In my humble opinion (but one informed by over three decades of ministry in the PCA), our denomination is riddled with anger, pride, jealousy, competition, factions, with not a few “celebrity pastors” who drive the engines of party strife in our midst. We are in the condition of the Corinthian church, as set forth in First Corinthians 1:1 – 17. It is the “word of the cross” (i. e., the Gospel) alone that can remedy such a situation.
[Editor’s Note: This letter was written by Mike Ross in support of the Gospel Reformation Network. The GRN is hosting a free conference before General Assembly.

I am part of the Gospel Reformation Network (GRN) because I sense a great need for a new reformation in American Christianity, Evangelicalism and the PCA. I believe we are an increasingly polarized culture, community and church. Our own PCA seems to be full of “younger brothers” and “older brothers”—the same ones who make up the famous story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. The tension we feel in our General Assembly, in our presbyteries, and in our PCA networks is the tension of two man-centered ways of looking at life, ministry and religion. The Gospel offers a third way.

I am convinced that a true understanding of the Gospel, and its practical applications, is the only thing that can bring the PCA and Christianity back to unity, holiness, love and spiritual vigor. We in the PCA must change, and only the Gospel has the power to affect such change: “the power of God for salvation.” (Romans 1:16)

In my humble opinion (but one informed by over three decades of ministry in the PCA), our denomination is riddled with anger, pride, jealousy, competition, factions, with not a few “celebrity pastors” who drive the engines of party strife in our midst. We are in the condition of the Corinthian church, as set forth in First Corinthians 1:1 – 17. It is the “word of the cross” (i. e., the Gospel) alone that can remedy such a situation.

Once the PCA pastors and elders turn their attention to the Gospel of God, their hearts are automatically turned to Jesus Christ. The Hero of it all should receive our undivided and willful devotion and only the Gospel can lead us to such a self-effacing commitment to Christ. It would be the greatest of all tragedies if we PCA leaders turned the Gospel into an instrument to justify our pet beliefs and party objectives. The Gospel must never be used by men but should be used by God to change men.

It is my sincerest hope that a Gospel Reformation might radically transform the PCA into the loving community, missional force and transforming instrument the church should be. We never outgrow the Gospel; all we can do is to grow deeper into it or further from its radical truths. It is my prayer that the PCA will join together to grow deeper
together into the life-changing newness of the Gospel: “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come!” (2 Cor. 5:17)

May the Lord Himself visit the PCA with the “new thing” found only in the Gospel. And may we cling to God’s last promise in the Bible: “Behold! I am making all things new! (Rev. 21:5) This is, by the way the theme of this 41 Assembly: “Makes All Things New.” Come, Lord Jesus, and do a new work in the PCA!

Michael Ross is Senior Pastor of Christ Covenant PCA in Charlotte, N. C. and Moderator of the 40th General Assembly (2012) of the Presbyterian Church in America.