The 2019 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was held June 25-28 in Dallas, Texas, with 1,160 teaching elders and 407 ruling elders in attendance. The PCA reported growth in total membership, churches, ministers, and presbyteries over the previous year. Amendments were approved to the Book of Church Order regarding elder qualifications and notice for congregations withdrawing from the PCA. Overtures regarding ordaining women deacons and allowing non-ordained participation on permanent committees failed. An ad interim committee on human sexuality was approved to address issues related to ordained men identifying as gay already serving in the PCA.

1. PCA
47th General Assembly
2019 Report

2. 2A newcomers guide to GA
• What: General Assembly (GA) is the
highest court of the PCA. It is a
business meeting, a conference, a
reunion, a worship event, and a
ministry expo.
• Dates: June 25-28, 2019
• Place: Dallas, TX
• Attendance: 1,160 TEs; 407 REs
• Theme: Press On For God’s Glory

3. 3A few introductory comments
• Moderator
• Assembly demeanor
• “Worship” comments

4. 4Clerk’s Report
Statistics Reported
• Total membership, 384,793 (increase of 10,057)
• Churches, 1,572 (increase of 4)
• Ministers, 4,951 (increase of 69)
• Presbyteries, 88 (adding 2)

5. 5Clerk’s Report
BCO amendments (rejected)
• BCO 30-1, regarding definite suspension, that
was shown to be self-contradictory
• BCO 30-3 regarding indefinite suspension, that
was shown to be dangerously lacking in
specificity
• BCO 32-19 to allow counsel by any communing
member in all courts

6. 6Clerk’s Report
BCO amendments (approved)
• BCO 8-1; 8-3 regarding the qualifications of elders
• BCO 25-11 to require thirty-days’ notice for a
congregation to withdraw from the PCA

7. 7Clerk’s Report
BCO amendments (approved)
• BCO 35-11 not to disqualify automatically a
member of a court who was called as a witness
• Grant BCO 59-3, as amended, full Constitutional
status. The amended provision (new text
underscored) reads: “Marriage is only to be
between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24,25;
Matt. 19:4-6, 1 Cor. 7:2), in accordance with the
Word of God. Therefore, ministers in the
Presbyterian Church in America who solemnize
marriages shall only solemnize marriages between
one man and one woman.”

8. 8Interchurch Relations
• NAE debate and decision
• Review of Presbytery records
• Approving a man for admission to the Presbytery,
then seeking to censure his teaching
• MTW: Statement on valuing women
• Women currently serving in “director” roles

9. 9Overtures: dodging bullets
• Ordain women deacons (withdrawn)
• Allow non-ordained to serve on permanent
committees and boards (failed / declined
approval)
• Release Covenant Theological Seminary
from the PCA (failed)
• Overture 40: support women leaders
without delay or divisiveness (failed)

10. 10Overtures: uncovering landmines
• Response to adoption of the Nashville
Statement
• The value of an Ad Interim Study
Committee on human sexuality
• Will it address how we deal with ordained men
who identify as “gay” already serving in the PCA?