enough, but the real Presbybob is Robert (Bob) Davis, a born-again techie who, while orators are thundering away, has a remarkable talent for inputting their torrents almost as fast as they spout them. At the Syracuse General Assembly and the Dallas Gathering (of Presbyterian evangelicals), Davis set up shop near high traffic lanes, recorded events, speeches and sermons on his laptop computer, and whisked the product into HTML format for display on a flash-as-fast-as-he-can-type TV screen. And Davis is lightning fast. But there’s more. This is not just fun and games; it’s evangelicalism for Presbyterians via the Internet. To be certain, Presbyterian evangelicals are behind the learning curve in their use of the Internet to convey their faith and views about the denomination. Meanwhile, the denomination’s headquarters has a top-drawer web site that dutifully applauds Presbyterian leaders and provides a winsome portrayal of denominational policies and activities. Davis and his fellow staff member, David Moore, tell what is often the other side of a story out of a web site called The Presbyterian Review (sponsored by an independent group called The Presbyterian Forum). You get there by going to: http://www.frii.com/~mvpc/gaweb While the address may not be user-friendly, its contents are. When there is action afield, such as the General Assembly, Davis uses the forum as an instantaneous news feed. Shortly after the 209th General Assembly approved Amendment A and sent it to the presbyteries for concurrence, Davis had a capsule report on the web. In fact, during the week of the General Assembly, Davis was like a one-man media syndicate, issuing new briefs as fast as they occurred. Davis’ writing style is cheerful and breezy, even when he reports actions with which he disagrees. But it is fast and accurate and fun to read, with an occasional on-line apology for a flub or typo. Called to task because he had committed typographical postmillenialism, Davis apologized and thanked "all of you who pointed out that I was living in the wrong millenium last week. This week, we return to 1997 from 19997." Occasional oops should be expected. Davis is performing this service for Presbyterians while also engaged as a full-time student at Fuller Theological Seminary, in preparation for the ministry. While Davis is often front and center, he is not alone in the work of the Presbyterian Forum. Moore, also a Fuller seminarian, runs the telephone hot-line, currently calling and networking Presbyterians across the country to defeat Amendment A. Before entering seminary, Moore, 29, did a couple of political internships in Washington. Davis was a medical malpractice lawyer in Indianapolis. Two Presbyterian ministers, Rev. Robert Dooling of Loveland, Colo., and Rev. Doug Brandt of Lancaster, N.Y., and one lay person, Mississippi businessman Clarke Reed, are among the directors of the Presbyterian Forum. There’s a slew of volunteers, who are essential in the low-budget ministry. The organization, a 501(3)(c) charitable corporation, is financed by private contributions. Not one dime comes from the denomination. In a word, the Forum’s agenda is information, whether via the Internet or the telephone. Its policies are framed by Scripture, the Confessions and the Book of Order. The Forum also provides comprehensive information on key issues. Currently, the web site is featuring a 114-page manual that includes a detailed examination of the flaws of Amendment A and a strategy to defeat it. The manual can be downloaded at:
Both Davis and Moore expect to complete their seminary studies this year, and both want to be pastors. But neither necessarily intends to bid adieu to the Forum or its efforts to inform, rally and encourage evangelical Presbyterians in the Presbyterian Church (USA). They figure that as long as they remain close to a computer and a telephone, they might be able to wear two hats. For more information about the Presbyterian Forum, or to support the organization, contact P.O. Box 608, Pasadena, CA, 91102-0608, phone, 818-957-4063, e-mail presbybob@aol.com |