PCA Growth, PCUSA Decline

The other day I was at a party and someone asked me what church I attended. I told them an Anglican Church in North America. She then proceeded to tell me about their church which is considerably closer to my residence and suggested I go there. I knew that it was a Presbyterian church so I asked if it was PCA or PCUSA. When she said PCUSA, I said "NO thanks" (probably a little bit too emphatically), she then gushed on about their female minister. I tried hard to contain myself and was able to steer the conversation elsewhere. You see, I know the direction the PCUSA is headed. I also know a bit about the PCA as some of my best friends attend a large PCA church. 

It looks like the PCA is headed in the right direction according to this report from Premier Christian News,

The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) has reported steady growth for the third year running.

This comes as many US denominations continue to face numerical decline.

In its latest five-year review, nearly 1,000 congregations submitted data showing a 1.84 per cent rise in membership in 2024, bringing the total to over 400,000 members, as reported by The Christian Post.

Adult baptisms increased by 16.5 per cent, while adult professions of faith surged by more than 22 per cent compared to 2023.

Children’s professions of faith and infant baptisms also rose, and giving across the denomination reached new highs.

Overall contributions grew nearly 16 per cent, with $1.29bn (£968m) given in 2024.

Per person giving also jumped by more than 13 per cent, reaching $4,118.98 (£3,091).

Donations to General Assembly ministries climbed 12 per cent, and support for external causes, including mercy ministries, reached over $170m (£128m)

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has lost about a million members since 2009, while more than 7,000 congregations have left the United Methodist Church (UMC) due to internal disagreements over sexuality.

Good for the PCA!

 This Sunday's Psalm is sufficient to post with no commentary. Other than to say it is my favorite.

Psalm 23 Dominus regit me

1 The Lord is my shepherd; *

I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *

and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *

and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I shall fear no evil; *

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *

you have anointed my head with oil,

and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Meanwhile in Germany

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) have much in common as you shall see from the following report by Javier Villamor at The European Conservative,

As the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) prepares for its biennial Kirchentag conference from April 30 to May 4, 2025, the focus is less on Scripture and more on identity politics. With some 1,500 scheduled events, the gathering reads more like an activist festival than a spiritual retreat—featuring workshops on “queer animals on the Ark,” “feminist parenting,” and “critical whiteness.”

The “Queer Animals” event is actually intended as an “interactive worship experience” for kids and families. Presumably, German Evangelicals are perfectly happy with this sort of thing being taught to their children (if they have any). Maybe the story of Noah has undergone some form of imaginative reinterpretation—perhaps the lions are now non-binary?

For mothers seeking guidance, there’s “New Moms for Rebel Girls,” a session dedicated to feminist child-rearing strategies. It seems even parenting advice must now pass through the lens of ideological activism.

Another session, “Be Brave and Strong,” offers “empowerment” exclusively for BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) children. Presumably, “indigenous” does not mean “White European,” even in a German context. The workshop is led by a self-described “anti-racism and empowerment trainer.”.

Those not “affected by racism” are invited to attend a three-hour workshop on “Critical Whiteness”—a guilt-heavy exercise for those born with the wrong skin tone. Meanwhile, diversity-themed games and readings will occupy a full day, featuring books and stories like “Simply Nina”, which charts the journey of a child who “feels trapped in the wrong body.”

While the Church invests its energy in this sort of ideological rebranding, its pews are emptying fast. In 2024 alone, EKD membership dropped by 586,000 to around 18 million. In 2003, by comparison, there were over 25 million. The decline shows no sign of slowing.

Don't see the similarities between the ELCA and the EKD? Just check out the ELCA's web pages. 

I understand that the German language is sometimes difficult to translate, but in any language believe it when I say, "Don't evangelize a false gospel for if you do, you will fail."

Walking Cadavers Don't Eat Fish

This Sunday's reading is from John 21:1-19 in which Jesus appears for the third time to the disciples.

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

I once was derided by a Philosophy professor who was leading an adult Episcopal parish Sunday school class for believing that Jesus was resurrected and was alive to the disciples. "So, you believe in walking cadavers," he told me and the class.  I said, " No! I believe that Jesus was risen, was alive, and even ate fish."

I quit that class and joined the choir.