Among their dreams:
“We want to be larger than the Southern Baptists,” said Kenneth Newbold (this group was thinking big), and to be an inclusive church, where people from all the nations of the world are welcome and every local congregation is deeply involved in mission.
They want a joyful, welcoming church, an evangelistic denomination, a church that seems relevant to young people.
They want a church that wants to grow, but if that does happen, is ready to receive new members — even if they are different from the people who are already there.
“What if all the energy we’ve given in 25 years to sex” — to fighting over whether to ordain gays and lesbians — could be released for ministry, mission and evangelism, asked Jack Rogers, a former General Assembly moderator.
And Neal Presa, the council’s vice-moderator, said his group wanted a denomination with “passion and vitality and fervor,” where people read the Bible and study it in depth.
“Simplify, simplify, simplify” the structure of the denomination, another group reported. Connect with the seminaries, offer lively and creative worship, have financial stability so Presbyterians can do the work they want to do.
And “the church will be booming with new Christians,” Nancy Kahaian reported from her group. “Also this church will not be fighting from within.”
