by
Sylvia Dooling
A sea change is how I would describe the last few months since the meeting
of the 213th General Assembly.
Voices of Orthodox Women is four years old. During those four years, I have
spent most of my time encouraging the discouraged regularly attempting to
persuade the dispirited to stay in the PC(USA). Of late, however, something
positive and encouraging is happening there has been a kind of
transformation in the way folks are looking at things. Instead of sighs of
discouragement, I’m hearing the sounds of hope and enthusiasm. Not hope and
enthusiasm relative to the institutional church, mind you, but hope and
enthusiasm nonetheless.
The excitement I hear is coming from folks who, one way or another, have
become part of the Confessing Church Movement.
Scores of women and men on the VOW network are members of congregations that
have joined the burgeoning CCM. The congregations to which they belong have
boldly declared their faith, and courageously joined with other
congregations to make their confessional stance known publicly. Others are
members of congregations that have taken the first step, but have elected to
take a ‘wait and see” posture relative to the ‘movement.” Their sessions
want to make sure that the movement is genuinely grass roots that it isn’t
really just another top-down structure. Then there are those who are in
lonely places in our denomination congregations that are just plain
unfriendly to theology of the Confessing Movement. Nevertheless, they have
elected to sign on to the CCM as individuals, and thereby join their voices
with others who are determined to support the historic faith of the church.
I understand that my sampling is limited, but it appears from where I sit
that the CCM has given people a genuinely new and optimistic outlook. There
has been a sea change in peoples’ attitudes.
But, there’s more. On top of the celebrating that’s going on because of the
CCM, I’m also hearing from lots of folks who are eager to tell me how God is
beginning to use their gifts within the community of faith. And, oh my, that
is exciting for me to hear! Women and men are getting involved in prayer
groups, teaching, mission efforts, building church libraries, training boys
and girls in the faith of the church, learning how to do evangelism, serving
as elders and deacons, and educating themselves on what they can do to bring
about reform in the PC(USA).
I’m sensing a movement of the Holy Spirit that is empowering the formerly
discouraged among us ‘to be the church” in spite of everything else that
may be going on. And, that’s ever so important! Too often in the past I’ve
heard pastors say, ‘I’m not going to spend my life working in a denomination
that is dealing with these kinds of problems. I want to be part of a church
that can do mission and evangelism.” Well, that’s exactly what’s taking
place, right now! Congregations are alive and wellgrowing and taking on the
challenge of what it means to be faithful today, right where God has called
them to use their gifts to the praise of his glory.
God has not seen fit to send an angel to tell us what the future holds for
the PC(USA). But, when it is reported that there are Presbyterian
congregations throughout the country that are growing, and within that
growth that many are coming to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then
the message is loud and clear graciously, God has not yet withdrawn his
presence or his blessing from this part of the Body of Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria!