The Presbyterian Coalition has announced that it will “cease as a non-profit organization and transfer all assets (about $7500) to The Fellowship Community (TFC) with the request that TFC would consider fielding a team to the 2018 General Assembly with the sole purpose to support, encourage, and assist evangelical GA commissioners.”
The decision was announced in a July 18 email signed by Gale Watkins, Bill Teng and Wally Warrenburg. The web site for the Coalition — http://www.presbycoalition.org/ — has already been disabled.
The email reads:
We write to let you know that we, the board of Presbyterian Coalition, have made a decision concerning our organization. We will cease as a non-profit organization and transfer all assets (about $7500) to The Fellowship Community (TFC) with the request that TFC would consider fielding a team to the 2018 General Assembly with the sole purpose to support, encourage, and assist evangelical GA commissioners.
A document (undated) we found online called “Why the Presbyterian Coalition?” says, “The Presbyterian Coalition was born out of concern for the Church which struggled to witness to historic and Biblical leadership standards and out of hope that the Lord of the Church would work his will through the people and polity of this Church. Beginning in the early 1990’s, the Presbyterian Coalition has gathered individuals, churches, organizations and their leadership into a loosely defined, open, and active movement sharing the conviction that the words of Scripture, interpreted by the Confessions of the Church, reveal the will of God.”
To that end, from 1996 to 2005, the Coalition organized a number of large national gatherings. The Coalition took positions on issues before the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and had a visible presence at meetings of General Assembly. In recent years, the landscape has changed dramatically. Prominent Coalition leaders have left the PCUSA or have retired from national church affairs. Our activities have been drastically curtailed. For the 2016 General Assembly, the Coalition hosted conference calls to help commissioners prepare for their work, and then sponsored and hosted gatherings of commissioners in Portland.
As we say farewell, we want to acknowledge the work that has been done over many years. We appreciate the strong leadership that has been offered by the staff and board members who preceded us. We give thanks for individuals and congregations who continued to support the work of the Presbyterian Coalition financially. Your gifts enabled us to be present at each General Assembly and to bear witness in that setting. Thank you for your love for the church.
God’s blessings on you.
Gale Watkins
Bill Teng
Wally Warrenburg
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The efforts to reinforce SOLA SCRIPTURA at numerous GA’s over many years was greatly appreciated. The secular leftists unfortunately have won the day at the PCUSA. Sad to see what’s happened at what once was a Christ centered denomination.
The Fellowship Community is the last holdout for some of us in the pcusa, God Bless the Presbyterian Coalition for their faithful witness.
I certainly appreciate all of the hard work and faithful prayer that was offered up by the Coalition over the years. It provided a safe haven in a heterodox denomination. I’m grateful for all of you.
The greatest myth that was believed by the remaining theological/cultural conservatives left in the PCUSA, especially post PUP 2005-6, was that they were a valued seat at the PCUSA table. Or room for all in the “Big Tent”. Nothing was further from the truth. Having severed for a better part of a decade in a uber-liberal Presbytery with a seminary embedded, as well on the denominational level over the years, these are the hard facts.
-You may think about them, they do not think about you. Most of the PCUSA leadership and its clergy base assume they are morally, intellectually, culturally, theological superior to their more conservative contemporaries. Dialogue or discourse is neither asked for, nor is consultation really necessary for their agenda and aims. They view you with either suspicion or contempt.
-They value you solely as a source of resource extraction, either per capita, property or other tangible assets. Deny them such, and you will get their attention and no small amount of irritation as far as they are concerned. But fellowship and unity is defined in material and monetary terms alone.
-They would much rather talk with Hamas or ISIS than pick up the phone and initiate a conversation. If given a free and clear choice of discussion or some transaction across the theological gulf and death, they would choose death and institutional suicide. Death it is, there is the bridge and there is the water, do not let me stand in your way. Again this is what they want. One either chooses to join them at the ledge or not. Only in the the PCUSA does it take 3 active study commissions to reach the same conclusions. Which they will.
Amen Peter Gregory. It is why I left the PCUSA. The writing was on the wall–the only change was to be worst
When a ship is capsizing, it is generally best to try to get off of it. I tried, got badly battered and beaten, and, as I floated away, I was blessed to be picked up by a sound and stable passing ship (EPC), where I am being healed and restored. Throughout the process, I was told by the executive of my liberal PCUSA presbytery that my presence and voice were needed and welcomed at the table, but I found that my presence was needed only for the purpose of maintaining the illusion of theological diversity and that my voice, when it spoke of biblical faithfulness, was always treated with contempt.
Peter, the wit of your writing never fails to make me chuckle. Well said.
In one word: “snobs”. The embedded uber liberals in Presbytery and GA want nothing to do with us except our financial support.
Thank you for your commitment which demonstates faithfulness and faith. Your efforts have been the catalyst for many moves within the PCUSA and moves outside the PCUSA. I see a comparison between the PCUSA and an individual in hospice care. There are hopes, prayers, bargaining, seeming improvement and finally acceptance. Can these dry, dead bones find life again. Only if the Spirit of God is allowed to breathe life back in the PCUSA. And for that I pray!
The Presbyterian Coalition provided comfort and guidance during the final few of my 40 year sojourn as a pastor in the UPCUSA/PCUSA. I’m grateful to God for faithful leaders who gave their very best in difficult times. I’m now old and retired, waiting for the Lord’s next orders. Meanwhile, my wife suffers Alzheimer’s with all the grace and hope she receives through the Holy Spirit and with which she inspires me. I’m honored to love and serve her, as if the Lord, and leave the PCUSA well behind forever. May God make the most of our meager witness to Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.