PCA 38th General Assembly (2010): Overtures 11 and 15

Two overtures are coming before GA this year having to do with Church Planting and/or 'Mission Churches'.  Both of these overtures seek to change the language of BCO 5.  The first overture is more simple so I will address it first.  It comes from Blue Ridge Presbytery (Overture 11).  This overture states, 

Amend BCO 5-3 by deleting the words “of several” and adding “or more of the following” as shown below:

5-3. The mission church, because of its transitional condition, requires a temporary system of government. Depending on the circumstances and at its own discretion, Presbytery may provide for such government in one of several or more of the following ways:

1. Appoint an evangelist as prescribed in BCO 8-6.
2. Cooperate with the Session of a particular church in arranging a mother-daughter relationship with a mission church. The Session may then serve as the temporary governing body of the mission church.
3. Appoint a commission to serve as a temporary Session of the mission church.

The language change seems to be clear.  Instead of what might possibly be confusing of which a Presbytery might think they can only use one of the three ways, the change would allow the Presbytery to use any number from one to all three of the ways to establish a temporary system of government.  Seems good to me.  Do you have any qualms about this one?

The second overture comes from Potomac Presbytery (Overture 15).  It is rather lengthy dealing with amending the whole of Chapter 5 of the BCO.  To me, it seems like clarification is brought to Chapter 5 and nothing seems to be out of order.

The Overture seeks to amend BCO 5-2, -3, -4, -8, -9, -10 and -11, as shown below, and add a
new 5-5, renumbering thereafter:

Note: Strike-through for deletions; additions/revisions in bold and underlined.

CHAPTER 5

The Organization of a Particular Church

A. Mission Churches

5-1. A mission church may be properly described in the same manner as the particular church is described in BCO 4-1. It is distinguished from a particular church in that it has no permanent governing body, and thus must be governed or supervised by others. However, its goal is to mature and be organized as a particular church as soon as this can be done decently and in good order.

5-2. Ordinarily, the responsibility for initiation and oversight of a mission church lies with a Presbytery, exercised through its committee on Mission to North America, or by a Session, in cooperation with presbytery's committee on Mission to North America. However:, if the mission church is located outside the bounds of Presbytery, the responsibility may be exercised through the General Assembly's Committee on Mission to North America.

a. if an independent gathering of believers desires to form a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, they shall submit to the appropriate presbytery a written request to be established as a mission church and, upon approval of said request, be assigned a temporary government (BCO 5-3),which government shall take steps to oversee the election of a pastor according to BCO 5-9.f.(1).

b. if the mission church is located outside the bounds of a presbytery, the responsibility may be exercised through the General Assembly’s Committee on Mission to North America or Committee on Mission to the World, as the case may be, according to the “Rules of Assembly Operation.” In such a case the powers of the presbytery in the following provisions shall be exercised by the General Assembly through its appropriate committee.

5-3. The mission church, because of its transitional condition, requires a temporary system of government. Depending on the circumstances and at its own discretion, Presbytery may provide for such government in one of several ways:

a. Appoint an evangelist in accordance with BCO 8-6.
b. Cooperate with the Session of a particular church in arranging a mother-daughter relationship with a mission church. The Session may then serve as the temporary governing body of the mission church.
c. Appoint a commission to serve as a temporary Session of the mission church. When a minister of the presbytery has been approved to serve as pastor of the mission church, he shall be included as a member of the commission and serve as its moderator.

5-4. At the discretion of the temporary governing body, members may be received into the mission church as prescribed in BCO 12. These persons then become communicant or non-communicant members of the Presbyterian Church in America.

5-4. Pastoral ministry for the mission church may be provided:

a. by a minister of the presbytery called by presbytery to serve as pastor, or

b. by stated supply (BCO 22-5, -6), or

c. by a series of qualified preachers approved by the temporary government (BCO 12-5.e.).

5-5. The temporary government shall receive members (BCO 12-5.a.) into the mission church according to the provisions of BCO 57 so far as they may be applicable. As members of the mission church those received are communing or non-communing members of the Presbyterian Church in America.

a. If there is a minister approved by Presbytery to serve the mission church as its pastor (BCO 5-4.a.), each member so received shall be understood to assent to the call of that minister and to affirm the promises made to the pastor in BCO 21-10.
b. Meetings of the members of the mission church shall be governed according to the provisions of BCO 25 so far as they may be applicable, and shall be conducted according to the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.

5-6. Mission churches and their members shall have the right of judicial process to the court having oversight of their temporary governing body.
 

5-7. Mission churches shall maintain a roll of communicant and non-communicant members, in the same manner as, but separate from, other particular churches.

5-8. It is the intention of the Presbyterian Church in America that mission churches enjoy the same status as particular churches in relation to civil government.

B. The Organization of a Particular Church
5-8. A new church can be organized only by the authority of Presbytery. The Presbytery may proceed with the organization directly, or through an especially appointed commission, or through an evangelist to whom the Presbytery has entrusted the power to organize churches. In the organization of a church, whatever be the way in which the matter originated, the procedure shall be as follows:

1. The Presbytery shall receive and approve a petition subscribed to by those persons seeking to be organized into a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, appointing a time and date for a service of organization.
2. At the service and following the preaching of the Word, testimonials shall be presented to the Presbytery by such persons as are members of the church, if there be any, and applicants for admission to the church on profession of faith in Christ shall, on satisfactory examination, be received.
3. These persons shall in the next place be required to enter into covenant, by answering the following question affirmatively, with uplifted hand:

[See below – no change in wording of question]

4. The presiding minister shall then say:

[See below – only one word changed in pronouncement]

5. Action shall be taken to secure, as soon as practicable, the regular administration of the Word and Sacraments.

5-9. A new church can be organized only by the authority of Presbytery.

a. A presbytery should establish standing rules setting forth the prerequisites that qualify a mission church to begin the organization process, e.g., the minimum number of petitioners and the level of financial support to be provided by the congregation. The number of officers sufficient to constitutethe quorum for a session shall be necessary to complete the organization process.
b. The temporary government of the mission church shall oversee the steps necessary for organization.
c. When the temporary government determines that among the members of the mission congregation there are men who appear qualified as officers, the nomination process shall begin and the election conclude following the procedures of BCO 24 so far as they may be applicable.
d. The election of officers shall normally take place at least two weeks prior to the date of the organization service. However, the effective date of service for the newly elected officers shall be upon the completion of the organization service.
e. If deacons are not elected, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the session, until deacons can be secured.
f. If there is a minister approved by Presbytery to serve the mission church as its pastor, and members of the mission church have been received according to BCO 5-5, no further action with respect to the call of that pastor to the church to be organized shall be necessary. If no such minister has been appointed, or if the minister serving chooses not to continue as pastor of the newly organized church, a pastor shall be called as follows:

(1) The temporary government shall oversee the election of a pastor according the provisions of BCO 20 so far as they are applicable. If a candidate is to be proposed before the organization, the congregational meeting to elect a pastor shall take place at least two weeks before the service of organization. This may be the same meeting called for the election of other officers.
(2) The ordination and/or installation shall be according to the provisions of BCO 21 so far as they are applicable. The service may take place at the service of organization.

g. In order to proceed to organization as a particular church the members of the mission church shall sign a petition to Presbytery requesting the same.
h. Upon presbytery’s approval of the petition, presbytery shall appoint an organizing commission and shall set the date and time of the organization service.
i. At the service of organization the following elements shall be included in the order deemed by the organizing commission to be appropriate:

(1) The organizing commission shall ordain and/or install ruling elders and/or deacons according to the provisions of BCO 24-6 so far as they may be applicable.
(2) If a pastor is being ordained and/or installed at the service, the organizing commission shall act according to the provisions of BCO 21 so far as they may be applicable.
(3) A member of the organizing commission shall require communicant members of the mission church present to enter into covenant, by answering the following question affirmatively, with uplifted hand:

Do you, in reliance on God for strength, solemnly promise and covenant that you will walk together as a particular church, on the principles of the faith and order of the Presbyterian Church in America, and that you will be zealous and faithful in maintaining the purity and peace of the whole body? [note: no change in wording]

(4) A member of the organizing commission shall then say:

I now pronounce and declare that you are constituted a church according to the Word of God and the faith and order of the Presbyterian Church in America. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy GhostSpirit. Amen.

5-9. The following procedures shall be used in nominating and training ruling elders prior to organization and the election of a Session:

1. All men of the mission church (unless they decline) shall receive instruction in the qualifications and work of the office of ruling elder by the organizing commission or the evangelist.
2. These men shall be examined by the organizing commission or the evangelist concerning their Christian experience, their knowledge and acceptance of the constitutional standards of the church, and their willingness to assume the responsibility of the office of ruling elder according to the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. The organizing commission or the evangelist shallpresent a list of all who are found qualified to be nominated.
3. Not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date of election, petitioners shall submit, from the list of all those found qualified, nominations of members for the office of ruling elder to the Presbytery-designated organizing commission or evangelist.(Compare BCO 24-1)
4. The congregation will determine the number of ruling elders following proceduresoutlined in BCO 24-3 and 24-1.
5. At the organizing meeting ordination and installation shall follow the procedure setforth in BCO 24-6.
6. Those elected, ordained and installed ruling elders should meet as soon as is practicable to elect a moderator and a clerk. The moderator may be one of their own number or any teaching elder of the Presbytery with Presbytery's approval.

5-10. If deacons are elected, follow the procedures of (1) through (5) above. If deacons are not elected, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the ruling elders.

5-11. The following procedures may be used in the selection of a pastor in a newly organized congregation:

1. Not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date of organization the petitioners shall elect from their own body a Pulpit Nominating Committee. This election shall take place at a meeting of the petitioners announced at least one week in advance. Only those who have made a written commitment to membership in the new church are eligible to vote at this meeting.
2. The Pulpit Committee may report at the organizational meeting of the congregation, or any subsequent congregational meeting called for that purpose.
3. If at the organizational meeting a pastor is called who is a member of the organizing Presbytery, he may be installed at that time by the Presbytery or a Commission authorized by the Presbytery to do so. If the pastor elect is not a member of the organizing Presbytery, his call must be prosecuted under the provisions of BCO 21.

5-10. Upon organization, the newly elected session should meet as soon as is practicable to elect a stated clerk and formulate a budget. If there is no pastor, the session may elect as moderator one of their own number or any teaching elder of the Presbytery with Presbytery’s approval. Further, if there is no pastor, action shall be taken to secure, as soon as practicable, the regular administration of Word and Sacraments.