The 52^nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) met this year in Chattanooga, TN. Hosted by the Tennessee Valley Presbytery, a near-record number of commissioners (over 2300) descended upon the Scenic City from June 23–27.

The PCA gathers annually for its General Assembly (GA), a time when teaching elders (ministers) and ruling elders from across the denomination come together to deliberate, worship, and seek the Lord’s wisdom and the collective wisdom of the brethren with regard to the church’s work and witness. The theme for this year’s Assembly was “Lift Up Your Eyes,” derived from the language of Psalm 121—a fitting thematic imagery given the mountainous terrain surrounding the host city.

On Monday of that week, the Overtures Committee began her work at ten o’clock in the morning with a view to debating, revising, perfecting, and recommending (either positively or negatively) how the Assembly should respond to the 49 overtures that were sent up to the Assembly this year.¹ The committee had her work cut out for her, but, thankfully, was able to work through all the various overtures in the course of two nine-to-five business days (Monday and Tuesday) and wrap up her work before the formal opening of the Assembly.²

For those outside of the PCA or not familiar with PCA parlance, simply put, an overture is a formal proposal or request submitted by a Presbytery, Session, or individual elder to the General Assembly for consideration, often seeking to amend the Book of Church Order (BCO), address doctrinal or cultural issues, or establish study committees. It reflects the denomination’s connectional polity, allowing lower courts to initiate action for the broader church’s deliberation.

Various Committees of Commissioners (CoCs) began their work on Monday afternoon (Administrative Committee, Covenant Theological Seminary, Geneva Benefits [formerly RBI or Retirement and Benefits], and Reformed University Fellowship [the official collegiate ministry of the PCA]) with the remainder of the CoCs beginning their work on Tuesday morning (Committee on Discipleship Ministries, Covenant College, Mission to North America, Mission to the World, PCA Foundation, Ridge Haven Camp and Conference Center, Interchurch Relations Committee, Committee on Constitutional Business) prior to the formal opening of the Assembly with the Tuesday evening worship service. The three worship services were served well with preaching from the outgoing 2024 GA Moderator, Ruling Elder Steve Dowling, on Tuesday night, the Rev. Dennis Louis (pastor of Chattanooga Valley Presbyterian Church) on Wednesday night, and the Rev. Dr. Dennis Johnson (professor emeritus of practical theology at Westminster Seminary California and assistant pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Tennessee) on Thursday night.

Teaching Elder Kevin DeYoung was nominated unopposed and received by acclamation as this year’s Assembly Moderator. He demonstrated remarkable grace under pressure in several moments and moderated the business of the Assembly with both parliamentary efficiency and judicious sense—as well as an appropriate dose of his distinct brand of humor.

Background to This Year’s Assembly

Often, the late winter months after the beginning of the new year are fairly quiet with regard to the denomination’s ecclesial dynamics, with the spring months leading up to the Assembly being lightheartedly described by some as “pre-GA silly season”—usually with reference to the social media antics that take place among PCA folks.

Without seeking to analyze the events in great detail here, readers should be aware that several occurrences in the spring months generated considerable controversy within the PCA and sparked a great deal of discussion, both online and offline.

1. In early February 2025, a webpage on Mission to North America’s (MNA) site, part of a broader resource section on ministry to immigrant communities, included a link to external guidance that advised on ways to assist “undocumented persons” in avoiding detection by U.S. immigration authorities, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The content, reportedly part of a toolkit for PCA churches engaged in mercy ministries, suggested practical steps like providing safe havens or legal advice to circumvent deportation efforts. While the exact wording of the guidance was not widely circulated, critics within the PCA quickly labeled it as advocating for illegal activity, arguing that it conflicted with the biblical mandate to submit to governing authorities (Rom 13:1–7).³The webpage, which was removed shortly after the controversy erupted, was brought to public attention by PCA teaching elders and ruling elders who expressed alarm on social media and in Presbytery discussions. MNA leadership responded by clarifying that the webpage was intended to equip churches for compassionate ministry to vulnerable populations, not to endorse illegal actions. In a statement issued on February 12, MNA emphasized that the linked guidance was from an external organization and not an official PCA position, noting,

   It is our Christian duty to obey the lawful commands of the civil magistrate and be subject to their authority (WCF 23.4; Romans 13:1–4; 1 Peter 2:13–14). To counsel otherwise is a sin. We confess that we fell short of our Biblical and Confessional standard. We repent and apologize. We also apologize for causing confusion and consternation in our church. We have removed all the previously posted information from our website.⁴

2. In late February 2025, Resurrection Oakland Church, a PCA congregation in Northern California, hosted a “Black Fellowship Dinner” as part of its Black History Month celebrations. The event featured Rev. Dr. Irwyn Ince, MNA’s coordinator, as a speaker. The dinner was advertised as an event for “Black worshippers” to connect and reflect on their shared cultural identity in Christ. The promotional language emphasizing a specific racial group sparked significant backlash within the PCA, with critics labeling it as contrary to biblical unity.⁵ The controversy led to a broader debate about MNA’s approach to ethnic-specific ministries. On March 5–6, 2025, MNA’s permanent committee met to address the issue. These tensions carried into the General Assembly, where Overture 28 (from Northwest Georgia Presbytery) addressed MNA’s broader practices, including the controversial publication linked to aiding undocumented immigrants, further highlighting concerns by some about the agency’s direction.
3. The third major controversy erupted in May 2025, when former PCA Stated Clerk Bryan Chapell appeared on The Gospel Coalition’s “Gospelbound” podcast, hosted by Collin Hansen. During a discussion on generational divides in the church, Chapell displayed a handwritten list of names, which he described as “scandalizers” who “invest hours every day attacking others for their supposed lack of faithfulness” and claimed that “every name on that list has either left his family, left the faith, or taken his life.”⁶ Although Chapell believed the list was illegible, viewers took screenshots, enlarged the image, and identified names, including prominent figures like Carl Trueman, Aimee Byrd, Michelle Higgins, Peter Leithart, and the late David Winecoff, who died in a 1993 mountain climbing accident. The revelation sparked immediate outrage. Several on the list are NAPARC officers in good standing. Chapell issued an apology on May 20, stating, “With deep regret for harm done to others, I am issuing a public apology for not taking proper care to protect the reputation of others.” He later clarified that his statement about the list was inaccurate and pursued private reconciliation with some individuals. The Gospel Coalition removed the podcast, and Hansen apologized for not reviewing the list during editing.⁷
   
   On May 29, Chapell announced his retirement as Stated Clerk,⁸ effective immediately after the PCA Administrative Committee’s acceptance on June 5, citing the need to avoid further division. In its press release, the AC stated,

   Due to the timing of Chapell’s retirement, the AC does not have sufficient time to nominate a new clerk before the upcoming General Assembly in Chattanooga. The committee plans to bring a nominee for stated clerk to the 53rd General Assembly in Louisville. As a result, the AC has decided unanimously to employ Ruling Elder John Bise as a provisional replacement.⁹

   At the General Assembly, Chapell delivered a farewell address alongside his wife, Kathy, apologizing for the incident and urging the PCA to move forward in unity: “With malice toward none and love for all,” he said, receiving a standing ovation.

With these events in the background, commissioners arrived at the Chattanooga Assembly fully prepared for some awkward moments and for vigorous debate potentially fraught with tension.

Highlight Issues of This Year’s Assembly

Among the 49 overtures that were sent up to the Assembly, some were weighty, some were controversial, and still others were more mundane. Below, I will seek to highlight and summarize some of the more salient moments and discussions that took place throughout the week.

Christian Nationalism: Seeking Biblical Clarity

One of the Assembly’s most prominent debates centered on Christian nationalism, a term fraught with ambiguity in both the church and the broader culture. Overtures 3, 4, and 47, proposed by different Presbyteries, called for a study committee to examine Christian nationalism’s nature and its compatibility with the Westminster Standards. Overture 4, from South Texas Presbytery, noted that “disagreement and confusion” over the term have “caused confusion, division, and dissension among the congregants of PCA churches.” In a striking display of consensus, all the study committee requests were answered with reference to Overture 47, as amended. The Overture 47 study committee was approved quickly on Thursday evening by a strong majority of nearly 3–1 (the vote was 1008–333). The Moderator will later appoint personnel for the study committee.

The debate was not without friction. Some commissioners, citing “study committee fatigue,” argued that such committees are costly (approximately $10,000 annually) and lack binding authority. This financial concern was greatly allayed by the fact that the three Presbyteries submitting these Overtures have already pledged a combined total of $8,500 of that amount. Others, however, emphasized the need for a biblically grounded response to a term that can encompass everything from evangelical political engagement to a vision of a Christianized state. As one pastor remarked, the label “Christian nationalism” is often wielded as a cudgel or a badge, depending on the speaker.

Overture 48, proposing a pastoral letter on “Christian Citizenship and Church-State Relations,” passed, but in the form of a substitute motion (this is a permissible, if unusual, parliamentary procedure). Ordinarily, an overture is moved to be “recommended in the affirmative” in the Overtures Committee by the representative of the Presbytery submitting the overture. Often, a substitute motion will be made to “recommend the overture in the negative.” But in this instance, the substitute motion made was to commend the recent statement that had been recently adopted and commended by the ARP and RPCNA synods.¹⁰ It is brief and reads as follows:

That the 221st General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church do on this solemn day condemn without distinction any theological or political teaching which posits a superiority of race or ethnic identity born of immutable human characteristics and does on this solemn evening call to repentance any who would promote or associate themselves with such teaching, either by commission or omission.

Immigration, Mission to North America, and the Church’s Witness

Immigration emerged as another flashpoint, with Overtures 28 and 50 sparking vigorous discussion. Overture 28, from Northwest Georgia Presbytery, addressed a controversial Mission to North America (MNA) publication that had linked to guidance for helping “undocumented persons” evade U.S. immigration law. The overture called for MNA to issue formal apologies to U.S. authorities and the PCA, repenting for the offense and the dishonor brought upon Christ’s name. It also called for certain personnel to be terminated in light of this action. The GA voted to answer this overture in the negative, 1490–341.

Overture 50, from Chesapeake Presbytery, took a different approach, urging PCA churches to exercise “discernment and compassion” toward immigrants, regardless of legal status. This overture, which passed, was framed as an exhortation rather than a mandate, encouraging churches to reflect Christ’s love while respecting the complexities of civil law. The Assembly voted to postpone indefinitely Overture 50, “Encouragement to Discernment and Compassion regarding Immigrants.” The vote was 706–476.

Stemming from the controversial actions of MNA in the springtime (highlighted above), there was significant debate regarding the re-election of the coordinator of MNA. Budgetary concerns were at the forefront; last year MNA accumulated a financial shortfall of $1.9 million. A number of commissioners raised concerns about expenditures on administrative matters as opposed to more mission-specific endeavors (e.g., church planting, disaster relief, etc.).

Later in the Assembly, other commissioners raised objections to the budget of MNA itself, with one man proposing to reduce the proposed salary and housing allowance of the MNA coordinator by 10%. These attempts failed and the MNA coordinator, Teaching Elder Irwyn Ince, was reelected by a vote of 62% of the Assembly in favor.

Views of Church Officers

Overture 8 sought to amend the Book of Church Order to require ruling elders and deacons to state any differences they have with the Westminster Standards before their ordination, with these differences recorded in the minutes of the Session. This proposal dovetails with the existing requirement for teaching elders, aiming to extend similar accountability to ruling elders and deacons. Proponents argued that this requirement strengthens the theological integrity of church leadership by ensuring that all officers are in step with the PCA’s doctrinal foundation, or at least that any deviations are openly documented and evaluated. The Assembly voted to answer Overture 8, “Amend BCO 24-1 To Require Res [ruling elders] and Deacons to State Confessional Differences,” in the affirmative. The vote was 1243–507. If passed by two-thirds of the Presbyteries, the Assembly will be able to approve this change to the Constitution at next year’s Assembly.

Sacraments and Examination of Young Communicant Members

The Assembly also wrestled with questions of sacramental practice and church office. Overture 12, proposing to amend the Book of Church Order to restrict distribution of the Lord’s Supper elements to ordained officers, prompted nearly an hour of debate. Teaching Elder Zach Byrd’s humorous analogy invoking the time-honored Southern delicacy of hush puppies—describing the theological and pastoral nature of the distribution of the elements versus the more logistical nature of passing a communion plate—clarified the distinction between the ordained minister’s role and logistical tasks. The Overtures Committee recommended answering this overture in the affirmative, but a minority report was also presented. The Assembly heard the minority report on Overture 12, “Amend BCO 58-5 to Specify Only Officers May Distribute the Lord’s Supper,” and voted with the minority report to answer the overture in the negative. The vote was rather close, coming in at 1080–922.

Relatedly, Overture 22 sought to allow congregations to set a minimum age for voting in officer elections by adding a sentence to BCO 25-1. (This Overture included a nearly twenty-page rationale!)

A congregation may establish a rule setting a minimum voting age (regular standing), but it must be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) majority at a congregational meeting that is called with at least 30 days’ notice.

In a similar vein, Overture 33 proposed to add clarification about the process of admitting a young person to communicant membership by including this sentence in BCO 57-2, a paragraph which speaks about examining young people for communing membership in the church.

The examination shall include an evaluation of the young person’s credible profession of faith, the young person’s understanding of the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, and the young person’s understanding of the questions in BCO 57-5.

The Assembly voted to answer Overture 22, “Amend BCO 20-3, 24-3 and 25-1 to clarify “Regular Standing” re minimum voting age,” in the negative with the grounds that this Overture would create a distinct subclass of communing member without all of the privileges of other communing members. Among the reasons offered against this overture was the reasoning that it seemed incongruous that a young person might be able to rightly discern the Lord’s body (“heavenly matters”) and be admitted to the Lord’s Table but not be able to intelligently discern more “mundane” matters (such as congregational votes to elect church officers).

The Assembly voted to answer Overture 33, “Amend BCO 57-2 re the Examination of Young Persons for Admission to the Sealing Ordinances,” in the affirmative. The vote was 1022–650. As one pastor has written, “The addition of that last sentence will help Sessions, if they are not already doing so, to give proper focus on whether the child understands both the Lord’s Supper and what he or she is agreeing to in the vows.” If passed by two-thirds of the Presbyteries, the Assembly will be able to approve this change to the Constitution at next year’s Assembly.

Assistant Pastors and the Administrative Committee

Overture 10 addressed the status of “assistant” pastors. The overture addressed a perceived inconsistency in PCA church government. Unlike solo, senior, or associate pastors, who are elected by the congregation, assistant pastors are appointed by the Session without congregational approval. This creates a situation where assistant pastors have voting rights in higher courts (Presbytery and GA) but lack a vote in the Session, as well as lacking a vote expressing the will of the congregation for the man to serve over them as their pastor. This overture sought a provision such that a Session-appointed assistant pastor would not serve indefinitely, but that there would be occasional congregational votes to “seek the consent of the governed in support of his continued ministry.”

The Assembly, along with the Overtures Committee, voted to refer Overture 10, “Amend BCO 22 to Affirm the ‘Consent of the Governed’ Regarding Assistant Pastors,” back to Central Florida Presbytery.

Overture 9 sought to limit the voting members of the Administrative Committee to only those who have been elected by the Assembly “at large.” Currently, nine of the twenty voting members of the Administrative Committee are representatives chosen from among the membership of the nine Program Committees and Agencies. This Overture would make those representatives advisory members who would have the privilege of the floor in the AC but not be voting members. One man likened it to Boards versus Employees: it was an unusual arrangement, it was argued, to have the “employees” of the AC have a vote of the “Board” (the AC itself) regarding their own terms of employment, compensation, etc., and the terms of employment of their fellows. The Overtures Committee recommended referring this overture back to the Presbytery for perfection of language, but a minority report was presented to the Assembly arguing that it ought to be answered in the affirmative. The Assembly heard the minority report on Overture 9, “Amend BCO 14-1 to Make AC Members Appointed by Committees and Agencies Non-voting Advisory Members,” and voted to accept the Overtures Committee’s recommendation to refer the overture back to James River Presbytery.

Judicial Procedure and Ecclesiastical Discipline

Several overtures focused on judicial procedure, aiming to ensure fairness in church discipline. Overture 1 sought to guarantee that church courts have sufficient evidence before proceeding to charges, while Overture 7 proposed mechanisms for higher courts to intervene when a Presbytery is perceived as unfaithful in handling cases against teaching elders. Overture 7 proposed mechanisms for additional elders from without the Presbytery of original jurisdiction to join the case as non-voting advisory members. It also proposed a mechanism for the General Assembly to assume original jurisdiction of the case if enough other Presbyteries believe the Presbytery of original jurisdiction is derelict in its duty. Critics of Overture 7 expressed concern that it reflected a lack of trust in Presbyterian governance, potentially undermining the connectional system. Both of these overtures were recommended to be answered in the negative by the Overtures Committee, and the Assembly voted to accept the Overtures Committee recommendations on these matters in its omnibus motion of several overtures by a vote of 1708–28.

Statistical Data

Overtures 41, 42, and 43 addressed the PCA’s collection of statistical data. Overture 41 proposed gathering worship time data to improve accessibility, while Overtures 42 and 43 sought to end the collection of age and ethnicity statistics, arguing that such data could be misused to equate diversity with faithfulness to the Great Commission. With Overture 43, Calvary Presbytery sought to modify the Rules of Assembly Operations (RAO) to prohibit the Clerk’s office from collecting data related to age and ethnicity. This proposal (Overture 43) narrowly failed to receive the two-thirds needed (62%). On Thursday, however, the Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a directive to prohibit the Clerk from asking questions related to ethnicity (Overture 42).

Directory for Public Worship

A final action of note was the Assembly’s decision to form a study committee to revise the PCA’s Directory for Public Worship (DPW), a non-binding section of the Book of Church Order, with the goal of making it constitutionally authoritative. This decision, primarily driven by Overtures 5 and 26, sparked considerable discussion at the Assembly.

Overture 26 called for a study committee to revise the entire DPW, utilizing the directories of other NAPARC denominations (e.g., the Orthodox Presbyterian Church) as guides, incorporating scriptural and confessional references, and presenting revised chapters to future assemblies for adoption.

Some commissioners expressed “study committee fatigue,” noting that the PCA would likely form committees on issues like Christian nationalism, and that study committees lacked binding authority and often led to prolonged debates without definitive outcomes. Readers will note, however, the deliberate language of this overture, that this committee would set out “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).”¹¹

Others argued that the existing BCO and Westminster Standards already provide sufficient guidance on worship, particularly Westminster Confession of Faith 21.1, which emphasizes the regulative principle—that worship must be conducted according to Scripture alone.

Nevertheless, the Overtures Committee voted to recommend answering Overture 26, “Erect Ad Interim Committee to Revise the Directory for Worship for Authoritative Use,” in the affirmative as amended. The vote was 82–40. The Assembly likewise voted to answer Overture 26, “Erect Ad Interim Committee to Revise the Directory for Worship for Authoritative Use,” in the affirmative as amended. The vote was 1039–582.

Conclusion

This year’s gathering was certainly not without its tense and contentious moments, but, in the main, the Assembly made tangible, gradual steps to continue and even shore up its commitments to biblical fidelity, confessional rigor, and evangelistic zeal. Much like the slow and steady sanctification that each saint realizes in his own experience, so it seems with God’s work in the PCA: the Lord is working slowly and steadily to strengthen this body in grace and holiness. In this writer’s estimation, as the Assembly considered these sundry important matters, we saw a denomination in Chattanooga striving to remain “Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission,” as the PCA’s founding vision declares.

Notes

1. Presbyterian Church in America, “Overtures.”
2. This year’s Overtures Committee chairman, Ruling Elder Melton L. Duncan, served the committee in a remarkable way, with both good order and good humor. The Vice Chairman of the committee was nothing to write home about (here’s looking at you, Spin).
3. Addie Offereins, Josh Schumacher, “PCA ministry apologizes for controversial website as concerns persist,” World, February 21, 2025.
4. “Statement From Mission to North America Regarding Its Refugee and Immigrant Ministry (RIM),” Mission to North America, February 12, 2025.
5. Josh Schumacher, “Event at PCA church stokes tension over race-based ministries,” World, March 1, 2025.
6. Zoe Miller, “PCA leader’s ‘scandalizers’ list triggers ethics probe, fraternal rift,” World, May 27, 2025.
7. Zoe Miller, “PCA leader’s ‘scandalizers’ list.”
8. “Statement from Stated Clerk Bryan Chapell,” By Faith, May 29, 2025.
9. “Administrative Committee Announces Transition Plan,” By Faith, June 6, 2025.
10. W. V. Pitt (@WVPitt), “I made, and the 221st General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, seconded, and passed unanimously the following statement as the position of the ARP Church.,” X (formerly Twitter), June 10, 2025.
11. Overture 26, “Northwest Georgia Presbytery.”

©Sean Morris. All Rights Reserved.

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Post authored by:

• Sean Morris

  

  Sean was educated at Grove City College, Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson, MS), Edinburgh Theological Seminary, and the University of Glasgow (Scotland). He earned his PhD from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He is an ordained teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, and serves as a minister at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge, TN. He also serves as the Academic Dean of the Blue Ridge Institute for Theological Education and has published numerous theological and devotional articles. Sean lives in Oak Ridge with his wife, Sarah, and their children.

  More by Sean Morris ›