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06377 July 25, 2006
New Wineskins studying options
Williamson urges frustrated evangelicals not to wait for a majority
by Toya Richards Hill
TULSA, OK * Presbyterians fed up with a denomination they believe has turned away from confessing Biblical truths have created a strategy team tasked with weighing options, including congregations seeking to leave the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Marking a change in its structure, the New Wineskins Initiative is now the New Wineskins Association of Churches, a legal shift that "is a formal step in the direction of saying we are organizing ourselves," said the Rev. Dean Weaver, co-moderator of the New Wineskins.
The group, which met here July 19-22 for its 2006 convocation at Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church, formed a nine-person team to develop a transition plan and make recommendations to the association leadership and the 2007 winter convocation, set for Feb. 8-9 at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, FL.
In addition, New Wineskins is calling for a "season of prayer and discernment" for congregations and presbyteries during the next six months in order to figure out, among other things, whether the covenant that binds PC(USA) congregations and presbyteries has been breached.
"We are moving in a direction forward," Weaver said at the end of the first business session.
New Wineskins officials said 686 persons representing 125 New Wineskins-endorsing congregations participated in the event.
They witnessed preaching by the likes of ministers Jim Logan and Carmen Fowler, praise led by Christian recording artist Michael Card, and, of course, drop-to-your-knees prayer.
It was the second such gathering for the group, which met last year in Minnesota.
This year's meeting featured increased frustration and angst with the PC(USA) in light of actions by the 217th General Assembly (GA) regarding the report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity (PUP) of the Church, and the theological paper, "The Trinity: God's Love Overflowing."
At issue regarding the PUP report is the GA's approval of an "authoritative interpretation" of the church's Constitution that maintains current ordination standards for church officers, but allows a candidate for ordination to state a conscientious objection to a part of the ordination standards. Presbyteries and sessions are then called to determine if the exception is allowable or violates an essential of the Reformed faith and polity.
Critics of the interpretation say that it will allow more liberal presbyteries and sessions to ordain sexually active homosexuals. That fear has become a lightning rod for New Wineskins and other renewal groups. A plenary presentation by Robert Gagnon, associate professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, repeatedly talked about "serial, unrepentant, sexual immorality," and lifted up Scripture after Scripture as evidence of what he said God requires.
The Trinity paper, which was received and commended to the church for study, affirms Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the church's anchor language for the Trinity, but lifts up other Biblical images of the Trinity for study and use in worship * a move that also doesn't sit well with the New Wineskins.
For New Wineskins, what's happening in the PC(USA) boils down to theological and ethical integrity (confessing Biblical truth), mission faithfulness (carrying the gospel of Jesus) and structural effectiveness (connecting in relationships).
And though as a body New Wineskins isn't ready to formally separate from the PC(USA) * debate of the issues was sometimes contentious * the group is moving toward concrete, unified action. Among other things, the six-month period of prayer and discernment calls for:
"informing members of congregations of the current constitutional and confessional crisis which necessitates the creation of a new wineskin,"
taking steps to "see that the property of the congregation is protected so that it may serve Jesus Christ and His Great Commission as discerned by the congregation, and
recommending that "sessions redirect or designate all General Assembly per capita and mission giving to intentionally support ministries which reflect our faith and missional priorities."
Sessions and presbyteries also "will be called to affirm as essential current ordination standards as they exist in the books of Order and Confessions so that no exceptions will be offered or recognized within their jurisdictions."
"We need to take some decisive steps in following him (God)," Weaver said.
Among those decisive steps is the work of the strategy team. Its tasks will include examining Biblical, spiritual, missional, congregational, strategic and legal considerations. And, the team's work could include "the request for dismissal of a congregation from its presbytery."
"God is doing a new thing," Weaver proclaimed. "It's time to get down to business."
Other groups with similar views as the New Wineskins also were present at the convocation and weighed in with their mutual support. Presbyterians for Renewal, OneByOne, Presbyterians Pro-Life, Constitutional Presbyterians and the Presbyterian Lay Committee were among those visibly showing their support.
"We have a lot of commonality with what you all are doing," said Richard Burnett of the Constitutional Presbyterians. "We have committed ourselves to working together with you. We want to be with you * through this time of crisis."
Others concurred.
"We believe that what you are doing is exceedingly important in the life of our common witness," said the Rev. Parker Williamson, editor emeritus and senior correspondent of The Layman. "I want to urge you to be very careful about the hurry-up-and-wait syndrome. Wait for what?"
"It is wise, it is very wise to take what time is needed to prepare, and to prepare well. But don't wait for some majority," he urged the group. "The faithful are out there in the thousands. They are yearning for a faithful witness that they can follow."
There also was a large show of support from international ministries, including the Presbyterian Church of East Africa and the Egyptian Bible Society, represented through letters and video greetings sent to the convocation.
"The path is not easy, but the Lord is with you," said the Rev. David Githii, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa.
A connection to the global church was reiterated again and again during the convocation, and is a major emphasis of New Wineskins.
"The church is one," preached Fowler, who believes 100 percent of mission giving needs to be designated to the "most effective, accountable and Biblically faithful mission efforts." It is "the church universal," not a denomination, she said.
"This is about getting on board with what God is doing around the world."
Other action taken by the New Wineskins will follow in an additional PNS report.
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