Whereas even prior to the establishment of constitutional documents in American Presbyterianism, American Presbyterians utilized the Westminster Form of Government and Directory for Public Worship, as adopted by the Synod of Philadelphia in 1729, thereby affirming the historic practice of ordering worship according to biblical and confessional principles;

Whereas all schisms within American Presbyterianism, including the Old Side–New Side division and the Old School–New School division, continued to use a Directory for Worship, demonstrating the enduring commitment to a biblically regulated and

confessional approach to public worship;

Whereas in 1789, the newly organized Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) formally adopted a revised Directory for Worship, which was continued in usage throughout subsequent denominational developments, including the formation of the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States (PCCSA) in 1861 and the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) in 1865, and later maintained by the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) as part of its Book of Church Order in 1973;

Whereas the Westminster Confession of Faith explicitly affirms that the Church has the authority to establish a Directory for Worship, provided that it commands only what is taught in Scripture and applies Christian prudence and the light of nature to circumstances of worship, as stated in Westminster Confession of Faith 1.6, 20.2, and 31.3;

Whereas the Constitution is defined as including the Directory for Worship (Preface III, BCO 26-1) with the BCO assuming the usefulness of the Directory for Worship; and

Whereas consideration of adopting a Directory for Worship was delayed at the First General Assembly until the Third General Assembly; and

Whereas the Third General Assembly placed a temporary preface to the Directory for Worship stating it “does not have the force of law” that was to be in place “until a more precise statement can be prepared by the Constitutional Documents Committee”; and

Whereas the Constitutional Documents Committee never finally reported and was dismissed in 1978; and

Whereas the 1980 General Assembly tasked the Permanent Committee on Judicial Business to re-write the Directory for Worship; and

Whereas these Committees failed to achieve the original goal of an authoritative Directory for Worship beyond chapters 56-58; and

Whereas the Session is charged to order worship “in accordance with the Directory for Worship” in BCO 12-5.e; and Whereas the current Directory for Worship is greatly neglected due to its lack of constitutionality (except chapters 56, 57, 58, and section 59-3); and

Whereas the current Directory for Worship is neglected due to being perceived as antiquated, or over-prescriptive; and

Whereas a Directory for Worship gives needed guidance without the overprescription of a prayerbook, and

Whereas our lack of an official Directory for Worship is unique and peculiar among orthodox and confessional Presbyterian denominations; and

Whereas an updated Directory for Worship would be a great help to Sessions in ordering worship as well as a basis for biblical unity in the church (Ephesians 4); and

Whereas Scripture commands the worship of God (Psalm 95:6, Psalm 100, Psalm 122:1, John 4:24, Hebrews 12:22-24, Revelation 4:8, 19:10), and that the believers ought to worship in a decent and orderly manner (1 Corinthians 14:40), Therefore, be it resolved that the Northwest Georgia Presbytery hereby overtures the 52nd General Assembly to

1. Form an ad hoc committee to finish the work of revising the “Directory for the Worship of God” not yet given full authority, in accordance with Scripture and the Westminster Standards, for authoritative use in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) according to the rules of the Book of Church Order,

a. Utilizing the various NAPARC denominations’ Directories of Public Worship as a guide

b. Including Scriptural and confessional References

c. Present various chapters to the General Assembly for adoption until their work is complete

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Adopted by the Northwest Georgia Presbytery | April 1, 2025

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