PCA Proposed Strategic Plan And "Gospel Eco-Systems": Meaning?

Over on The Aquila Report, Williams Schweitzer, a church planting minister in Gateshead, England, has asked and answered the question, "What are Gospel Eco-systems?"  What are the "Gospel Eco-systems" mentioned in the PCA's proposed strategic plan (Page 24)?  This is the article from The Aquila Report, what it shows Gospel Eco-systems to be is distressing.

The PCA Strategic Plan includes a number of controversial proposals. However, the item that probably represents the greatest risk has gone almost unnoticed. What are “gospel eco-systems,” and do they constitute better obedience to the Great Commission?

The Plan proposes that we “Identify & support national & international efforts that develop Gospel eco-systems” (SP 24). One might wish for a thorough explanation of this concept, lest we end up voting for something we don’t understand. All we have, however, is a cryptic parenthetical description. To find out about gospel eco-systems we must go elsewhere: http://renewsouthflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/NAN%20Miami%20%28Keller%20-%20_Ecosystems_%29.mp3 (GES). In this talk, the question is posed, “What does it take to have a gospel movement in the city?” The answer is, “an eco-system has to be put into place. An eco-system is a set of forces, a set of energies that interact with each other, and therefore create this growth that is beyond, its beyond any one program, its beyond any one leader, its beyond any one church” (GES).

There are three components to a gospel eco-system. At the core is “an effective, contextualized way of communicating and embodying the gospel for center city residents.” Indeed, we are told that “If you have an… effective, contextualized way of communicating the gospel and embodying the gospel for center city residents, you’re actually going to win large numbers of them, its just going to happen” (GES). For one thing, we must point out that the gospel cannot be “embodied.” Our proclamation of the gospel can certainly be adorned by our good works, but the gospel itself is a message having defined content that must be conveyed by words, not deeds (1 Cor 15:1-4; John 17:8). More importantly, no matter what the church does, it is not “just going to happen.” The Holy Spirit is sovereign, and to say that, if you have the right evangelistic method “you’re actually going to win large numbers of them, its just going to happen” sounds like Finneyism. 

Emanating from the core is “…a whole series of church planting movements. At least 5 or 6… different denominations and traditions, that are using the core… whether its Anglican, Episcopal, whether its Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Pentecostal, so on.” It is crucial to see at this point that ecumenical cooperation is not an optional aspect of this paradigm, it is a requirement: “…it can’t just be Presbyterians or Baptists or whatever. There’s got to be, that core has to be embodied in a number of different traditions….” (GES). In other words, ecumenism is an essential part of gospel eco-systems.

The third component or “layer” consists of various categories of initiatives rooted in, but extending beyond the local church. At least three of these involve social action: Justice & Mercy initiatives, Faith & Work initiatives (“…Christian artists have to have parties”), and Overlapping Leaders from business, the arts, technology, and the church working together to improve the city (GES). Social action is another essential part of gospel eco-systems.

The Strategic Plan duly notes the existence of a possible “negative” at this point: “Potential drift into social gospel” (SP 24). Good thing the CMC has considered that possibility, because drifting into the social gospel is no minor hiccup. The social gospel destroyed the old denomination. Drifting into it would constitute total mission failure for the PCA.  One might think that there would be a concerted effort to demonstrate how gospel eco-systems have no conceivable connection with, or tendency towards, the social gospel.  But the Plan contains nothing of the sort.  

In the absence of such a discussion, it might be helpful to refresh ourselves on what the social gospel actually is.  100 years ago, the United Presbyterian Church adopted what has become a classic statement of this error, still found in BCO of the PC(USA). The “Six Great Ends of the Church” are “…the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.”  Sounds fairly innocuous, doesn’t it? Notice that the verbal proclamation of the gospel is right at the top of the list. What makes this a statement of the social gospel? Simply that it includes social action as part of the mission of the church. Nothing else is required, and everything else flows naturally from that fatal inclusion.

Now, what is in the Plan’s proposal that is meaningfully different from what we have already been doing, besides ecumenism? It seems to be the inclusion of social action as part of the mission of the church. Let’s be clear. Making the world around us a better place is a good thing, and is ordinarily to be expected when people are coming to Christ and serving in their vocations as salt and light (Matt 5:13-16). But that is not the mission of the church. The mission given to us in Matthew 28:18-20 is very specific: to make disciples of all nations through baptizing and teaching. If it is not baptizing and teaching, it might be lawful, it might even be commanded, but it is not obedience to the Great Commission.  

The Strategic Plan presents itself as a gift promising better obedience to the Great Commission. Upon closer inspection, it looks like it might be a Trojan Horse bearing ecumenism and the social gospel. Think twice before you open the gate.

Notice the last paragraph, "The Strategic Plan presents itself as a gift promising better obedience to the Great Commission.  Upon closer inspection, it looks like it might be a Trojan Horse bearing ecumenism and the social gospel.  Think twice before you open the gate."