(PHOTO: DOUG GLEDITSCH)
A Texas megachurch formerly affiliated with Presbyterian Church (USA) has joined a fast-growing nascent conservative reform body.
Grace Presbyterian Church of Houston, with approximately 2,000 members, was recently granted its request to be dismissed from PCUSA after voting to leave the liberal mainline denomination.
Hardie W. Morgan, executive director Ministry Support at Grace Presbyterian, told The Christian Post about the process that the congregation went through.
“We entered the formal Presbytery of New Covenant discernment process on October 20, 2013. Our congregational vote to request dismissal was June 1, 2014 and we were dismissed July 19, 2014,” said Morgan.
Morgan noted that there were multiple factors that led to Grace Presbyterian deciding to seek dismissal, providing CP with quotes he gave to the Layman.
“I wouldn’t say it was any one issue as much as it was the desire to focus less on the issues of church governance and social actions,” said Morgan to Layman.
“It felt like we were having those conversations all the time, and they were a distraction from being the hands and feet of Jesus. We simply felt called to be somewhere else.”
While affiliated with PCUSA, Grace Presbyterian Church fell under the jurisdiction of the Presbytery of New Covenant.
Other factors cited by Morgan included PCUSA’s latest actions at their General Assembly, including divestment from three companies doing business with Israel.
Presently the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, in the past few years scores of churches have sought dismissal from PCUSA over theological differences.
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SOURCE: The Christian Post
Michael Gryboski
BCNN1 WP 