Who is it for?

"Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me: Say to all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink only for yourselves?" (Zechariah 7:4-6, NRSV)


What a great question. How easily I forget that everything is done for the Lord--even eating and drinking. I think food and taste is their for my pleasure only, but really it is to glorify God. I don't just eat to nourish my body, but I eat to nourish my body so I may glorify the Lord by doing what he has commanded me to do. Even the manner in which I eat should glorify him. Everything is for him--even eating and drinking. It is hard to give up control.

Ornaments on God's Tree

Christmas is a time for christmas trees and traditionaly ornaments. Each family has their own special ornaments. My special ornament is the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. My grammy made it for me when I was a small child. It is getting delicate now- but it still goes on our tree despite my wife's protest. It has always been the first ornament that goes on the tree and it goes dead center so everyone can see the beauty of the tin man--he's shiny!

"Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:6-13, NRSV)

Our action, our behaviors are to be an ornament to the doctrine--the truth of Jesus in this world. We are to be shiny ornaments--like the Tin Man--hanging on God's tree to reflect his glory.

Lord this season help me to shine like the Tin Man and may God's glory reveal himself through me so that people may know the blessed hope of Jesus Christ. Let me be a ornament on God's tree.

The Grace of Slowness

"The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, NRSV)

In times of pain it is easy to call upon the Lord. It is easy to ask him to deliver us from this world. We wait anxiously for his return, particularly in advent. However, the Lord's seemingly slowness is really just grace--because he does not want any to perish. He wants all to have a chance to repent and know him.

Lord, may I learn to be slow to anger, to slow grace to the world.

And God Spoke These Words: Fifth Commandment

"Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12, NRSV)

The previous commands are concern with Honoring God. This commandment shifts away from God to honoring parents. Although the implication is that by honoring your parents you honor God. The literally and understood meaning is not hat you obey everything that you parents tell you to do--because surely they are fallen just as everybody is. However, you honor them in their old age (you take care of them).

Parents have the awesome responsiblity of representing God to their children. Parents have the responsible to teach and disciple their children in the faith. Children are then given the responsiblity to take care of, honor their parents, when their parents retire, or in their old age. What does that look like in our society? Does that mean shipping parents off to nursing homes? Does that mean providing for their care? What does in mean to take care of--to honor them? One of the questions people fail to answer when their consider what to do with their parents when the get older and need to be taken care of is to ask the question is--do I want to be treated the same way when I get old that I am treating or caring for my parents?

Then there is a promise--a promise of long life. However the promise is not an individual promise of long life--but a corporate promise of residing in God's promised land for a long time. If we as a community honor our parents, God will continue to provide mercy on our community. We get to keep receiving God's gracious gifts. The question is what is God's gracious gift? Mainly mercy and grace! (not material!)

Wiping Away the Tears

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:13-17 (NRSV)

I find great comfort in this passage. Despite our failings, despite the hardships of this word. God will wipe away the tears. I love holding my children and helping them wipe away the tears and comforting them from the pain of this world. It hurts me as my children are in painful or when the suffer through the consequences of this broken world. All I want to do is hold them and wipe away the tears. It is good to know when it is all said and done, my tears will be wiped away by the embrace of the Heavenly Father.

And God Spoke These Words: Fourth Commandment

"Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it." (Exodus 20:8-11, NRSV)

Keep the Sabbath--literally a day of stoppage. It is day that we are to separate out from the rest of the days so we can strengthen our focus on God. Every day should be focused on God--but the Sabbath should be a particularly heighten focused on God (and not us). We are to stop the normal things that we do every other day of the week. It is meant as a day of rest from our normal labors, but that doesn't mean it was meant to be lstrict and legalistic stoppage of all work. The Hebrews knew they still had to feed their flocks and such. It is not meant to be a lazy day to hang around and watch football or even be with the family (although those activities could be okay). It is meant to focus even moreso our activities on God.

We are to rest for the normal stresses of the world and relax in the glory of God. The keeping of the sabbath is also the sign that the Lord has made a covenant with us. When we observed the Sabbath, we show the world that we are set-apart (holy) and that the Lord is working in us and has made a covenant with us to bless his world.

And God Spoke These Words: Third Commandment

"You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name." (Exodus 20:7, NRSV)

What does it mean to misuse the name of the Lord? Most people today, would say that we don't use the name when we swear--meaning we shouldn't use language that refers to Lord, God, Jesus, irrevelantly. While I think this is true--it trivializes this commandment. The direct reference would be using the name of God by swearing an oath in court or to someone. Such as, "Believe in my words, I swear to God, that I tell the truth, and if I am not--may he kill me or punish me." So the basic prohibition in the third commandment is against perjury. Jesus emphasizings this point when he says don't take oaths in God's name, but let your words be the bond (Matt 5:33-37; 23:16-22). Think about the consequences of prophet invoking God's name in his own words. That prophet better be right. Think of the importance and signficance of a preacher proclaiming the word of God. They better be right. It is serious business when you invoke the name of the Lord.

Why is the name of God (Yahweh) so important? God name's signified his essence, and God should not be mocked. We should not use the name of God lightly but respectfully, and fearfully. Yahweh name means "he is" and everything else is not.

Lord, may I approach your name and presence with respect, fear, and awe. I think you that you are present whether I bid you to be or not. Guide my thoughts and words and may the be focused on glorifing you.

And God Spoke These Words: Second Commandment

"You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them;" (Exodus 20:4-5a, NRSV)

In the first commandment, Yahweh makes it very clear, that he alone is the only God and Lord. He alone is the object and focus of worship. So what is an idol? It is anything that is the focus of our worship. We are natural-born worshippers. Humans have this genetic compulsion and need to worship something. The question becomes what are we worshipping?

Modern people don't really understand the Ancient Near Eastern Idol worship. We believe that this commandment means we cannot have any image or pictures that depict God or heaven realms. That is not the literally or intended meaning of this commandment. Because God even requests that we create an ark and a tabernacle to localise his presence for the people. However, it was never to be understood that we worship the ark or the Tabernacle, but we worship Yahweh alone, who cannot be contained.

ANE Idol worship was the norm for the Israelites and their surrounding cultures, it was easy for them to revert back to this mode of thinking. However, Yahweh radically imposes a covenant and a will upon than that is quite different than the norm of their surrounding society. Yahweh shows them that he wants them to be set apart from the world--Holy.

It is easy to lose focus that God is the provider and the sustainer of all life. It is easy to lose focus and forget that God is presence. It is easy to worship at the alter of normalcy, money, and the desires of my self. Lord help me to remember that you are Emmanuel (God with Us), and that you have a will for us and a desire for me to be set apart. Help me not to be normal, but radically different for you.

And God Spoke these Words: The First Commandment

" Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:1-3, NRSV)

No other gods. Idiomatically the Hebrew is saying, “you shall have no other gods against me/or in distinction to me.” The point being is that the commandment is not saying there are other gods but presupposes a radical, exclusive monotheism. Yahweh is the only divine God. Even the term gods doesn’t exclusively refer to the God, but supernatural beings including angels.

Yahweh is the only God. He alone is creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all creation. He alone is life and everything else is nothing. His very name defines who he is and implies that everything else is not.

In this first commandment Yahweh is reminding us of his character and the proper order of all creation.

It is so easy for me to lose sight of the magnitude and greatness of Yahweh. He is so overwhelming that it becomes impossible to comprehend, yet he reminds us of the little things He does that we can relate to such as rescuing the Israelites out of Egypt. Yes, that was a little thing for this mighty and awesome God. Big thing for us, little for Him.

The Doing-Being Test

I have been a little down. The attendance and participation at CPC is stagnating. Somehow, I feel I am responsible. I am responsible to get more people here—to get more people to give—so the church can afford me, the youth director, and expand its ministries. Perhaps, I am failing. Perhaps, I am not qualified for this position. I know better than this—I know this is God’s ministry and God has called me here. But in the back of my mind—I feel I am responsible to do.

I have been preaching about the Exodus and the wanderings in the Wilderness. How God was testing the Israelites to form them into the people he wanted them to be. Perhaps God is testing CPC—he is testing me. I have failed the test. Instead of rely on him, I rely on myself. I feel I must be the doing—instead of just being the child of God he wants me to be—instead of just allowing God to transform me.

That is the thought that hit me. I need to trust and be patience; God put me and CPC together. I (we) need to trust that He is going to provide. He will provide—He is providing.

Value Dependent Calling

"He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!" (Luke 12:22-24, NRSV)

It is easy to lose sight of our value—especially as we are so careless with what we value. We value possessions, positions, places, yet the Lord values us. The Lord has chosen us for a reason. He has created us for a purpose. We are to reflect his Glory like the birds in the air, but we are also to reflect the image of God and to proclaim Him to the world. We are chosen to be a blessing to the world. We are to be a blessing like no other. Our value to God is not dependent on who we are but what we are created to be and do. Our value is immeasurable because He has called us for His purpose.

If we weren’t valuable—why would he die for us?

The Constitution within the Constitution.

The Constitution of the PC(USA) is no longer the constitution, at least according to our Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. Check out this letter from him.

Our Form of Government says it well in G-4.0300d, “Presbyterians are not simply to reflect the will of the people, but rather to seek together to find and represent the will of Christ.”

It is this vision that is at the heart of our Constitution. It is why, in part, it is so important for us to remind Presbyterians that faithfulness to the Constitution is critical as we deal with difficult issues in our life together.

I am particularly concerned about proposals that I hear are coming to some of our presbyteries that are not in accord with our Constitution and its authoritative interpretations (which also have the binding authority of the Constitution itself). I hope, in your role as stated clerks, you will join me in reminding Presbyterians that while dissent and advocacy for change are deeply engrained Presbyterian values, no presbytery by any vote margin has the authority to take actions that are not in accord with the Constitution, or to set aside its provisions.

Among the proposals that are of particular concern to me:

• Actions by a presbytery that in essence set aside the assembly’s authoritative interpretation of G-6.0108 and require subscription to all or specific constitutional standards. Examinations are to be conducted based on constitutional standards established by the whole church, but ordination and installation decisions are to be made by ordaining bodies based on whether “the candidate has departed from essentials of Reformed faith and polity” (G-6.0108b). Authoritative interpretations can be changed by new interpretations from the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission or the assembly itself, and presbyteries may send in overtures seeking such change, but presbyteries cannot set aside, on their own, standards clearly specified in an already adopted authoritative interpretation.

The constitution is no longer the constitution. Oh yes, I know the new authoritative interpretation on G-6.0108 is part of the constitution, but at least according to this letter by the Stated Clerk he believes it overrides any previously mandated language in the Constitution. Our denomination would be more honest if we just deleted everything else from the Book of Order (book 2 of our constitution) and just leave new AI as the constitution. (Maybe that will be the FOG taskforce recommendation—that certainly would explain how they can rewrite the whole Form of Government in 18 months or less).

In the mind of the Stated Clerk this new AI limits presbyteries from actually instituted procedures and policies that require officers (or potential officers) to abide by mandate provisions in the constitution. So this new AI makes it unconstitutional to enforce the constitution. So if it is unconstitutional to require all to abide by the constitutional why do we need to abide by the new AI (which is a part of the constitution). It is absurd—but suddenly we have a constitution within the constitution and it is the new AI. I am sure glad all the presbyteries got to vote on this radical change to the constitution (or wait—they didn’t). How constitutional!

The need for Help and workers

This is PR. He says it stands for Peter Rabbit, but it really stands for Paul Robert, but everyone calls him PR (which is just about the coolest nickname I have heard of). PR is Bob's son, both of these men lived together in Bob's FEMA trailer that is parked at the church. PR tells horrendous story of being evacuated on a bus with little to no money. The little money he did have God told him to give it to people that were more needy than he was.

He recalls the joy of being able to put fresh socks on after days and days of wearing the same clothes. After several months of staying away, PR return to Slidell, to live with his Father and his mother you passed away in May.

PR has been looking for the right job. Since the hurricane, Slidell population has return and swelled to 3 times the amount previously. 3 times the amount because many people are temporarily living in Slidell waiting for the homes or their FEMA trailer in other parts of Louisiana. Despite tripling in population, every business (that is open--some are not or haven't returned). has a For HELP sign out. There are not enough people to work the jobs in Slidell, because the people that uses to live in Slidell and work those jobs are gone (to other parts of the country). So Slidell is left with 3 times the population as before and a smaller workforce. Brothers and sisters, the gulf coast still needs our help!

Mary's Story

This is Mary (and her in-laws). Mary's house is pictured in the background. Mary's house was a little luckier than most. It stated put. The house behind her, was ripped from its foundation and floated over 200 feet across a canal and onto other houses and vehicles. Below I have provided a link where you can see Mary's neighborhood and the others that are in locations where they do not belong.

Mary saw us outside looking at the damage when she came out with her photo album to talk with us. Little did Mary know and we know what God had in store for us. As we listen to Mary's horrify stories and pictures, we were all gripped by her grief and trauma still 11 months after the fact. Mary lives it everyday. She mourns the loss of her community. The wreckage surrounds her. Her neighbors are gone.

Here is the link to google maps showing her community. http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Chalmette,+LA&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=29.946517,-89.956028&spn=0.002208,0.006738

By the grace of God, Mary accepted the Jesus as her Lord a couple of days later. There's a bigger story here, but she is finally on the road to healing. Continue to pray for Mary and her husband (whom we never met)--that she find peace and joy. May she grow deeper in love with Jesus every day and every moment. May more churches respond to the need in LA and gulf coast and spread the love of Jesus to more people like Mary.

Jamaal and His Ice Cream Truck

This is the ice cream truck. One afternoon in the middle of Chalmette, amidst the deserted buildings and houses, we heard the pleasant and inviting sounds of an ice cream truck.

An electronic female voice would yell "Hello" from the truck after the familiar ding-dong cart song would play.

At first it seemed really odd to have an ice cream truck in Chalmette, but eventually it made perfect sense. Amidst all this chaos people need to be reminded of the normalcy of life. They need to be reminded of the simple joys--like Ice Cream.

I spoke to Jamaal, he is a from Jordan, where his wife and children live year-round. Jamaal spends 8 months of the year selling Ice Cream and sends all the money back to support his family. Jamaal has a open heart and soul. Our physicall witness to him about Jesus softened his heart to the gospel. He stated that most people are christians in this country but they don't act like it--He saw that we were acting like it--by responding with our time and energy in helping the people of Louisiana.

We gave Jamaal a bible and prayed with him. My prayer for Jamaal is that one day he can say that Jesus is Lord, and he brings his family to the Lord, and he can bring a revival to his home country of Jordan.

Jamaal also asked us to pray for Lebanon.

The Cake Ministry of Joshua

This is Bob. Bob works for the City of Slidell Department of Public Works (the Water Department). He assured us the drinking water was okay. I still hesitated to drink it. Slidell was were the eye of the Hurricane Katrina hit. Bob had to stay in the city and ride out the hurricane. His sons and wife were evacuated. Bob lost his house. His FEMA trailer doesn't sit on his propety by his house, like most people. His trailer was deliever to the church and so now he lives at the church. He hopes to be able to soon move his trailer to his property and rebuild.

A couple of months ago, Bob lost his wife in a fight with cancer. Yet, Bob still has ability to keep going, but when you talked with him, you can hear and see the pain that he still carries from the devastation of the hurricane and the loss of his wife.

Joshua is ministering to Bob here by allowing Bob to sit and feed him cake and ice cream. God used the littliest one on our trip to help people. Joshua joy and smile can break down the biggest barriers and burdens in people. It is amazing to see how God works.

" And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV)

This Doesn't Belong Here (and Neither do I)

This house doesn't belong here. It actually belongs about a block away, over a canal. The water and the storm surge knocked it off its foundation and moved it across the canal onto a different street, onto another house and a truck. This house still hasn't been cleaned or gutted. It remains as it was since the storm--with all its possessions, family albums, children toys, heirlooms scattered inside covered in filth.

11 months after the fact--nothing has changed. I have no idea where the owners of this house are.

I am kinda like this house. The storms of life come and go in my life. They flood my soul, contaminte and ruin the insides. Sometimes those storms come violently or sometimes the slowly rise and carry me across the canal onto the wrong side of the street. My soul doesn't belong here, I wasn't created for this street called Earth. I was created for streets paved with Gold. God wants to restored my house. God wants to tear down my life and rebuild it perfectly so I can live where he intended us all to to live (with Him).

Help me Jesus on this journey with you. Help me become the new creation that you have started in me. Let me die to the old being--let me live in you and with you.

Serving with our children

It is amazing how many people heads turn or question our decision to bring our children on mission trips--particularly to the Gulf Coast. However it is the best way that we believe we can disciple our children. We want them to see the passion that drives us and we want them to learn from the earilest of age that we are called to Love Jesus and serve him by loving others. This picture is of Andrew, our 4-year-old, hammering in a nail. Now our children are limited physically what they can do--but were excited when they could help out and talked about serving on the mission team.

The greatest moment for us as parents--is when Andrew sat in the back seat with his mom asking questions as to why the people's houses were broken and then came up with a simple plan of helping everyone out. Basically it can be summed up as this (1) We can house everyone in our home until the homes are not broken, (2) We can fix all their homes.

The Faith and Love of a Child. May we all regained that Love.

Chalmette Seafood Reaturant

This is a picture outside the Seafood Resturant that we cleaned and gutted in Chalmette, LA. The whole crew isn't in the picture, but that pile is all ours.

Some of the worst smells came from this place as it was a time capsule and hadn't been touch since the hurricane hit. Countless houses upon houses (and businesses) are like this in gulf coast still.

The story behind this business, is the owner of the land was a member of the church that we were staying at in Slidell, LA. (Slidell is where the Epi-center of Katrina Hit. The owner didn't qualify for any help from FEMA or his insurance, but can't afford to do the clean-up himself. He has been drawing on his retirement funds to pay for the mortgage on that land. The mortgage was paid by the owner of the seafood restuarant. However, what happened in Chalmette is that the Oil Refinery down the street forget to empty its tanks, so 4 square miles in Chalmette (which is a densely populated area) was covered with oil. So the EPA is saying that they need to make the area green space. Some resident have a class-action lawsuit against the oil company, but others took teh $25,000 bribe that the Oil company made right after the Hurricane hit. The whole think is downright crooky and evil.

No one is helping this people. The church needs to step up and send more people to ministry to those that are still down there. We need to respond by spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ with our words and our deeds. We need to go down to the gulf coast because we Love Jesus and Jesus is moving in the people, they are ready to respond to his message of Truth.

Growing Closer to Jesus thru Judgment

"For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”" (1 Corinthians 5:12-13, NRSV)

"you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 5:5, NRSV)

Judging is such a negative word these days. But what would we do without judgment. What would we do if everybody could do what they think is right in their own eyes? What if we lived a in culture where people were not allowed to judge at all. We couldn’t judge a person’s behavior, a people’s behavior. We just had to tolerate. Well, we know that is just absurd.

Judging has it’s place in the world. Paul here frustrated with the church in Corinth demands that they stating judging within their ranks in order that people that have fallen into sin may be transformed. We are to judge carefully and with respect to our own sinfulness to help others and ourselves be saved.

Judgment is part and parcel with Jesus’ message of salvation.

It is hard for me to think of judging as a part of the journey of one’s salvation. However, if deadly behavior isn’t pointed out, how is the person going to know what they are doing is wrong or separates them from the living God. If there are no consequences, how do we learn and grow.

Perhaps I need more people in my life judging me to help me grow closer to Jesus.

FAQ on the PUP

Below is the text of FAQ that the Office of the General Assembly put out about the PUP Report and its effect on the church. I have decided to post this with my comments intermixed. My remarks will be inside the parenthesis.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Actions of the 217th General Assembly (2006) on the Report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church

What did the 217th General Assembly (2006) do?
(Screw everything up—create constitional crisis and massive disunity) The General Assembly retained the ordination standards and lifted up the historic responsibility of
governing bodies to examine rigorously each and every candidate for minister, elder, or deacon, considering whether they are qualified and called, and whether they adhere to the essentials of Reformed faith and practice. (although later they say that nobody knows what the essentials are—and how can anything be an essential if none are stated as any!)

So what’s different now?
The standards of the church didn’t change; it is the spirit that has changed. The action encourages a more pastoral approach (they mean an approach that is more aligned with their theology of inclusiveness and ignoring scripture) to ordination and encourages governing bodies to do thorough work in examining individuals for office.

What was the Theological Task Force created to do, and how did their report do that?
The task force was appointed in 2001 to address deep divisions in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The unanimous report (although split at the GA) of the twenty Presbyterians on the task force from all over the country, representing the full breadth of the theological spectrum (somehow representing the full breath of theological spectrum is a higher moral good than actually representing the Truth), models hope for the church moving forward together in unity. (Strike 1—our unity is not based on how we get along, but in Jesus and the Truth of His scriptures). Obviously, the fifth recommendation (concerning ordination standards) has received a lot of attention. But many may not realize that the first four recommendations of the report, adopted almost unanimously by the assembly, carry enormous significance for the future of the church.
Those four recommendations are:
• that the Theological Reflection section of the task force report—a very strong faith (very strong is a little overkill—I would say almost adequate) statement about God’s love and salvation made known to us in Jesus Christ, and about our call to proclaim the gospel—be commended for study;
• that every Presbyterian would witness to the church’s visible oneness, avoiding division; (once again visible oneness is a high priority regardless of our invisible or not so invisible deep rooted division on the issues of authority of scripture and whether revelation is now closed).
• that every governing body, congregation, and group of Presbyterians engage in processes of intensive discernment through worship, community building, and study;
• that the General Assembly consider exploring the use of alternative forms of discernment (meaning we try to hood-winking and manipulate the process so everyone does what we want them to do) preliminary to decision-making, especially when dealing with divisive issues.

Will gays and lesbians now be ordained?
(If OGA has anything to say about it—they will be) Presbyteries and sessions have been reminded of their historical responsibility to examine candidates for ordination and decide, on a case-by-case basis, about a person’s qualifications for ministry. The constitutional standard in the Book of Order (G-6.0106b) requiring “fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman” or “chastity in singleness” remains in place. (But the constitutional standard of abiding by a “shall” statement as been thrown out the window). Each governing body will be required to decide if a departure from a standard of faith or practice represents a violation of an “essential” of the faith. Governing bodies have been encouraged to strive to honor one another’s ordination decisions (here is the trust argument again—we just need to trust each other—no matter if you agree of that other’s decision are contrary to scripture or our constitution). Still, these decisions continue to be subject to review by higher governing bodies. (That will be decided by the GAPJC—and I wouldn’t hold my breath on this one).

What are the “essentials”?
The General Assembly has never had a list of “essentials,” and, except for a few years in the early twentieth century, has always explicitly maintained there can be no list. We have a confessional foundation, and it has always been the responsibility of ordaining bodies to determine what tenets of faith are “essential” and to make decisions about ordination and installation accordingly. (plus if we have a list people might have to abide by some essentials which we don’t think are essentials. The question that remains is abiding by the plain meaning and language of the constitution an essential of reformed polity? I think it is—therefore a Governing Body cannot disregard a “shall” statement).

Are congregations going to leave the PC(USA) because of the assembly’s actions?
Hopefully not (and if they do we are going to take their property). A few have said they are considering departure, but most have indicated they will stay and work to reshape and renew the denomination. The report the assembly approved was intended to bring a new spirit (the Holy Spirit wasn’t good enough apparently) to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in which individuals who disagree deeply about important issues can still participate faithfully together as disciples of Jesus Christ. The assembly’s actions will make it possible for all Presbyterians to not merely stay together, but to strengthen one another’s faith and ministry, honoring God, who alone is Lord of the conscience (God is more that just Lord of the conscience—He is Lord of all and forgives us even when our conscience sins).

What will this mean to congregations?
The intent of the General Assembly was that all governing groups—sessions that govern
congregations, as well as presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly, which are made up of ministers and elders—will be empowered to bear with one another in Christian love, to exercise discernment, and to proclaim Good News in a new day of unity and faithfulness. In particular, nominating committees and examining bodies are called to a rigorous and thorough examination of every candidate for church office, discerning the totality (except we now can ignore their sex life—because that really doesn’t impact a person’s faith or ability to serve) of their faith, theology, and practice, and making wise decisions about those who will lead the people of God.

If I sound over cynical—well because I am on this issue. The PUP report is a disastrous for the PEACE, UNITY and PURITY of our denomination and has made us less Presbyterian and more congregational in our polity and really now our theology (which means we are closer to become Unitarian).

To read the full actions of the 217th General Assembly on these recommendations, go to http://lespcusa.
org/Item.aspx?IID=129& . To read the report of the Theological Task Force, go to
www.pcusa.org/peaceunitypurity.

GA: Wednesday Evening

Montreat Historical Foundation
The assembly voted to close the Montreat Historical Foundation that has records and archives of evangelical mission work of the southern church. COGA (Committee of the Office General Assembly) has decided to close Montreat and move some (not all) of the archives to Columbia Theological Seminary. Marge Carpenter, former moderator, and evangelical told a story when the churches merged and about a promise that was made by the northern church that we would keep the Historical foundation. I don’t know much about Montreat, but by just watching the proceedings it appears COGA is using a very heavy-hand to close Montreat. Having talked to supporters of Montreat they stated that they have raised enough money to keep it operating and have a plan for the future. They also claim that some of the records will be lost and taken back by families and churches. If you lose the history of the church you forget your history or even worse you can rewrite your history. There are already attempts to rewrite or reinterpret our history (see Adopting Act of 1729 and PUP report recommendation 5).

Late-Term Abortion
Praise the Lord! The assembly voted by 76% to take a stand for the viability of children. Here is the position the Assembly took for the church (there was amendment made on the floor that added pastoral care advice, but I didn’t get the word–it was good though):

We affirm that the lives of viable unborn babies–those well developed enough to survive outside the womb if delivered ought to be preserved and cared for and not aborted. In cases where problems of life or health of the mother arise in a pregnancy, the church supports efforts to protect the life and health of both the mother and the baby. When late-term pregnancies must be terminated, we urge decisions intended to deliver the baby alive. We look to our churches to provide pastoral and tangible support to women in problem pregnancies and to surround these families with a community of care. We affirm adoption as a provision for women who deliver children they are not able to care for, and ask our churches to assist in seeking loving, Christian, adoptive families.

This General Assembly holds this statement as its position on a Christian response to problems that arise late in pregnancies. We find it to be consistent with current General Assembly policy on Problem Pregnancies and Abortion (1992), and supersedes General Assembly statements of 2002 and 2003 on late-term pregnancies and abortion.

Many horrific remarks we made from the floor advocating that the women’s right to choose superceded the right of life of the baby. Some of the remarks are so painful that it just hurts her soul deeply. Thank the Good Lord we are taken this positive step to protect children.
There were other overtures that would have taken a stronger Pro-Life stand, but this is a good start.

Last Post from the Front Lines
It is 10:30pm and there are just starting the social justice and issues committee. I am going to bed as I have to leave early in the morning. So this will be my last blog entry from Birmingham.

GA: Wednesday Afternoon Plenary

Property Trust Clause
The assembly voted not to change the property trust clause overwhelming (although they struck a comment down). Which means the Presbyteries hold all church properties in trust. The proposed changed would have shifted the ownership to the local church. People fear that if we give ownership of properties to churches (which put their own money to build and maintain the properties) churches might leave. So in reality we are no longer a church that is connect theological, constitutionally (because of recommendation 5), but we are connected by our money (property and pensions). Hmm–I think we got that backwards.

FOG taskforce
Well you know I was opposed to a rewrite of the Form of Government, however it was approved by the assembly with a no objection vote. There was a amendment that was added that OGA had to release the rewrite and advisory handbooks by September 1, 2007 to allow the Presbyteries to review and discern the matter. The committee moderator stated that there would be no objection to a timeline. No objection! There are going to be able to form a taskforce from across the country and completely rewrite the form of government in 14 months? That my friends is impossible–unless OGA has maybe already written it.

Korean Synod
A formation of a non-geographic Korean Synod was referred to the office of OGA. There is precedent for such matters as we have created non-geographic presbyteries for Koreans. However, I would be surprise that the OGA would recommend this in the future.

E-Link Presbyteries
An overture to create non-geographic or (E-Link) presbyteries based on like-mindedness or theological unity was disapproved (not surprising). Some were thinking this might help churches deal with the controversy of Recommendation 5. Meaning that some conservative churches in more liberal presbyteries could avoid being in situations where their presbyteries ordain practicing homosexuals. This idea intrigues me, but I am sure this issue will come up again at other GA’s.

Israel Divestment
Wow! The assembly voted 94% to reverse the Israel Divestment decision at the 2004 General Assembly. The resolution was an excellent document that started off with an apology (a real one) to Jewish Community and Presbyterian Community. This is a big deal.

Per Capita
The assembly disapprove an AI that would have made per capita (church tax based on membership size) with a no objection vote. Some churches have withheld their per capita in protest over policies and theology of their presbyteries and the denomination offices. This disapproval confirms what the GAPJC has ruled.

Dinner
You won’t believe this but it is true, I had dinner with a reporter from Alaska that is on the trail of Bigfoot.

GA: Wednesday Morning Plenary

Confusing the Plain Meaning of Words

AI on G-6.106b
Overture 04-02 from Presbytery of Mississippi was disapprove (by a close margin) in committee, however a minority report has this proposed authoritative interpretation:

"The 217th General Assembly (2006) of the PC(USA) hereby confirms that the requirement for fidelity and/or chastity as set forth in Section G-6.0106b of the Book of Order plainly prohibits practicing[, unrepentant] homosexuals, adulterers, or anyone engaged in [sexually immoral conduct] [unrepentant sexual relations outside the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman] from being ordained and/or installed to church office whether as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament."

The main argument for this interpretation that it makes it evidently clear what many already thought was evidently clear the meaning of fidelity and chastity clause. The argument against was that recommendation 6 of the PUP report which was approved (although be a split vote) is that we strongly encourage not to make any additional authoritative interpretations to G-6.106b. The ACC stated that this AI still didn’t sufficiently address "self-acknowledge practice". Bizarre, suddenly sin requires self-awareness or agreement that actions are sin. So the bottom-line is that the ACC is saying if you don’t agree with God than it is okay. Sin is sin whether you acknowledge it, agree with it or not.

Jack Rogers, former moderator of the GA, and author of an unbelievably poor scholarly work on homosexuality and the bible (see http://www.robgagnon.net)/) claim that we are in a period of discernment in regards to this issue and shouldn’t vote to change our standards. Period of discernment?! What! The church historical has been crystal clear on this issue, and the church recently has spoke loudly in increasing numbers in this issue. We have discerned and studied. Furthermore Jesus has spoken on this issue.

Not surprising the minority report was defeated. The assembly is in fatigue on this issue–sort of like my YAD Fatigue Syndrome.

Further PUP Reflections
As I read more and more the amendment recommendation 5, I am convinced that this strengthens the position that the church (and governing bodies) cannot ordain/install anyone who does not comply G-6.106b, because any standard in the form of government must be complied with in accordance with paragraph D.

The problem that is embedded in PUP recommendation 5 is it inherently confusing and contradictory even among itself. Paragraph C.2 says that governing body can decide if someone has departed from the essentials of reformed faith and polity. But paragraph D now saws governing bodies must comply with the constitution in its decisions and examinations. So the question that is before the church and eventually the GAPJC is: Does complying with the constitution standards an essential of reformed polity (and faith)? Reformed polity being based on connectionalism, living in a covenant community and agreed upon constitution, it would seem complying with the constitution is an obvious essential. Particularly a standard that is expressly stated and pointed out in G-6.106b. In other words will governing bodies be allowed to ignore "Shall" (mandatory) language in the constitution?

My brothers and sisters in the renewal movement believe this open the doors for ordination of people outside the context of fidelity in marriage and singleness. I agree that it has the potential to do that, however, I take the stance (a more optimistic I realize) that nothing has change, although the perception is that it has change. Nothing has changed until the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Counsel decides it and this AI is tested. So hold onto your horses people the disunity of the church will be turned up a notch. So much for Peace, Unity and Purity.

One of problem with this denomination is that people twist words to mean what they want them to mean instead of their obvious plain meaning. So unless GAPJC twists plain meaning of words (a possibility)–nothing has changed (hopefully).

My (our) role (mission) is to continue to proclaim the Gospel and Truth of Jesus Christ loudly to this denomination and for the World. God’s way is the way of proclamation of the Good News of Jesus in word and deed.

Restricted Giving Administrative Fee
The assembly just approved to get rid of an 5% administrative fee on all restricted mission giving. The administrative fee was to funding staff positions and other costs. This is a good thing, because most people assume you give restricted monies for a particular mission that the GAC is not going to skim from the top.

Ordination Standards & PUP Thoughts

Well, good news. The assembly defeated the attempt to delete G-6.106b (The Fidelty in Marriage and Chastiy in Singleness standard). It was soundly defeated by at least 70% (don't remember the exact number. Recommdation 6 of the PUP stated that we should not eliminated the standard (at least this year). So the main agrument on the floor was that we should trust each other and not vote to change the standards. I am so tired of the trust agrument (see several blogs below).

Here is PUP report section D. (as amended on the floor):

d. Whether the examination and ordination and installation decision comply with the constitution of the PCUSA, and whether the ordaining/installing body has conducted its examination reasonably, responsibly, prayerfully, and deliberately in deciding to ordain a candidate for church office is subject to review by higher governing bodies.

I will tell you that my prayer this whole week is that God will show us the way and He would work in what seemed like impossible circumstances. I think that amendment and lack of opposition to it might be God's way through this General Assembly. Know we juswt have to proclaim louder Jesus and the Truth. During the dicussion and vote during the PUP report--my particularly prayer was that God would reveal His glory.

Thank you Jesus for showing us the way of repentence. Thank you for calling me to follow you even onto death (so that I might live in you). Lord, help me to die more each day to myself. More of you, less of me. More of you, less or me.

GA: PUP REPORT

Pieces, Unitarian, Plurality Report
Well the PUP report passed (although amendment with a unified vote of 57% to 43%. The line was added to recommendation 5 that stated by, "examination and ordination and installation decision complies with the constitution." The ACC stated that this wouldn’t alter the intent or meaning of recommendation 5, however, I think it explicitly states now higher governing bodies can challenge not only the process of ordination but also the decision. The GA in closer votes (both 55% to 45%) decline to delete 5 and to refer it to the presbyteries for the further discernment.

Bottom line here is that this report will not bring peace, unity, or purity to the church but rather throws us into chaos of localized disunity. I proposed that it should be called The Pieces, Unitarian, Plurality Report. Because the effect of the adoption of the report throws this denomination into pieces, takes it a step closer to a Unitarian and Plurality model of accepting all theology and behaviors.

What was amazing was the double-talk in the comments by taskforce. They stated that this report will not change our constitution but is a different way of doing. It is a new way but really an old way that we already have done. So it doesn’t change anything but it is new way of living out. What?!

I find it particularly outrageous that this radical change (and make no mistake by defining standards as aspiration is a radical change to the constitution process) is not being allowed to be done in the constitution manner of allowing the whole body (the presbyteries) to decide. I know Authoritative Interpretation (AI) are not decided by presbyteries which is why changing the intent and plain meaning of the constitution is duplicitous. These kinds of radical changes need to be done by changing the words of the constitution not the AI.

The reality is all this will be played out in a court case when the first presbytery ordains a person that defies the constitution standard (which now is just aspiration) of living in fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness.

YAD Fatigue Syndrome (YFS)
I am coming down with a not so rare disease at GA. It is YAD (Youth Advisory Delegates) Fatigue Syndrome (YFS). This happens when a endless line of YADs get up and give a unprepared and unreformed, unbiblical plea to the assembly. One of them on the assembly floor stated that, "God is sovereign but can’t work through this conflict" What? Would someone please send an overture to help relieve YFS. Unfortunately there is no known cure for YFS.

GA: Tuesday Morning Plenary

GA's F-Word
If you have been following, you know that the GA’s F word has been "Father". The F-Word has been deleted from scripture and prayers throughout this general assembly. Good news today is that the opening prayer of the plenary ended in "Father, Son, Holy Spirit." And the during the installation of Executive Director of GAC they used "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all"–if you remember at the beginning of the week their changed and "Father of all" to "Lord of all." Yahooo! It is odd that I can get excited about actually quoting scripture and using God’s name correctly (or at least how God has given them to us).

No much excitement this morning as the PUP report was moved to this afternoon because of the length the assembly took on floor nominations for various positions on the GAPJC and ACC (and other committees).

Please join me in prayer this afternoon and remember God works in the impossible. I know that He will show the way no matter what we decided. Our purpose will not change--our purpose to glorify God in all things and all the time.

The Worship of Self

And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."" (Mark 1:11, NRSV)

I went to the Women’s Ordination celebration tonight–excited about learning about the history and celebrating this important event in the life of the chuch. However, I was hit over the head with twisted scripture and propaganda that was inappropriate at such an event.

They used several times this verse in Mark 1:11 (excepted restated it something along the lines we us, or these women, you are well pleased). Yikes! Twisting the words of the Father to the Son at The Baptism to make it somehow refer to us. Take about idol worship. They are some in our denomination that worship the SELF. And this theology of the self plays out in our social justice policies, our polity, the PUP report, the standards of ordination, the theology of the trinity, and abortion issues. The underline ethos is the we are the chief end. It is all about us.

The Truth is just the opposite it is all about God–always has been and always will be.

In addition there were several references in the drama-liturgy about how we ordain women and how one day we will fully incorporate more people to be ordained (a not so subtle hint for the hope of homosexual ordination).

So disappointed that I could no longer celebrate in this women’s ordination celebration as I was sick of the propaganda and twisting of scripture--I walked out.

As I was walking out I ran into my former pastor and another friend--we walked out at the same time for the same reasons. When we got back to the convention center I got to see on the big screen the climax of a baptism celebration that looked horrible like a pagan ritual. If I didn’t know any better it looked like they were worship the baptism font or the water. (And I am a person that is willing to do some pretty funky things in worship).

So here is my celebration of women’s ordinations–in my own little part of the world–I want to thank God for my wife. For providing me a partner that completes me, that helps me grow, that pushes me closer to Jesus. I want to thank Jessi for loving me, loving our children, and really just for tolerating my brokeness. I want to celebrate her as she will be ordained as an elder this coming Sunday.

GA: Afternoon Plenary

Had a very inspiring lunch, which Gagnon reminded us of the cost of discipleship and giving over are whole life to Jesus, even our sexuality. The call of Jesus is inclusive because it is given to all, but cost of following Jesus is giving up everything even our life. He also mention that Jack Rogers has decline to debate him in person. Let me tell you I would pay top dollar and travel great distances to be attendance at that debate. Meanwhile....back to the plenary floor.

Sexuality Curriculum
The assembly approved without debate to instruct General Assembly Counsel and all PCUSA entities to use the biblical and confessional teachings that sexual relationships belong only within the bond of marriage of a man and a woman as the standard for the development of any future materials. This is fantastic but what it does imply and what is true is that our current sexuality curriculum doesn’t adhere to that standard and affirms many forms of sexuality and expressions, even though GA’s have instructed them to change it. So in essence the assembly affirmed that sexual relationships only belong with the bond of marriage of a man and a woman. Alleluia–but will they remember this when they vote on PUP and G-6.106b.

Abrahamic Heritage
The overture on Abrahamic Heritage was reduced to this in committee
"Affirm the current mandate of the Office of Interfaith Relations to promote the common effort of Christians, Muslims, and Jews to work together for peace, justice, and righteousness."
This is seemly innocuous but betrays the biblical witness. Peace, justice and righteousness are not secular endeavors and matters that can be achieved in this world with the witness and action of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His peace and his righteousness (justice) that we pursue, not some inherit sense of justice that resides in humans (which there is none–because we are totally depraved).Yet, only 29 commissioners voted against this overture. Surely this overture is better than what it initially said regarding that we worship the same God as Muslims and Jews, but it is still wrong. Don’t get me wrong I am all for loving Muslims and Jews (and anybody else for that matter), and believe that we as citizens of God’s Kingdom need to live out and demonstrate peace and justice in this world. My hope is that one day, that the Church is such an effective witness that Muslims and Jews come to accept that Jesus is the Sovereign Lord of all and for all. This is just another step of dumbing down our theology and becoming more and more unorthodox.

Parliamentary Procedures
There have been numerous complaints from commissioners about the speed in which the business of the assembly is taking place and they feel they are unable to speak on matters or make amendments to issue. I also think some of the commissioners haven’t properly prepared themselves on the materials (meaning reading them before had and organizing their material) and don’t know the parliamentary procedures. I sure the moving between LES and paper materials isn’t helpful to them either. Anyway–I am getting annoyed with all the complaining.

GA: Monday Morning Plenary

Breakfast Saga
In the continuing and exciting saga on whether on not if I will have breakfast took a drastic turn this morning as I actually enjoy a well-rounded breakfast–and yes it included bacon.

Changing Doxology
After the installation of the vice-moderator, we stood and sang the Doxology, however, "Father, Son, & Holy Spirit" were abstracted from the text and, "Triune God,"was inserted. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is just the continued changing ethos of this denomination. Their (OGA or whoever in charge) reluctance to refer to God as Father is blaring. We should affirm that God is Triune, but we need to affirm that God names himself as The Father (not like a father), Son, and Holy Spirit. The church is forgetting that God has spoken and He has revealed his name. BTW–we will be dealing with the Trinity paper later this morning (coincidence?)

ecclesia reformata semper reformanda
There was a pleasant overture that was approved to amend (actually, just add a footnote in the BOO) the Book of Order (G-2.0200). The ACC recommend that we change the translation to the exact meaning of the latin phrase to, "the church reformed, and always to be reformed." They way it used to be read (the church reformed, and always reforming) is used by many progressives to push their agendas to radical change the theology and the historical tradition of the church. So a simply thing, but I find joy in this clarification, and may I never hear "the church reformed, and always reforming" again.

Trinity Paper
Well, the Trinity Paper passed although amended in committee and on the floor. The vote to refer the paper for further revisions lost by 51% to 49%. Referral would have been fantastic. However, all is not lost. The amendments in the committee and on the floor made the paper more tolerable. The biggest amendment was to receive instead of approve the paper. This is a good thing because "receive" is the weakest language in Robert’s Rules–the strongest would have be adopted and then approve. The problem is that according the Office of Theology they will produce liturgical materials for the church with these alternative Trinitarian formulas (such as we experienced this morning changing the doxology). Bottomline another step in the direction away from Truth and one Faith.

Trust Language
I have heard over and over again in committees (particularly PUP) and now just on the floor (mostly by YADs) how we just need to "Trust" each other. Argghh.. It makes me sick–are we not suppose to think for ourselves or are we just to accept anything the committees of OGA gives us. One of our main reformed theological underpinnings is that we are totally deprave (all of us). That is why we have a form of government and polity that provides accountablity and room for many voices to affirm (although a majority can still be wrong in the eyes of God.). Please stop the language of "Trusting" each other.

Off to lunch to hear Rob Gagnon. Yummy on both accounts.

PUP Update & Birmingham Declaration

PUP Report Update
Some hopeful news, a motion was made that was closely defeated to refer the PUP report to the Presbyteries for 2 years of discernment. This is a great idea, and will most likely be a minority report on the floor of the assembly. This makes amazing sense because so many commissioners and presbyteries are confused on the ramifications on the PUP report. In addition, the assembly is so split on the issue, by definition we can achieve Unity if we are divided on this issue.

"Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine." (1 Corinthians 11:19 NRSV)

Heard this piece of the Word of God at a dinner today. What a amazing call to Evangelicals to stay in this denomination and be willing to fight and suffer for the Truth of Jesus Christ. Our witness could bring not only this denomination the Lord, but those outside of the Truth. Jesus, the Way, will show the way to all. He works in the impossible. May Evangelicals proclaim loudly in Birmingham that Sovereign Lord Jesus is the Way, The Truth, and the Life. May Jesus be our declaration now and forever.

Worship Revival

Today is a good day--but again I missed breakfast--and I love breakfast food the most. Especially Bacon. Everything is better with bacon.

Where to Worship and Where not to
Had to decide on Worship services today, I was interested in hearing our new moderator, Joan Gray speak at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church, but ended up going to a Renewal Network Worship led my PRMI (I think that stands for Presbyterians Reformed Ministries International). The led a great worship and a sermon that was preached by Parker Williamson, of the Lay Committee.

Parker is reknown for being controvesial and sort of a trouble maker. I enjoyed the Lay committee publications and Parker's take on the denomination. I have never meet our heard Parker before but he was a very good speaker and preaching and he really broken down the theology and ethos of the PUP report in tangible ways. I was thankful for the Spirit of Christ that continues to overwhelm me and encourage me amidst the choas and heresy of this denomination.

I refuse to participate in any of the worship services of the denomination because of the preaching and rhetoric that is spoken, plus the insistence of misquote scripture and underline postmodern ethos that our experiences in the foundation truth.

Slow Business
Today is a slow day, the PUP will be finished up in the committee and the mostly a day of rest, reflection and planning for the plenary sessions.

The plenary sessions decide on the business. All the YADs and TSADs (Youth Advisory Delegates and Theological Students Advisory Delegates) will no longer have vote on the plenary floor. This is a good thing because YADs make up 25% of the committees and lean heavily to the left. For the most part they are incredibly frustrating to watch in committee, because they have no understanding of polity and reformed theology. Worst of all, there rely heavily on their emotions instead of logic and Truth.

Old Faces, New Brother and Sister
During the worship service I sat next two people from Southern New England Presbytery (my presbytery) whom I knew, but didn't know they were Evangelicals. One of them is the commissioner from our presbytery and the other was a person that I served on a taskforce in our presbytery. However, I didn't realized that she and her husband were evangelicals. Praise God for sending Evangelicals from our presbytery. May the Lord unite us when we get back home.

Revival
I can't emphasis enough with you the fire that God has put in my heart, and the sense of the power of the Holy Spirit that has been given to me. I haven't felt the presence of the Spirit upon me this much since I first accepted Jesus in High School. Before any of the meetings, God has filled my heart with the Joy of His Truth and His love. Whatever upons with his apostate denomination God has sent revival in my heart. My prayer is that is carried over to my family, my children, and the church and community that I serve.

Into the FOG of the PCUSA

Into the FOG
Well, the day started without breakfast again–but I was so excited to get the day going, I didn’t even worry about it. You know I am having fun, when I can skip because. My fun is that I really feel God’s Spirit running through me. A fire of revival is starting in me like I haven’t feel before. I believe that revival will start in this denomination (at least it is starting in me). Alleluia

The Polity committee deliberated the issue of creating a FOG (Form of Government) taskforce (which I testified against). The first 15 minutes of the committee was taken up by Clifton Kirkpatrick, the Stated Clerk of the Church, who used his bully pulpit to tell the committee how important it was to pass the FOG taskforce. The next 15 minutes was given to Mark Tammen (professional Pharisee) who did the same thing. Then the ACC took 10 minutes to reiterate the same thing. Most overtures get an advocate that gets to speak 5 minutes, but the OGA (Office of the General Assembly) gets as much time it wants. The moderator of free rain of the committee. Frustrating Listening to the comments of committee members, it sound like most didn’t have an understanding of historic Presbyterian Polity, yet alone have read the Book of Order. The main argument of the OGA is that our polity has hinder our evangelism and church growth. So somehow our declining denomination is the result of our polity. Hogwash, perhaps it is the our church doesn’t proclaim Loudly that Jesus is Lord and live in the orthodoxy and orthropraxy. Anyway, the Taskforce was approved, which means it 2 years they will present a rewritten Form of Government to be approve by the 218th GA and then the presbyteries. So there is time to pray and defeat it.

Abrahamic Heritage
The main thrust and concern with Overture 07-01 was defeated and pretty easily. It took the committee awhile to handle this overture, but they eventually delete the points that we worship the same God as Jews and Muslims. The also didn’t affirm that we had a common Abrahamic Heritage. What they did pass was that we need to work together with Jews and Muslims for peace, justice and righteousness. Tolerable, but I still contend that our basis for peace and justice in this world is the righteouness of God. Jesus is the source of reconciliation and justice in this world. We start by proclaiming Jesus as Lord and then serve his mission of justice and love in this world. Oh well

G-6.106b (Ordination)
I got to the Church Orders committee just in time to see them vote 30-28 to disapprove deleting our ordination standards and erasing the authoritative interpretations. Which means the committee is recommend (albeit by a close vote) to the plenary floor not to delete our Fidelity and Chastity Standards. This is great news, however, it will still be a close vote on the floor next week.

Lost some ground, on the Definitive Guidance, the motion to remove some language from the 1978 Definitive guidance passed by 1 vote, however the committee did pass to send out the original definitive guidance to presbyteries for study.

PUP Report
It looks pretty bleak with the PUP report. Recommendations 1,2,3 were accepted, 4 had a minor change, and 5 (local option for presbyteries to ordain homosexuals) looks like it will be accepted as is (with a few minor insignificant changes). The evangelicals on the committee worked their butts off, making motions, amendments, substitute motions all to defuse the report. At one point it look like 5 would be defeated completely, but the momentum shifted. Right now the committee will deal with 5 at 1:30pm tomorrow and decide to keep the main motion or the helpful substitute motion–mostly likely 5 will be accepted.

From my perspective the taskforce and the ACC dominated the committee. From the comments on the community they did not fully understand reformed theology and polity are were rely solely on the opinions of the taskforce. The main argument that kept coming up to accept 5 was that we need to Trust. That drove me crazy because that is so anti-presbyterian. Our polity is based on one of main theological assertions of the total depravity of man. We are all sinners are not to be trusted, therefore we set up an accountability system of checks and balances in our polity.

Israel Divestment
Wow! This was a huge victory. The majority report that came out of the community removed the divestment language from the last GA action. So divestment is off the table. Even better, the minority report has even stronger language to rescind all of the last action of the General Assembly. So basically that means Israel Divestment is out one way or the other.

Social Issues
On an odd note, the social issues committee defeated an overture that would condemn suicide bombers. So apparently we are a denomination that supports suicide bomber as a act of protest. Can’t quite figure that one out.

Trinity Paper
Yikes, this is the worst news, the Trinity paper was passed with a few helpful amendments, but still is a horrible flawed and incorrect document. Sometimes, I looked around at all the people here and I can’t believe some of the comments that come out of people’s mouth and some of the issues we have to address. We have to defend the trinity amongst our supposed brothers and sisters. I thought we did that 1800+ years ago.

The Sabbath
Tomorrow this is a break for the Worship in the morning and some committees are done, but PUP will go out in tomorrow afternoon, please offer your prayers. Remember all the issues are official yet, until they are decide on the Assembly floor–right now we are just in the committees.

Revival
I am so thankful for the gifted and laying on of the Spirit upon me, and the peace in my heart. God is really blessing me amidst all the chaos and heresy. I don’t know what path God has for this denomination but I feel that he is setting me afire down a path of revival for Him and His Kingdom.

Fruitful Friday

Got to sleep in this morning (until 7:30), however, the day took off from there–so much so that I forget to eat breakfast. I realized this only at lunch time after I woofed down my lunch. I was nervous about testifiy before the committees. I am not sure why I was so nervous, and stand up in front of people all the time, yet somehow, I was nervous about standing before these committees.

Seeing thru the FOG (Revising our Constitution)
The first committee I stood before was the Church Polity (the committee I served on 2 years ago). I spoke out against 05-11 and there various amendments. The thrust of the overtures was to create a "FOG (Formation of Government)" Taskforce. Here are the main thrust of my arguments:

Brothers & Sisters, our constitution and particularly our Form of Government is not the problem. The problem isn’t that Form of Government is too complicated. The problem resides that we are moving away from it in our practice and the theology behind it.

GA after GA (and countless commissioners) have poured their blood, sweet, and tears into the formation of our constitution and Book or Order. Let us not cast aside, what is a good and functional document–a Form of Government and constitution–a document that is loaded with thoughtful reflection and discernment. This is a document which drew me to be a pastor in the PCUSA.

A small group of individuals that form a taskforce will not produce a document that has spent decades and decades of discernment.

Is this taskforce really going to produce a compelling and unified Form of Government, or will we have to spend decades and decades fixing their omissions and oversights. The taskforce will either produce a rewritten Form of Government that is not altogether different than what we already have (which would be a waste of time) or it will produce a Form of Government that is radically different and has not had the benefit of years of tweaking and common discernment.

We don’t need to spend our time, resources, and energy on revising the Form of Government. We need to spend our time and resources fulfill and living out the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our denomination is not in a decline because of our "structure and institutional impediments" in our form of government. Save yourself energy and time, save the energy and resources of future GA’s and commissioners that will have to fix and correct the FOG taskforce omissions but I urge you to defeated this overture and please do NOT create a FOG taskforce. The last thing we need is another taskforce. Thank you.

There were many people that spoke out against this overture. The committee will deal with it tomorrow morning and the forces (COGA, ACC, etc) of denomination are going to try to shove this overture down the throats of the committee and the assembly.

One God, Three Faiths? No!
The second committee I testified after lunch was Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. I testified against 07-1 on Affirming the Abrahamic Covenant with Jews and Muslims. I was still nervous, however, I felt more empowered and confident in what I was doing. Here is my written testimony:

Brother and Sisters, I urge you to disapprove this overture on Affirming a common Abrahamic Heritage. I have spent time in two different ministry locations ministering and dealing with Muslims and Jews in different contexts. I want to affirm that we need to build bridges with all people, but we must not throw the primary confessions of our faith, namely: Jesus is Lord.

We do not worship the same God as Muslims and Jews–and they would agree with that statement. We need to affirm there is one God, but that God has revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jews and Muslims deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They deny Jesus. When you deny Jesus, You deny God.. Same God? No! If you deny Jesus, you deny God, you deny how God has chosen to reveal himself to the world.

I encourage you to read the full section in the Confession 1967 that they overture quotes in their rational. 9.42 states futher that The gift of God in Christ is for all men. The church, therefore, is commissioned to carry the gospel to all men whatever their religion may be and even when they profess none.

Brothers and Sisters, Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians). He and the Father are one (The Gospel of John 14 & 17)

The gospel of Matthew tells us to , "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness." Righteousness more properly could be translated as Justice. The foundation of peace, justice and righteousness in the world is based on who Jesus is and what he has down for us. The theological underpinnings of justice for us is Jesus. We need to seek justice and peace in the world, but we do it in the context of Jesus and our mission in the world.

We need to build bridges so we can be like Paul on Mars Hill and carrying out the gospel to all people whatever their religion. But this is NOT the overture to accomplish our mission in the world. We are sent to proclaim that Jesus is Lord and confess it with our lips (Romans 10).

I urge to vote to disapprove the overture 07-01 on the Abrahamic Heritage. Let us be a denomination that with that holdups the Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Lord and Savior.

Church Orders Committee (Marriage Issues)
I floated to observe the church orders committee and their discussion on several overtures affirming the practice of sexuality only in the context of a marriage between a man and a women. All three of this overtures fail to get out of the committee. The closest one lost by 4 votes. Did I mention that Rob Gagnon (www.robgagnon.com) is on this committee. It is the foremost expect on the Church, Bible and History of views of sexuality. He is such a powerful speaker that when we speaks on issues and challenges the assumptions of other committee members they do not even engage his agruments. He even challenges and overwhelms the ACC (the Advisory Committee on the Constitution–who are the supposed advises on the Constitution). It is a hoot to watch him engage in the dialogue and debate of this committee.

I am a little discourage about the actions of the committee, however, the assembly can reverse the decision of the committee next week. Basically what happens is all the overtures get set to several different committees (which the commissioners are broken into). The committees deal with all these issues and makes a recommend to the whole assembly, who then makes the official decisions. 95% of the time the Assembly will agree with the committee, but at times the do not. So there is still hope. The good news is that a horrific substitute motion was defeated in the committee which stated that we need to affirm all sexual desires and orientations.

Social Issues
I am sitting in the social issues committee waiting for my dinner partner and listening to them debate whether we should take a stand on credit card companies predatorily practice on college students and campus. The good news is I got to catch up on my blogging material–otherwise snorefest!

Professional Pharisees
As I sitting in another committee waiting for them to discuss the Per Capita (church tax), Mark Tammen, Associate Stated Clerk, and in charge of the constitutional office just referred to himself as, "a professional Pharisee." Those were his words and said it in the context of the GA procedures committee relected him as Associate Stated Clerk. He said it jokingly, but I don’t think truer words could describe the Office of the General Assembly (OGA). Pharisees were people that had it partially right, but where they fell short was their application of the Law. Jesus had to recenter and rebuke the Pharisees. (On a Side Note, Tammen is one of the main forces behind the idea FOG taskforce which I spoke against earlier in the day).

Per Capita
The Baltimore Overture asks that GA mandate sessions pay per capita. The history of per capita is it always is voluntary, but important. More accurately the overture gives each Presbytery the power to mandate sessions to pay per capita. Per capita is the church’s tax on each church, which is determined by the number of members each church has. The overture advocate basically stated that his proposal is local option of each presbytery in regards to per capita. If this overture passes it would shift the power of the a church’s finances to the presbytery instead of the session of the church. This is subtle change in historic ethos of the Presbytery church. What is next, control of the decisions of the session by the presbytery, particularly who a session ordains or a congregation chooses as its elders? The ACC (Advisory Committee on the Constitution) representative stated that the GA decision can bind a presbytery on per capita, and a presbytery should then be able to bind a session to pay per capita. Would that same logic apply to ordination standards for presbytery. Can the GA bind the presbyteries on standards? I hope so, but the ACC in its agreement with the PUP report says the exact opposite in regards to ordination standards. Great news, the committee overwhelming defeated the overture.

Les Strikes Back
The computer system LES reared its ugly head several times during the day. During the Polity committee it went down several times. At one point, a resource person asked me to turned off my connection because there were too many wireless connections and it was straining the system. Which then exclude me from the committee business–because LES was the only way I was accessing the information. Can you say Open Meeting Policy? Eventually LES failed completely and the committee switch over to paper. I will say when LES is operational it is pretty slick way of distributing information, although I do like paper versions to take notes.

Partial Birth Abortion
Got word today that the health committee approved a statement against partial birth abortion. This is fantastic news! It was a close vote, but the margins over the past years have been swaying against abortion. We will have to wait to see what the plenary will do with this overture, or if there is a minority report.

What I learn today from God.
Trust that God. I believe wholehearted that God is going to reveal his way and path for us even in the most impossible situations. So when things look the bleakest-God finds a way. I have felt the Holy Spirit working deeply so far at GA–in me personal and in the community. We need to pray fervantly for protection against the evil one as he will attack, especially when the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is being proclaimed.

Prayer Requests
-Protection from Evil for GA
-God continue to show the way
-empower the commissioners to be bold and seek the Truth
-Saturday is a big day for committees, a lot of important work will be done.

DeVinci, LES, & a New Moderator!

Dinner
The afternoon was spent in the Word and reuniting with some old friends. I went to dinner at DeVinci’s. It was a great Italian restaurant. I had the spicy rope sausage and the best garlic loaf (not bread, it was a loaf. I asked the server if she knew why the spelled DeVinci with an "E" instead of an "A", she said she didn’t know but that she thinks it has to do with some different dialect in Italy that the owner belong to. However, since the Da Vinci Code movie she has been asked that question several times. I then asked if she had read the book. She said she had, but that she is reading Angels & Demons (the prequel) and says it is even better. Everyone says that–let’s be honest–I am not reading it. I then tried to engage her in a discussion of what she thought of the book. She didn’t understand the hoopla–it is fiction. Although when I pushed her, she still accepted some of the underline lies that Dan Brown sets forth in his book as historical fact. Anyway–it was a great dinner.

Right now, I am in the plenary session, the GA will be electing the moderator of church for the next 2 years.

Problems with LES
And LES strikes for the first time. LES is the computer program in which all assembly business is put on. There are no printed reports given to commissioners. The GA is dealing with the consent agenda which is a mass approval of many business items (which most people don’t read). Sometimes sneaky things pass through the consent agenda (I don’t know of any items this time). One commissioner complain that they couldn’t access LES. After taking a poll of whether commissioners could access LES 55% said they couldn’t. So half of the voters couldn’t access the information that was before the Assembly. This is a dangerous and a reason to call into question all actions that this GA takes unless the system is fixed. I love technology but this is a reckless use of technology with many commissioners who are not computer savvy. We should not sideline the collective judgment of our church because some people are not computer savvy.

15 minutes later--The second vote on ability to access LES is 22% cannot access but the consensus is that LES is slow and not responsive. I would concur with that assessment even when I use it during off-peak hours of the assembly. The consent agenda was just passed even though 1/5 of the assembly couldn’t assess the documents.

The beginning of disunity in regards to PUP
A overture was made by Presbytery of the James to deal with the PUP report (Peace, Unity, Purity) to deal with the recommendations independently of each other. The stated clerk and the committee of bills and overtures voted to not send the overture to any committees because this overture was not of a substantive matter, but a parliamentary procedure that the GA should do if it wished to deal with the report in such a manner. The motion is approved by an 80% margin (hope that is not a sign of things to come).

Another compliant about LES is made by a commissioner.

Rick Ufford-Chase just stated that we need to bear with LES, because, "it is important experiment." I wonder if the PUP report is an "important experiment" (experiment is the words that PUP members describe their proposals) as well.

Election of the Moderator
The good news is that the commissioners will not need LES for the election of the moderator. Because of delays the moderator just broke the assembly into singing a round of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," and "I want to sing, I want to shout." Okay-dokee!

Tim Halverson: "Truly Reformed! Truly Evangelical! Truly catholic!" Halverson platform is based on a vision of discipleship, mission and growth (I am not sure what he means about growth). He talks the talk about evangelism and proclaim Jesus Christ. Halverson claims he is a centrists not with his views, but with because Jesus is the center. Halverson is liberal evangelical(?)

Joan Gray: "Polity is not to save us!" Joan stance is more about healing and learning to be a church amidst our differences. Learning to deal and live in conflict. Trusting in God and lifting up the role of elders. Her agenda is to lift up, empower and equip elders. Joan is an author of one the main polity books for our denomination. Joan is an conservative evangelical.

Kerry Carson: Status quo has lead us to status decline." Agenda is to focus on Great Commandment and Great Commission. Loving each other–going the extra mile for each other to experience renewal. The church compare to a roller coaster–hang on to Jesus when we fear. Believes that the best days of the PCUSA are ahead of us. Kerry is a conservative evangelical.

My money is Halverson at this point. Most energetic and unique presentation.

Deborah Block: Block is former moderator of the Covenant Network. Her platform takes about the day of Pentecost and being united by the Spirit. She tells a few stories about "experiencing" the spirit and it being unifying. (Experience is the post-modern foundation for truth) She has Pentecost vision of the church, diverse and focused on mission.

My money is still on Halverson.

Now for an hour of questions. I think it would be more interesting if the candidates had to answer in the form of a question.

Highlights of the Moderator Q&A:
-Carson(white guy) stated that he knows what it means to be a minority. Yikes!
-Block had a weak and blurred answered regarding upholding Jesus is the only path of salvation.
-Block stated that if a gay person meets the standard of ordination in the Book of Order then the presbytery must ordained them (unfortunately–they standards won’t allow them).
–Halverson stated that his dreams was to ordained homosexuals–but he feels that a biblical case hasn’t been made yet to ordained him and the church does not have an overwhelming consensus on this matter. Halverson stated the issues was about Biblical interpretation.
-Gray stated that she has learned to be uncomfortable with her position of not ordaining homosexuals.
-Carson stated that he can’t because the scripture doesn’t allow it.
-Halverson upset that only 2 overtures of 140 deal with Evangelism.
-Carson asked the assembly if we are ready to receive missionaries from other countries to help us to spread the good news in our neighbors. Are we ready? Are we willing (what a great question).
-Robert Gagnon (author of The Bible and Homosexuality Practice) asked the question about recommendation 5 of PUP report. His question was a better answer than the moderatoral candidates. All I have to say is Robert Gagnon for moderator.
-Halverson agrees with PUP only if is the overwhelming majority of the Assembly (no chance of this!)
-Carson doesn’t agree with it, but would be willing to accept it if the whole church were to vote on it (meaning if it wasn’t Authoritative nterpretation).
-Block doesn’t see how the Kenyon case (women’s ordination) is connected with the PUP report (really-it is pretty clear connection).
-The last question to the candidates was what picture would they draw to describe the PCUSA in 2-4 years.
-Gray stated that it would be a heart ablazed
-Carson stated that it would be hands holding it each up.
-Block said it would be diverse handprints
-Halverson said it would be a windmill because it has a strong foundation and does something (mission).

Why they wouldn’t say a cross?

1st Vote
Block-28%
Carson-22%
Gray-28%
Halverson-22%

2nd Vote
Block-32%
Carson-14%
Gray-41%
Halverson-14%

3rd Vote
Block-31%
Carson-4%
Gray- 62%
Halverson-4%

It is a good thing I am not a gambling man.

Joan Gray is new moderator and she is evangelical and conservative. She stated in the interviews that she doesn’t support ordination of homosexuals and she doesn’t support the PUP report. This is unbelievable. Although, the moderator doesn’t have much say and doesn’t always indicate the way the GA is leaning. However, this looks to be a good sign. My prayer during this process is that God would pick the most unlikely, that he would pick the candidate that would rise up and lead this denomination and God would show this Assembly and the world that He is working. Alleluia–God is amazing. Gray was that candidate. Most people that Block would win easily.

Well, it is midnight. Day 1 down, and I am official sleep deprived already.

Here in Birmingham: Teddy Bears and Pet Murphy Beds

Well, I am here. Staying at the Holiday Inn, however, I don’t feel any smarter.

The plane ride was uneventful, although a little too bumpy for my pleasure. I did learn that apparently Detroit is on the way to Birmingham from Hartford.. On the first leg of my journey I was perusing through the AirMall magazine and found a Murphy Pet Bed. That is right a murphy bed for your dog. I laughed out loud and thought to myself who would buy one of these things and what dog would ever sleep on one. Most dogs I know rule their owners house, and sleep everywhere except their designated bed. Well on the second leg of my journey, I was sitting next to a lady who open up the AirMall magazine, and when she spotted the Murphy Pet Bed, immediately announce that she needed one, and wondered if she could build one herself. So apparently the Murphy Pet Bed has a niche market that consist of gullible pet owners.

I arrived late at night, didn’t get to bed until midnight and then starting my day at 5:30am. Yikes! I already feel overwhelmed with the amount of issues that need to be dealt with. Our denomination needs intercession and prayer. I signed up to testify in front of committees on two issues, the Abrahamic Heritage issue, and the FOG taskforce (I will speak more about this later).

My roommate is nice, he is a older pastor from Florida, although used to live in New Hampshire. He has a car so that is helpful, because the Civic Center is about 10 minutes away on Freeway from our hotel. This morning as I jumped into his car (literally jumped, he has the biggest SUV–I’ve seen)–there was a teddy bear grasping the steering wheel. He introduced me to CB (Chauffeur Bear). Apparently CB likes to drive, but isn’t allow to drive in the streets because he doesn’t have a license or at least won’t provide one when asked. So CB gets to drive around in parking lots when we are not there. I am not sure how he does this, because George (my roommate) takes the key with him. So I guess CB hotwires the car. I was relived to hear that CB wouldn’t be driving us, because I didn’t particularly feel safe with him driving–I think it is the blank look in his eyes, or that he never blinks that makes me nervous.