General Assembly 2025 Recap
July 3, 2025 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement
Our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America, held its annual General Assembly last week in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Over 2,200 commissioners were in attendance. Teaching elders (i.e. pastors) and ruling elder representatives from each church can attend this annual meeting that addresses matters that pertain to the whole denomination. One of the distinctives of the Presbyterian form of government is connectionalism. We value the connections we have with fellow ministers and churches for collaborative ministry efforts and accountability. Pastor John, Bret Willoughby, and I were able to attend GA this year. A lot takes place during the two and half days of business; let me draw attention to a few highlights.
- The Theme for the Week was Lift Up Your Eyes. GA is hosted by local Presbyteries who spend years preparing for the worship services (one each night), the need for hundreds of volunteers, and coordinating children’s activities. The host Presbytery also selects the theme that shapes the focus of the worship services. Tennessee Valley Presbytery selected “Lift Up Your Eyes.” The three sermons called us to lift up our eyes to the glory and majesty of God and to let the worship of God be the primary goal and passion of what we do.
- Change in Stated Clerk. Bryan Chapell announced his retirement from serving as the denomination’s Stated Clerk early in June. The Stated Clerk is elected by the General Assembly and serves like the Chief Operating Officer for the denomination. The Administrative Committee did not have sufficient time to present a permanent replacement, so John Bise assumes the role on a temporary until next GA. Bise has been a long-time ruling elder in Huntsville, Alabama.
- Growth in the PCA. The Stated Clerk gives a report each GA about the state of the denomination. Statistical reporting for 2024 shows that the PCA continues to grow in her number of churches and number of members. This is remarkable since most denominations in America report declines.
- Agency Reports. The PCA has nine agencies which give themselves to specific ministry needs. A couple examples: Mission to the World (MTW) is our missions agency that provides infrastructure for cross-cultural ministry efforts all over the globe. Mission to North America (MNA) guides the denomination’s efforts in church planting and church vitality. Other agencies include Covenant College, Covenant Theological Seminary, and Ridge Haven Conference Center. Each agency is under the authority of the General Assembly and must give a report each year. GA then votes to approve any proposed macro-level changes and the agency budget. MNA’s report caused a stir when the Coordinator reported a $1.9 million deficit for 2024. This deficit was the result of rising expenses for the recent push for church planting, along with a short fall in donations. The agency has made adjustments to the budget in order to course correct.
- Book of Church Order Amendments. The Book of Church Order is one of our constitutional documents that guides the government and discipleship of the church. The BCO can be amended through a three-step process. First, GA must approve the proposed amendment. Second, over the next year, Presbyteries will vote on the proposed amendment. Two-thirds of the 87 Presbyteries need to agree with the change. Third, the next GA must vote again to approve the amendment. This deliberate process is to ensure that changes to our constitution are well-thought out. Several such amendments were on the docket for GA this year. One such amendment relates to the examination of ruling elders and deacons. If this amendment passes the second and third step, candidates for these offices will need to state for the record any differences they hold with the Westminster Confession and Catechisms. This step will help preserve the doctrinal fidelity and unity of the denomination.
- The Formation of a Study Committee on Christian Nationalism. The last thing I’ll highlight is this formation of a study committee. Our denomination has formed and funded study committees on various topics over the decades. These study committees have sought to provide clarity on topics with which the church is wrestling. Recent committee reports have included one on domestic abuse and sexual assault and another on human sexuality. This year, GA approved the formation of a committee to study the issue of Christian Nationalism. There is much confusion and division around this topic and the role of the church in American politics. Lord willing, the committee report will provide some unifying clarity.
That gives you a small window into the activity at General Assembly this year. If you are interested, you can read a fuller recap provided by our denominational magazine, byFaith, here at this link. I am thankful to be a part of a denomination that continues to seek to be faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission.
