There is an ongoing trend in high-profile conversions and denominational transfers, both from within the church and in the world. Back in July, Professor Matthew Barrett of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary left the SBC for the ACNA, citing the transcendental and historically rooted.
Recently, Joel Littlepage, a Teaching Elder of Grace Mosaic DC, announced his intention to enter communion with the Catholic Church. In a statement during a recent Sunday service, Littlepage said the following:
I want everyone to hear it from me as your pastor, because you’re gonna hear it either way. We had discerned, Melissa and I, in our journey seeking the Lord’s face, is that our calling was to come into full communion and unity with the Catholic Church, a tradition that has shaped and formed me for such a long time. And to be a person of honesty and integrity, I eventually had to ask hard questions that led me to conclusions that were both beautiful for me but also very disruptive for my life.
Generally, when people convert from Protestantism to Rome, they cite the historic gravitas that the Catholic Church presents. Evidently, in Littlepage’s brief statement, he alludes to the tradition shaping his thoughts. Presbyterianism has a deeply rooted tradition which goes back to Calvin who drew from the historic church thought, not against it.
Grace Mosaic DC is part of a network of PCA churches that is helmed by Duke Kwon, who is a notoriously liberal, anti-racist pastor in the PCA. Grace DC was the church that hosts a “same-sex attraction” affinity group, along with other affinity groups for non-whites. It is also the church home of Irwyn Ince, the Mission to North America (MNA) Coordinator who was chosen to speak at a blacks only church event and said that he has fatigue from dealing with a “white majority context.”
This year already, the MNA retracted their materials supporting ICE evasion in violation of Romans 13. Grace DC also has female deacons and shepherdesses in violation of PCA BCO 7-3, of which Irwyn Ince’s wife is one of their shepherdesses. Melissa Littlepage is the Communications Director for Zachary Parker, Councilman for Ward 5 in DC. During the same church service, the church had women administer the elements for communion.
The PCA is supposed to have more rigid standards when it comes to these sorts of situations where a pastor is unable to continue his role due to theological reasons. Even for ordination in the PCA, one must state their exceptions to the Westminster Confession of Faith during the examination period (BCO 21-4). While a Teaching Elder can resign his ordination for theological reasons, it is a violation for Grace DC not to report his Catholicism to the Potomac Presbytery if they were indeed aware, as this would be an offense in contradiction for a pastor to hold beliefs in contradiction to the WCF (BCO 29-1). Already, a former member has claimed that he has known about this for weeks and that Littlepage made his trajectory known.
A letter from April of 2025 gives insight that Littlepage’s departure was both expected and that his journey into Catholicism was evident then.
Littlepage mentions that after “counsel from wise advisors,” he chose to disclose his “journey” to the congregation; however, he does not reveal his Romanist beliefs, only that he is leaving and is remaining behind to prevent any issues with the church’s pastoral transition. Littlepage is certainly disclosing that he revealed his journey to people, and in his resignation, revealed his journey had brought him closer to Rome. If Grace DC did know about his shift towards Rome, then it is a failure and a violation on their part that they allowed him to speak before the congregation and function as a Teaching Elder during the period in which they knew. On September 7th, Grace Mosaic denied foreknowledge of the announcement, insisting that Littlepage did not consult the other pastors.
As an aside, his wife’s letter implies that the Trump administration likens their situation to being stranded in the wilderness, which is a further display of liberalism at Grace DC.
Conclusion
One of the most high profile liberal PCA churches is losing one of their teaching elders, so on the positive side, the PCA is not losing its best. Ironically, a pastor at a church which is antithetical to the very tradition it was supposed to uphold is leaving for a church he claims is rooted in its tradition. Much of the reason for the theological shift is people are seeking something transcendent and enchanting, not a building with a cross that is following the culture of modernity and embracing that which no Christian embraced before. However, there is much that can be stated of the lack of focus the PCA has towards doctrinal fidelity which enables churches like Grace DC to flaunt the BCO and get away with it. They strain the gnats of Christian Nationalism when they should be dealing with the logs of shepherdesses, female deacons, and anti-white pastors.
2 Responses
Doesthe PCA include the article on the pope being the antichrist or did they remove that from the Westminster? It needs to be brought back. This is the prooof.
All Protestants need to get back to teaching that the papacy is the antichrist and the Romish church is the Whore of Babylon, and the Eastern and Oriental “Orthodox” are the Harlot Daughters of the Whore. Getting away from this is why Protestantism is sooo weak. Also not teaching this is allowing dispie lunatics to hijack the book of Revelation and assign new meanings to these things in favor of Antichrist “Israel.”