While the line may not be obvious to some for how Christians can serve and witness in the world, it should be clear that hosting an event on church property  in “The Chapel” with a “Dragon” and “Celestial Bodies” with the face of Christ in the backdrop, and where Romans 1 anti-Worship is celebrated should be off limits to PCA Churches, Pastors, and Members.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.—
Ephesians 5:11

When has idol worship in Israel ever been permitted?  How about encouraged?  How about for “Missional” Purposes?

If an explicitly blasphemous event is held on property owned, managed, serviced by a church should Christians be concerned?  What if the justification is that “we are trying to reach the culture and love people in the culture and win a hearing with them?”

How about if the Event on PCA Church Property is:

• called “Celestial Bodies,” (and here)
• held in a ministry and building called “The Chapel,”
• the headline act is a man named “Eldraco” (the Dragon)
• who is advertised in front of a stained glass Image of Christ (not in the venue)
• The other acts are all celebrating aberrant Gender & Sexual Identities
• Event Culminates in a simulated worship experience called “a Euphoric Dance Party”
• served by elders/members of the Church including providing free alcohol for the event

No, you’re not reading the Book of Revelation, nor Exodus 32, nor Mark 14’s “abomination that brings desolation.” Or are we?

For most Christians for most of history the answer to this question has not been complicated.  We cannot control what happens in the culture but we certainly can protect what happens on our property. Yet for some in the PCA with a heart to reach the lost this is not the case. And the PCA is undecided as a denomination as to what is ok with regard to property usage and church involvement and what isn’t.

2 years ago “The Chapel,” a ministry run on the Church Property of Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Louis (And featured in the PCA’s magazine), hosted the Transluminate event which was advertised as “A celebration of transgender, agender, non-binary, genderqueer, and genderfluid artists.”  Due to complaints about this event throughout the denomination, the Missouri Presbytery investigated Memorial PCA and issued this statement.  It is unclear, however,  if this statement says events like Transluminate (or Celestial Bodies for that matter) are off limits for Church Property. The statement would suggest or imply that the issue is not that Christians facilitate these events but rather the issue is that the Church was publicly associated with the event. It seems Memorial PCA has since distanced itself from public promotion of “The Chapel” ministry which is made up of elders and members from Memorial, even as it still occurs on their property and facilities and is on their website.

Is that all that is required?  From conversations around the PCA it seems the pastors in the denomination don’t have a unified position.  It seems most would agree such events shouldn’t be endorsed by a PCA Church but that doesn’t preclude Churches from doing ministry and outreach at such events.  However, isn’t it different when its on Church Property and only exists because the Church attracted such an event?

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[Editor’s note: One or more original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid; those links have been removed.]