 Presbyterian Leaders’ Forum  Monday, September 14, 1998
A Message from the Stated Clerk Both the Presbyterian Coalition and the Covenant Network of Presbyterians will be holding important gatherings this fall to focus on their hopes and dreams for the future of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Coalition has distributed a draft document, Turning Toward the Mission of God: A Strategy for the Transformation of the P.C.(U.S.A.), which will be acted upon at their Gathering III in Dallas in October. I welcome the invitation which this document offers to reflect on strategies that might lead to faithful renewal in our church.Prior to the General Assembly, leaders of both the Covenant Network and the Coalition joined me in issuing a Call for Sabbatical in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This Call encouraged Presbyterians to engage in a sabbatical – not from dealing with the issues around ordination and human sexuality, but from continuing to focus on constitutional amendments and judicial actions to resolve their differences. It also urged Presbyterians to engage one another in serious reflection on faithfulness to the mission of Christ. The Coalition’s strategy paper is an invitation to do just that, and I welcome it. The strategy paper calls on the PCUSA to make strong commitments to: • mission and evangelism in a world hungry for the gospel • renewal of our polity • strengthening of our church’s institutions for theological education • vital, worshipping congregations • Christ-centered educational ministries • church discipline that builds up the body of Christ I do not agree with all of the strategies proposed by the drafters or with all of the items they list as obstacles to the church’s faithfulness in these areas. However, I do believe they have identified the right questions for Presbyterians and invited all of us into an important conversation about the nature of Christian faithfulness and six key areas of the church’s life and mission. I hope that all Presbyterians – and not just those related to the Coalition – will join in serious and prayerful reflection on these matters. Every congregation, special group, and governing body needs to be engaged in seeking God’s will for our church in its mission, its worship, its educational ministry, and its ways of ordering the body of Christ. I also hope that both the Coalition and other Presbyterians will expand their reflection to include at least one other area that is crucial if we are to be faithful followers of Christ. The six suggested strategies reflect well the six Great Ends of the Church – with one exception: “the promotion of social righteousness.” In a world where the gap between the rich and the poor is growing daily, where violence and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender and/or sexual orientation is on the rise, and where abuse and neglect of children seems to be at an all-time high, the church like never before is being called to follow Christ’s prophetic example when he announced his mission in terms of “release to the captives” and “liberty for the oppressed” (Luke 4:18). I am convinced that a church which focuses its energy on these seven areas will be a church which is focusing its energy on the things that are very dear to the heart of God. I invite you to accept this challenge! Clifton Kirkpatrick |
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