My Love-Hate Relationship Being a “Presby”: Part 3 – The General Assembly – This is Not Just Another Boring Denominational Read . . . Really!!!

Today is my birthday. It is really not a big deal to me, and has never been for my entire life as best I recall. It is basically just another day. However, my birthday will be forever linked in my mind with the PC(USA)’s national gathering called the General Assembly because in 2001 I spent my entire birthday mired in that annual symposium of contention and strife as a voting commissioner. It proved to be one of the more forgettable experiences in my life.

Yesterday began this year’s installment of this bi-annual national gathering. Each time this event seems to serve more for contention than for unity. All of this in spite of the fact that everyone who publicly talks weaves a tale of unity and harmony.

This year has a lot of talk circulating saying the Assembly is expected to cause a lot of dissension. The fact that will occur is probably a given. But the end result of that dissension is totally up for grabs.

This denominational gathering is when both sides of the various theological debates strut and parade around and use the term “church” and “PC(USA)” synonymously. That is a fact that irked me then, and does so even more now.

I am one that does not fit neatly into either side of these debates. I likewise cannot be called someone who fits in the middle of the road. If pressed, I could probably be found on either side depending upon the issue. I see myself as on a continuum between the two extremes.

Many folks talk (as they have every other year it seems) that this Assembly could finally lay the foundation for schism in the denomination.

My response: “Ho hum.”

There are four primary reasons for my response.

The Herman’s Hermits Response – I have heard it all before. As Herman’s Hermits sang in the 60’s. “Second verse, same as the first.” This is the same thing they say every year. The names, faces, issues, and reports may differ, but little else has changed.

The Over Sized Ego Effect – The PC(USA), in my opinion, just like most other denominations, have overestimated their importance. In reality, I wonder what difference it would have on the kingdom if the denomination actually did split. In talking to literally hundreds of non believers, our denominations are such a non-issue that they would not even notice if the religion reporter for the newspaper did not get a great amount of attention. It matters to those steeped in the Christian subculture. It matters to those geographic areas where there are large numbers of a particular denomination that is affected, but I kid you not, most non Christians really could not care less if we split, merged or ceased existence. They do care what the Christians they interact with say, because on some level it is a real person talking about Jesus not an entity.

Yassar Arafat Principle – You remember Yassar don’t you? He was the long time leader of the Palestinians in the Middle East. (Did anyone else ever smile so much with so little to smile about?) During Arafat’s leadership there were several attempts at peace with the Israelis. None came to pass for reasons on both sides. But I think one issue was Arafat himself. I believe he had allowed his identity to become blurred with the conflict and he could not envision life without it. Thus, he unconsciously, could never fully barter a truce. I think that is exactly where BOTH sides are in this denominational debate. They cannot split. They would lose their identity. Their identity is so merged with these denominational issues that they cannot allow schism to take place.

The Flat Rate Income Tax Principle – We will never have a flat rate income tax in the United States. If we were to have a flat rate income tax, it would put hundreds of thousand of accountants and government officials out of a job. Just the same way there are so many folks whose entire livelihood (“ministry”) is tied up in the conflict, they would not know what to do. I think many of them have truly forgot how to serve Jesus. I wonder when was the last time many of them actually led an unbeliever to Christ? When did many of these churches last have a non-Christian join them? I honestly believe many of them could not function in a world void of Christian conflict. How much do the various factions actually enjoy gathering to talk denominational stuff? So much so that last summer when the denomination’s General Assembly took the year off, both sides of the debate had their own separate gatherings! I rest my case.

I am now about to be tarred and feathered. But as I said it is my birthday. I am 52 years old. I am too old for these continual games and quite simply I am tired of playing. It is not what I signed on for when I agreed to ministry.