The Presbyterian Church USA has been in terminal decline for some time, after becoming the largest gay affirming Presbyterian denomination in the United States. This past year, they passed an amendment to their governing constitution banning discrimination against homosexuals in their churches. Last month, they concluded Presbyterian World Mission as an organization.
“We gather to give thanks to God for World Mission, which concluded as a ministry area on Monday,” said the Rev. Ellen Sherby, World Mission’s Associate Director for Global Connections. “Today, we lift up people, places and partnerships that have been life-giving, and we thank God and honor colleagues whose service with the Interim Unified Agency ended with the closure of World Mission. Their commitment and contributions, together with global partners, have been invaluable. We acknowledge and celebrate all work well done, and the friendships and shared work of colleagues and partners. Let us worship God together.”
The reasons behind this change are primarily financial, as this is not the first organization to get the ax.
Global missions ministries are prestigious for a denomination to have, and the PCUSA shutting down its international missions organization is a huge blow to the leadership’s credibility. Perhaps the Reconquista efforts will capitalize on this and connect the decline in sound teaching to this disastrous outcome for the PCUSA.
