Why aren’t there more than five congregations of Hispanics in the PCA?

I can’t afford General Assembly anymore so I read blogs. I know that’s not the same as being there.

There seems to be distress that not everyone is on the same page on everything. But for me, I’m always on several pages at once anyway. Once I thought I could move on from church history to systematic theology, but President Sam Logan was not in favor: to teach systematic theology you have to be systematic, he said. And I do enjoy the three-ring circus of church history: there’s always something else going on besides what’s in the center ring.
Here are some of my rings:

1. The wonderful books I’ve been reading. Of the four, three are from PCA folks: Paul Miller, Praying Life, Esther Meek, Longing to Know, Jim Belcher, Deep Church. Also Mark Shaw, Global Awakening (a former PhD student). I love to talk to anyone who’s been reading them—but I’m not upset that they aren’t required reading for General Assembly.

2. Hispanic ministry. How does ‘sermon application’ work here? Is there another way of describing immigration besides legal and illegal? Why aren’t there more than five congregations of us in the PCA?

3. UPUSA. Well, that’s where I heard the gospel and my heart was changed. Many friends stayed. Now some are finally moving on. Why to the EPC and not the PCA? I think I know: to them the PCA looks like the OPC looks to the PCA. But why? I’d like to help them, but I guess ‘praying observer’ is where I am now. I care deeply, and want to get to know their EPC.

4. Women’s ministry people. Remember RTS Orlando bringing on Roger Nicole, who had become convinced of women’s ordination? I wish I knew more of that story. But I do remember fondly my Westminster time, when we voted 13-1 to call a women OT teacher; it didn’t work out but we hoped so much it would. OK, no PCA Women Deacons. In RUF and MTW there’s a welcome. For me it’s hard that not everyone wants that much ‘every-member ministry’ but it’s not too terrible. For now.

5. MTW, with all that like-mindedness and love and working together, and Paul Kooistra himself, friend and mentor. 13 years for me on CMTW, ‘Living in Grace.’ In this grand place, I’m an insider!

6. Emerging Church. Mostly just observing. It can seem strange. But it tries to be welcoming and not off-putting. Jim Belcher has it figured I think, but I know other people too.

7. New Life Church with Jack Miller and Paul Miller and all my old friends, and now my son Marc as Assoc Pastor in Glenside, and my son Erik and family worshipping there. NL is my personal fulfillment of the old BP and RPCES Francis Schaeffer breakthrough: The Gospel leaves no place for Meanness. I’ll always remember Jack’s breaking off a sermon to look around at all of us and say: I love you. I know, many of you would be turned off by the worship style, but I can live with that if you can. Or can’t.

8. Now Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, with committed and loving students and colleagues and board and President Steve, with like-minded Park Cities Church and Village Church. A new grand beginning. May I live a while longer here.

That’s where I am. Do we need to share all the rings in our personal circuses? Do I really need GA to give me yet another ring? (But the idea of sharing together more than ‘business’ was a good one). Back then the new OPC made room for the pre-mils, even though most of them didn’t believe it. I guess they found it hard to make enough room, because then there came the Bible Presbyterians and Faith Seminary (daddy of Covenant Seminary). Later they couldn’t make room for those who understood the Lord’s Day the way the Heidelberg Catechism does, and that was just terrible for me.

I heard from someone that our PCA founding patriarchs wanted room for days of creation, room for Sabbath/Lord’s Day understanding, and some charismatic room. I think that must have happened: after all those years we’re still all together. The PCA is a good place for me, and I’m deeply grateful. But it’s not the only ring in my circus.
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D. Clair Davis, a PCA teaching elder and former professor of church history at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, teaches at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas.