“The hotel isn’t big enough.” 

“The flights are too expensive.” 

“We need to hold the Assembly in a hub city.” 

I have heard, and even voiced, some of these concerns. I did so as a remote observer. But then I served as chairman of the host committee for Tennessee Valley Presbytery when we were privileged to host the 52nd General Assembly in Chattanooga. That experience gave me a front row seat to watch the Assembly planning process unfold. 

Here’s a glimpse into the process and criteria for determining where to hold the PCA General Assembly. 

The Process

The Administrative Committee is tasked with coordinating the General Assembly, which includes selecting the location four to five years in advance

The process begins by identifying potential cities that meet the basic requirements for hosting an Assembly, or by a presbytery reaching out with interest in hosting. Not every city will work for an Assembly (more on that below).

Once the AC has the opportunity to examine initial proposals from interested cities, it narrows the list to a select few and then visits each potential host city. If the AC believes the city is a fit, it will engage with the local presbytery and invite the presbytery to consider hosting.

Once the presbytery agrees to host and the AC approves the location, the contract negotiations begin. This part of the process can take months as the AC negotiates with the convention center, key hotel partners, and the local visitor’s bureau.

The contract requires the AC to make some educated guesses. How many commissioners will attend the General Assembly in 2029? Will it be 1,800, 2,250, or 2,600? No one knows, but the AC must sign a binding contract with the convention center that guarantees the number of hotel rooms that will be used, the amount of money that will be spent on food, and the number of convention rooms that will be needed.

The AC must take this risk on behalf of the PCA, although General Assembly attendance is not guaranteed and can swing dramatically from year to year. If the AC estimates attendance too low, then they could be using a convention center that is too small and does not have enough hotel rooms nearby. If they guess too high, then the AC could have steep financial consequences — paying for food that wasn’t purchased or hotel rooms that were not used or cancelled.

The Criteria

What are the factors considered when deciding whether a city would be a good location for the Assembly? There are five key criteria involved.

1. Convention and hotel space. The Assembly needs a convention center large enough to accommodate commissioners, exhibitors, and committees. (Consider that in 2025 more than 2,300 commissioners attended, plus exhibitors and families.) With the increased attendance over the last five years, both in the main Assembly business and participation within committees, some large city-center hotels that worked well in the past are now too small. Finding convention centers and hotels with the amount of meeting space needed, coupled with the required number of hotel rooms close by, is challenging at our current size. 

2. Availability. Many cities are immediately eliminated because their convention center is booked at the times we need. The month of June has become very popular for corporate (more lucrative) events than it used to be. The pool of available cities also shrinks considerably because the General Assembly has a fixed window on the calendar (the second half of June), and a set pattern in the week (move in over the weekend, use the space Monday-Thursday, move out Friday). Without the flexibility of some corporate businesses, it is harder to compete for the space needed to host GA. 

3. Accessibility. Are commissioners willing and able to travel to the host city? While it’s desirable to show the scope of the PCA, exposing General Assembly attendees to corners of the church they haven’t experienced, sometimes those corners come at a cost – both in time and finances. The AC typically will hold three out of four assemblies in the Southeast to make the Assembly accessible to most. Hopefully, the Assembly in Milwaukee will be an exciting opportunity for many to see the PCA’s reach!

4. Affordability. As great as it is when the three previous items line up favorably, the Assembly cannot select a city with exceptionally high hotel rates. Sometimes cities that seem like a great fit fall out of contention because the main hotel rooms start at $300 per night. 

Most commissioners want a reasonably priced hotel connected to the convention center. But at our size, GA is usually considered by the hospitality industry to be a city-wide event. That means for the size convention center that General Assembly requires, hotels throughout the city are needed. 

Sometimes this means a variety of housing options are able to be offered — different rates and room types — to better suit the needs of all attendees. But this can also mean that most of the hotel rooms will not be connected to the convention center and may require a short walk. 

That being said, the AC strives to find the best possible accommodations available. 

5. Presbytery support. The Assembly can only go where it is wanted. Just like you cannot require a church to host a presbytery meeting, you cannot force a presbytery to host the Assembly. A presbytery, or group of presbyteries, assumes multiple responsibilities when agreeing to host General Assembly. The AC usually has a series of conversations and meetings with presbytery representatives before the presbytery formally puts the matter to a vote. 

Most host presbyteries have to raise at least $100,000, devote time and resources to preparation, and fill over 200 volunteer slots. It takes work. While host presbyteries take on a considerable responsibility, they often find that hosting General Assembly can bring many blessings. Finding hidden talents within the local body, offering opportunities for engagement, and educating members about the PCA are great benefits of hosting GA. 

Looking ahead, the Assembly is set to meet in Louisville, Milwaukee, and Dallas for the next three summers. The AC is in the midst of finalizing contracts with the host city for 2029 while also vetting potential locations for 2030. 

The process is complex and involves variables outside the AC’s control that influence the final decision. Still, nothing is outside the Lord’s control. 

Each year, it is amazing how the Lord gathers his people to do the business of his church, engaging the resources of so many to further his Kingdom. 

Andy Jones serves as the editor of byFaith