By Michael Gryboski, Christian Post.
Presbyterian Church (USA)’s eighth largest member congregation voted this month to leave the Mainline denomination over theological differences and join the Evangelical Covenant of Presbyterians, a conservative denomination that has more than 280 member congregations.
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, a Houston, Texas-based congregation with approximately 3,700 members, was granted dismissal by the PCUSA Presbytery of New Covenant on Saturday.
Mike Cole, general presbyter for the Presbytery of New Covenant, told The Christian Post that Memorial Drive Presbyterian’s vote to leave was affirmed at the Saturday meeting.
“The presbytery dismissed them on a voice vote that was overwhelmingly in favor,” explained Cole, whose regional body has seen other churches leave the presbytery over the past few years because of the PC(USA)’s liberal theological direction.
“Following the vote, the presbytery prayed for the congregation, pastors and leaders as they transition into another denomination.”
10 Comments. Leave new
I congratulate the courage of the Congregation in Houston and wish my Congregation at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, NC would do likewise. It is unfortunate that the members are practically held hostage by the liberal views of the majority of Ruling Elders and Ministers. If this were put to a vote for the entire Congregation, it is likely this church would also ask to leave. We do not agree with the theological basis for recent votes taken by the Presbytery Lay Committee. Nowhere among God`s spoken or written Word is it stated that marriage is anything but between a man and a woman. Nowhere among God`s Word, written or otherwise, is there a call to help the LGBT, much less pray for them, as was recently asked in the Pastoral prayer in our church, to the grumbling of members surrounding me. Certainly, nowhere in God`s Word, written or otherwise, is there a reason to condemn God`s chosen people, the children of Israel, or did you forget the vote taken in the Presbytery Assembly last summer in which you did just that?!
Remember always Luke 21:22 (KJV): Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.
“We do not agree with the theological basis for recent votes taken by the Presbytery Lay Committee.”
I think you meant, “for recent votes reported by the Presbyterian Lay Committee”. The votes to which you refer were taken by the PC(USA) General Assembly and Presbyteries.
FWIW … nothing says you have to be held hostage by your Session, you can nominate people from the floor at your annual meeting who are orthodox to remove those elders who are swayed by culture rather than the Word. There are two EPC congregations in your city, you and others could move your membership there.
There are options.
I hope and pray the great commission will be obeyed for those churches leaving and have left the PCUSA. Will those churches that have left and will leave have a plan to establish Gospel Preaching Churches???
Excellent comment by Truitt and clarification by Golden!!!????
ECO is not a conservative denomination, but one of the moderate liberal one
Those congregatios leaving PCUSA are doing just exactly what has to be done: preach the Gospel as it is in the Bible not an adultered gospel as pcusa leader are doing it . They preach a sociological and political gospel instrad of the true Gospel of Christ. True Christians ate been awakened by the Holy Spirit and it will continue to be so.????????
Clearly it is the PCUSA and not the ECoP that is “making disciples.” The PCUSA only excels at making empty buildings.
FWIW … many are going to ECO or EPC, both having Scripture as the highest authority. I know EPC is very busy planting new churches, and I know ECO is heading in that direction.
John, very interesting comment you threw out there without any data or facts to back it up. Would you please elaborate on this statement and compare ECO to EPC or PCA?