TULSA — What exactly the New Wineskins Association of Churches is — and what it wants to become — is still shaking out.
The group will hold its third convocation Feb. 8 and 9 in Orlando, after a flurry of other gatherings that may shine some light on the mood of the evangelical wing of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) A steering committee will have more recommendations then.
In the meantime, some pieces have fallen into place. And on some other things, the New Wineskins convocation, meeting July 19 to 22 in Oklahoma, decided, “Not yet.”
Not a denomination. Not yet. The 194 voting delegates at this convocation, representing 126 congregations, voted to make New Wineskins an “association,” which will apply for nonprofit status. But they voted to table until February a motion that the association take steps to be able to ordain ministers and receive churches into membership by Sept. 1, 2006.
Some said waiting will give New Wineskins supporters a “season of discernment” to see where God might lead. Others want their congregations to leave the PC(USA) now, and want New Wineskins to be an option of where to go.
“We’re looking for a home,” one delegate said. “If it’s not here, we don’t know where that is.”
Retaliation. The names of the New Wineskins steering committee won’t be made public, unless those committee members name themselves, because of concerns that Presbyterian ministers or congregations known to be considering withdrawal might be targeted for retaliation.
The convocation passed a motion asking the sessions of New Wineskins endorsing churches to urge presbyteries to adopt a moratorium on disciplining ministers or elders who discuss withdrawing from the PC(USA), and on trying to seize or encumber church property. (There was discussion at other times, though, of what steps congregations that want to withdraw might take to strengthen their position for taking church property with them.).
Some New Wineskins supporters spoke of feeling like they had a bulls-eye painted on their backs. Some said they’re ready for the battle. One man said God had spoken to him as he slept, and “He said there will come a time during the tribulation when you will need to choose a mark — either His or the beast’s. I take great pleasure in telling you that I have no problem whatsoever in wearing that target.”
At his house, the man said, “we will serve the Lord.”
Others asked whether the New Wineskins association is ready to put its national network into action to protect pastors and others who might suffer if congregations try to withdraw.
“Are we really, really willing to support each other . . . if things get ugly?” asked one delegate. Will larger, more affluent churches pay the legal fees for the smaller ones?
A Pennsylvania pastor of two small congregations said he and his wife are excited about the possibilities New Wineskins presents. But if those churches withdraw from the PC(USA), “I’m going to lose my home, I’m going to lose my medical insurance, I’m worried about my daughter,” who doesn’t understand what’s happening, the pastor said. Still, he’s willing to move forward in faith.
Later, another man rose and told that pastor: “If anything happens, you come live with me.”
Presbytery promises. The New Wineskins also approved an overture, presented by a group called the Constitutional Presbyterians, that would ask sessions to ask presbyteries to promise not to ordain anyone who cannot follow the PC(USA)’s ordinations standards regarding sexual behavior.
In June, the General Assembly passed the report of the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the PC(USA). That report allows presbyteries and sessions to decide when, and if, to grant exceptions based on conscience to the national standards which require that those being ordained practice fidelity if they’re married or chastity if they’re single.
The overture asks presbyteries to make a policy that would declare the “fidelity and chastity” standard to be essential — meaning that no exceptions or “scruples” to the PC(USA)’s ordination standards would be granted.
Restricting PC(USA) funding. The convocation is recommending that sessions “redirect or designate all General Assembly per capita and mission giving to intentionally support ministries which reflect our faith and missional priorities.”
It’s also expected that when the Presbyterian Global Fellowship meets in Atlanta August 17-19, a proposal for congregations to designate their donations towards particular projects or ministries will be made there too.
The New Wineskins supporters debated a bit about whether congregations should designate all the money they give — including to presbyteries and synods — or only do that at the national church level.
“To recommend that we cut off presbytery per capita would be more than we can all do now,” said Gerritt Dawson, pastor of First Presbyterian church in Baton Rouge. To designate all General Assembly funds “will be inflammatory and warlike enough,” Dawson said.
Some New Wineskins congregations began to restrict how their donations can be spent years ago — for them, this is a road already traveled.
Others acknowledged that their churches receive financial help from the PC(USA). A pastor from New Orleans said his church does designate some of its giving, but said financial support from the presbytery and synod “is helping us to stay alive. We are giving to our presbytery and to our synod. Some of us are in hostile contexts. Some of us are in friendly contexts,” and congregations “need to take all that into account.”
Picking sides. The convocation voted to table until February a motion to declare the PC(USA) “in a state of division” and to call on all churches in the denomination “to declare upon which side of the theological divide they stand.”
Some are ready to do that — they see the PC(USA) as basically being two denominations already.
But others said they’re not ready to ask for a formal divorce.
David Miller of Tampa Bay presbytery said he’s not ready to support the New Wineskins resolutions, even though he agrees with much of what the organization stands for.
Miller said when people come to him talking of divorce, he gives them this advice: “Be faithful to the covenant” of their marriage. “Hang in there . . . Don’t give up. Be open to reconciliation. Pray for that and believe that God can do great things.”
While he doesn’t think it’s likely, “there could be, there just could be” a working of the Holy Spirit at the next General Assembly, Miller said. Or the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission could rule that that the ordination standards regarding sexual behavior are essential and must be followed.
Miller said he counsels couples considering splitting to struggle together through the difficult times, to stick it out until there’s absolutely no hope. “There can be a tendency among us to want to draw up the divorce papers . . . when we ought to be on our knees saying, `Lord, could you redeem us?’ “ Miller said.
He also said he’s learned, by watching Christians in action, that “getting it right theologically doesn’t end the quest for the perfect church.”
Even if the evangelicals withdraw, in five or 10 years “there will be talk of further division,” over some other dispute, Miller said. “That’s just the way it is, that’s the way it always happens.”
