Is it lawful to leave the denomination for any reason? The Book of Church Order says so, but it was for hardness of heart that our shadow-Pentateuch gave us 25-11. Remember, some ancients thought that Deuteronomy 24:1 meant a husband could send his wife packing for a bad casserole. The infamous BCO ejection button may grant constitutional cover, but it cannot confer moral authority. The moral authority of leading a church out of the denomination of our vows will only come (or not) from the reasons we invoke and the process we engage to do it.
None of us would thoughtlessly cast our denominational bride away, but self-assured men know how to make almost anything into a Gospel issue. Some dream of a communion free of the ecclesiastical version of embarrassing uncles ranting about America’s Christian heritage. Others are bothered by the liberal nephew who talks like the Church has been a net-loss to the common good. But both know that 25-11 needs a bigger driver, so they stick around until the annoying family members win too many votes and another bad idea is passed or good one rejected.
Young people are leaving the Church because of our legalistic hypocrisy and selective moralism. But, the other way works, too. The mainliners killed the Gospel by trying to make it relevant.
They roll their eyes and tell themselves those folks just don’t get what’s happening in the culture. By itself that may not compel clicking on 25-11, but what if the real issue is that the other side is full of legalists, or if you like (well, don’t like), closet liberals? Young people are leaving the Church because of our legalistic hypocrisy and selective moralism. But, the other way works, too. The mainliners killed the Gospel by trying to make it relevant. Either way, it turns out this is a Gospel issue after all. The only responsible thing to do now is to tell the congregation it’s time to leave.
Of course, we joined a denomination that started by leaving a denomination. Leaving is not wrong in every case. However, after more than 30 years in the PCA I’m still waiting for the 25-11 that makes the claim, “We cannot preach the Gospel here.” We might imagine lesser although still legitimate reasons to leave, but the unfettered language of 25-11, is not a license to indulge exit-fantasies on the way home from a frustrating General Assembly.
Tellingly, it’s often suggested that a congregation’s departure is less troubling because it joined another more confessionally or missionally comfortable Reformed Communion. That’s a strange argument. It claims the change was not that drastic because it wasn’t driven by concerns for historic orthodoxy, or even Reformed distinctives. If those aren’t in play, the list of motives very likely has more to do with difficult presbyters, lost votes, and enneagrams than we’re ready to admit. If we could, we might also admit that we’re exasperated when someone in our congregation does the member-version of 25-11. We don’t see any irony when a congregant unilaterally bolts for another church because of things the Session decided. “He wouldn’t even answer our emails,” we say in somber shepherd tones.
Next: Thoughts on the Parliamentary Arts
