The Assembly reconvened at 8:00 a.m. During the Covenant College report, Derek Halvorson offered the following highlights:
Admissions – In the fall of 2021, we welcomed 292 new students from 33 states and 8 countries; this was 22 students over our Fall 2021 enrollment goal.
Campus & Facilities – During the 2021-2022 year, Facilities Management completed the replacement of field turf at Scotland Yard, installation of air conditioning in Barnes Gym, and ADA interior signage improvements.
Development & Finances – Donors gave over $7.2 million to Covenant during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, including gifts to the IMPACT Endowment Campaign, student scholarships, and support for the college’s operations. In March of 2022, the college concluded the IMPACT Campaign with $32,165,000 in gifts and pledges to the college’s endowment, exceeding the campaign goal of $30,000,000.
Student Life – The Covenant College Athletic Department experienced significant success across all programs. We prioritize strong discipleship models, stand-out academic success, intentional recruiting, and a holistic pursuit of excellence. Athletically, 9 programs finished in the top 4 of the USA South standings (Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Track, Men’s and Women’s Tennis), while Men’s and Women’s Soccer both won the conference championship.
The General Assembly adopted the following recommendation from the Covenant College Committee of Commissioners:
That the General Assembly thank and praise God for the 11 years of fruitful service of President, Dr. J. Derek Halvorson. Echoing the expression of thanks from the Board of Trustees, the Committee of Commissioners wishes to highlight the following:
Under Dr. Halvorson’s faithful leadership, Covenant College completed its largest endowment campaign, raising over $32 million in gifts and pledges, saw the extensive renovation of Carter Hall, and enjoyed a dramatic improvement in four-year and six-year graduation rates. Dr. Halvorson helped to introduce new majors and certificate programs, oversaw the transition of the College from NAIA to NCAA Division III and led the College through a global health pandemic with a sure and steady hand. Dr. Halvorson has fulfilled the duties of his office with exemplary wisdom and grace and has been a great blessing to the institution and to the denomination. His warmth and winsome demeanor has been a credit to the College and the General Assembly gives praise to God for his leadership as president and herein expresses their thanks to Dr. Halvorson for his service.
Irwyn Ince, coordinator for Mission to North America (MNA), offered his report to the Assembly. Here are some highlights:
In the next 10 years MNA will strive to facilitate the multiplication of PCA churches from 1,994 to 3,000 congregations. In order to accomplish this vision, the following must be true:
- Ongoing Focus and Commitment to Church Vitality: As our churches grow in health and the rhythm of renewal through the means of grace, our heart for the lost and commitment to neighbor love in Jesus’ name will also grow.
- Multiplying Church Planting: The multiplication of churches that will be faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the great commission will take the prayer-saturated, collaborative effort of our whole denomination.
We must provide structures to revitalize PCA churches. Church planting and church vitality must simultaneously feed each other. We invite every church, presbytery, committee, and agency to join us in the challenge to pray that our Lord grant the unity, collaboration, love, sacrifice, and perseverance that is required to pursue this vision. In the 4th quarter of 2023 MNA will provide a detailed document on The Path Forward for Church Planting Vitality for consideration by our presbyteries, sessions, and network leaders.
The Administrative Committee offered its report to the Assembly, given by Stated Clerk Bryan Chapell. Below are some highlights:
The AC continues to make progress with foreign language (Spanish and Portuguese) translations of our Book of Church Order (BCO) to help our church minister to all peoples and generations.
The AC facilitates and supports the Standing Judicial Commission, which issues decisions according to how sworn testimony aligns with our Standards. The SJC is not separately funded.
The AC provides administrative assistance and arrangements for the Theological Examining Committee.
The AC provides administrative assistance and arrangements for the Cooperative Ministries Committee.
The AC provides administrative assistance to the Interchurch Relations Committee (IRC), and the Stated Clerk is an ex officio member and secretary.
The AC has an important duty of facilitating communication among clerks for sharing knowledge and experience, and one way we do this is through the annual Presbytery Clerks Conference.
The Overtures Committee presented its report to the Assembly. Chairman Steve Dowling presented the report to the Assembly.
The Assembly voted to accept recommendations on Overtures 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 14, 16, 24, 25, 27 in gross. The vote was 1768-42.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 23, Amend BCO 8-2 and 9-3 to Require Officers’ Conformity to Biblical Standards for Chastity and Sexual Purity in Self-description, in the affirmative as amended. The vote was 1673-223. Read the amended overture here.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 9, Amend BCO 7 to Codify the Biblical Standard for Church Officers Related to Human Sexuality, with reference to its answer on Overture 23. The vote was 1773 – 106.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 17 with reference to its answer on Overture 23. The vote was 1771-97.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 15, Amend BCO 53 To Disallow Exhortation, Preaching, or Teaching by Women in Worship, by referring it back to Bryce Avenue Presbyterian Church, White Rock, New Mexico without prejudice. The vote was 1725-139.
Grounds: Terms in the overture like “exhort,” “public worship assembly,” and “where men are present” are overly broad and vague.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 26, Amend BCO 7-3 Regarding Titling of Unordained People, in the affirmative as amended. The vote was 1427-481.
The amended language is the following sentence: Furthermore, unordained people shall not be referred to as, or given the titles of, the ordained offices of pastor/elder or deacon.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 22, Amend RAO 8-4.h; 17-1; and 19-2 to Specify When Minority Reports Are Permitted, in the negative. The vote was 1727-113.
Grounds: This overture would give individual members of CCB too much power to force retrial of cases decided by the SJC. Additionally, no judicial decisions would ever be able to be considered final until the final review of CCB.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 11, Amend BCO 15-4, 45-1, and 45-4 to Allow Objections by GA Commissioners to SJC Decisions, in the negative. The vote was 1686-94.
Grounds: The Overtures Committee had three major concerns about this overture: (1) the unfairness of allowing a commissioner who has not read the record of a case (which sometimes exceeds a thousand pages) to file an objection; (2) the lack of limitations on the number of objections that may be filed on any particular case; (3) no definition on which court (General Assembly or SJC) would rule on whether the language of an objection is temperate, or which court would write responses, in accordance with BCO 45-5.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 21, Amend BCO 33-1 and 34-1 Specifying Causes and Processes for Original Jurisdiction Requests, in the negative. The vote was 1666-113.
Grounds: This overture is closely related to overture 8 from 2022 that was rejected by half the presbyteries last year. In light of that, it is unwise to advance such a closely-related overture at this time, particularly as it does not seem to address the concerns raised in opposition to the prior overture. Among those concerns is changing the phrase “refuses to act” to “refuses to indict.” The committee preferred the current language of the BCO to these changes.
The Assembly voted to answer in the affirmative Overture 12, by empowering the Moderator to appoint a commission to draft a humble petition (WCF 31-4), which the PCA Stated Clerk shall send to the President of the United States; the majority and minority party leaders in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; and the Chief Justice of the United States and recommend the Presbytery Clerks to send the petition to the Governors; the majority and minority party leaders in the State Legislatures; and the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Courts in their regions, condemning the practice of surgical and medical gender reassignment, especially of minors.
The vote was 1089-793.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 18, Affirm Christ-Centered Racial Reconciliation and Reject Secular Social Justice and Critical Theory Ideology, in the negative. The vote was 1156-318.
Grounds: General issues regarding critical theory and racial reconciliation have already been well addressed by the Ad Interim Committee on Racial and Ethnic Reconciliation.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 28, Declare Message to All Nations a Faithful Expression of Biblical Polity Shaping the PCA, in the affirmative as amended. The vote was 1158-143.
The amended language is the following: Therefore, be it resolved that the 50th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America declare the “Message to All Churches” a faithful expression of Biblical polity which shaped the founding of the PCA in 1973.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 13, Amend BCO 35-1 and 35-7 to Allow All Persons as Witnesses in Cases of Process, in the negative. The vote was 1091-751.
The Assembly voted to answer Overture 2021-41, Amend BCO 35-1 to Expand Potential Witness Eligibility, by reference to the Assembly’s decision on Overture 13. The vote was 1277-180.