A Prayer Guide for the 2017 General Assembly
By Staff

Every year David Coffin, pastor of New Hope Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia, prepares a day-by-day, topic-by-topic prayer guide for the PCA’s General Assembly.

The guide provides the information PCA members need to pray wisely — and specifically — for the denomination’s upcoming Assembly. We have published it below, with permission, and we encourage you to print it, and refer to it daily, beginning June 12.

A GUIDE FOR PRAYER
45th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America
June 12-16, 2017
Greensboro, NC

Pray that the Commissioners will have an ear only to the Word of Christ, as delivered in the Scriptures, as the rule for settling all substantial matters before the General Assembly (GA); that they will exercise prudence and good sense in all matters merely circumstantial; and that they will have the wisdom to so distinguish among the matters before the GA.

Pray also that the Commissioners will engage in debate with a sense of fair play, integrity and charity, and that they will be so moved by the Spirit of God, as to put aside selfishness, pride or party spirit, in order to glorify Christ in His Church and edify His people; pray that in times of work, worship & fellowship, the bonds of love & unity among our Elders would be strengthened; pray that Pastors who come in discouragement would be heartened & encouraged to be faithful in their labor.

Pray for the Moderator (and his assistants); the Stated Clerk; the Parliamentarians; and the office staff.

Pray for your Elders’ faithful participation in the work of the Assembly and pray for the Lord’s blessing upon the ministry of the Word in the worship services and in the seminars provided throughout the week.

MONDAY

11:00 am—Committees of Commissioners meet: pray for wisdom as they frame recommendations on all the business coming before the Assembly, as well as review the records of all the Permanent Committees and Agencies from the last year; pray especially for wisdom and practical efficiency for the Overtures Committee, as it must prepare recommendations on 15 of the 25 Overtures before the Assembly!

TUESDAY

8:00 am—Committees of Commissioners continue.
7:30 pm—Opening worship service. Pray for the Lord’s blessing upon the means of grace, particularly the moderator’s closing address.
9:00 pm—First business session convenes. Pray for the election of the new moderator: that he would be wise, fair, firm and good-humored in leading the Assembly through the week.

WEDNESDAY

Report of Stated Clerk—give thanks for the continued growth of the PCA evidenced in the Clerk’s statistical report; pray that the revised docket arrangement, joining committee & agency information reports with their committee of commissioner reports, will continue to lead to greater efficiency and edification.

Report of Committee on Interchurch Relations—pray for the members of the permanent committee; for delegates from other denominations who will address the Assembly; pray especially for a Reformed & Presbyterian unity throughout the world that does not violate the Church’s calling to be a pillar and support of the truth.

Report of Committee on Presbytery Records—give thanks for the committee members who regularly undertake the challenging task of reviewing all presbytery records for Constitutional conformity; pray that the commissioners will consider with care this very important part of the Assembly’s oversight responsibility. That is an important minisry.

Report of Cooperative Ministries Committee—pray for the members of this committee as they seek to foster cooperative ministry among GA Committees and Agencies and provide a forum for resolving issues of inter-agency conflict.

Report of Theological Examining Committee—pray for care & faithfulness in their work of examining GA-nominated officers.

Report of Committee on PCA Retirements and Benefits, Inc.—pray for Gary Campbell (president), the staff, and the Board of Directors, that they be wise stewards of the various insurance plans they administer, as well as of the investments made on behalf of the PCA; and pray for the prosperity of the retired ministers and widows relief fund.

Report of the Committee on Reformed University Ministries—pray for TE Tom Cannon (the coordinator); the members of the permanent committee; and for the work of RUM ministers in 145 colleges and universities across the Unites States.

Report of Committee on Covenant Theological Seminary—pray for the Seminary, its President Dr. Mark Dalbey; and for the continued faithfulness of the faculty, the Board of Trustees & the students.

Report of Committee on Covenant College—pray for the College, its President Dr. J. Derek Halvorson; for the faculty, the Board of Trustees & the students.

THURSDAY

Report of Committee on Constitutional Business—pray for the Committee, that they advise accurately and wisely on any disputed questions during the Assembly.

Report of Standing Judicial Commission—pray for the members of the SJC, that they would have a love for justice in the administration of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and for the glory of the Lord & the upbuilding of the Body; pray for the Lord’s blessing upon the SJC’s work in completing the cases pending and in the cases adjudicated this year; that the parties involved will receive the decision of the Court with humility & grace, that there will be repentance where there is sin, understanding where there is hardness of heart, and restoration among brothers & sisters who are divided; and pray that the Assembly will have wisdom in voting on the proposed Operating Manual amendments.

Report of Committee on Nominations—pray that able and faithful men will be elected; that those elected to office will serve well & that those not elected will not be discouraged; specially pray for those to be elected to the SJC.
Report of Committee on Ridge Haven—pray for Wallace Anderson, Executive Director, the board of directors and the new camping season, especially that the children attending would come to know Christ or be further nourished in their faith.

Report of Committee on Discipleship Ministries—pray for Dr. Stephen Estock (the coordinator), the staff, and the permanent committee; for an increase in contributions toward the Committee’s calling; and pray for the work of discipleship across our denomination.

Report of Committee on Mission to the World—give thanks for, and pray on behalf of coordinator Dr. Lloyd Kim; pray for the staff, and the permanent committee; and pray for our missionaries throughout the world. To that end see: http://www.mtw.org/

Report of Committee on PCA Foundation—pray for Randel Stair (president), the staff, and the Board of Directors; for the fruitfulness of their fine work in the management & distribution of assets for the cause of Christ; and for faithful stewardship across the PCA.

Report of Committee on Mission to North America—pray for the coordinator TE J. Paul Hahn, Jr.; for the staff, and the members of the permanent committee; for capable men to plant churches; for the work of church planting, particularly among people from other cultures; for Bethany Christian Services; for PCA Chaplains; and that the Assembly exercise wisdom in the creation of new presbyteries.

Report of Administrative Committee—pray for Dr. Roy Taylor (Stated Clerk), the staff, and the permanent committee; pray for good stewardship in the approval of the budgets; give thanks that AC ended 2016 in the black; pray particularly for committee efforts to improve GA meetings and to increase RE participation at GA.

Report of the Ad Interim Committee on Racial Reconciliation—pray for the chairman, TE Kevin Smith and the committee; the consideration of their recommendations, and for the seminars to be presented during the Assembly.

Report of the Ad Interim Committee on the Role of Women—pray for the chairman, TE Irwyn Ince and the committee; and for the consideration of their recommendations.

Report of Overtures Committee—Pending are 8 overtures seeking to amend BCO including proposals: to declare chapt. 59 constitutional, to declare male only officers as a polity essential, to adjust qualifications for elder, to prevent officers from holding two offices simultaneously, to allow for sabbaticals, to allow for presbytery judicial commission minority reports, to adjust procedures for complaints, and to adjust quorums for congregational meetings for withdrawal from PCA; 4 overtures seeking to adjust Assembly rules, including proposals: to remove long range planning from Cooperative Ministries, to require multiple committee references for overtures, to adjust new business requirements, and to adjust means for appointing ad interim committees; as well as overtures to add proof-texts to the Confession of Faith on marriage, to address minister-candidates who wish to opt out of Social Security, and to encourage financing of Bible translation.

FRIDAY

Adjournment, 12:00 pm—pray that the Assembly achieves this goal!

Pray for a safe journey home for all, and for God’s favor in blessing that work which is according to His Word, and for His leading to see and correct that which is not.

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