Using the BCO to allow non-presbyterian ministers to preach in a presbyterian church?

[earl40]

We at our local gathering of saints are "swapping" pastors soon for one Sunday. The other pastor is from a generally evangelistic congregation. I asked about this from my Pastor, and he said the session approved him and he will approve the sermon. So do you think the bolded below justifies this?

19-1. To preserve the purity of the preaching of the Gospel, no man is permitted to preach in the pulpits of the Presbyterian Church in America on a regular basis without proper licensure from the Presbytery having jurisdiction where he will preach. An ordained teaching elder who is a member in good standing of another Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America may be licensed after being examined as to his views, according to the provision of BCO 13-6. This license shall immediately become void if the minister’s own Presbytery administers against him a censure of suspension from office or the sacraments, or deposition from office, or of excommunication (in the event of such censures, the Presbytery with jurisdiction shall always notify the licensing Presbytery). A ruling elder, a candidate for the ministry, a minister from some other denomination, or some other man may be licensed for the purpose of regularly providing the preaching of the Word upon his giving satisfaction to the Presbytery of his gifts and passing the licensure examination. (See also BCO 22-5 and 22-6.)

 

[SeanPatrickCornell]

Seems like that has nothing to say about "one off" events.

My own Reformed Baptist Elder has preached at OPC and PCA churches in the past.

 

[zsmcd]

Appears so. It seems that this is probably what also allows men from other Presbyterys, Presbyterian denominations (i.e. OPC), etc. to visit and preach.

 

[Jack K]

A one-time guest preacher like you describe is allowed in the PCA, provided a congregation's elders approve and invite the man. Different sessions will have different standards regarding who might be invited. In this case, it sounds like your pastor has gone to greater-than-average lengths to ensure that the sermon content is acceptable.

 

[Edward]

See 12-5(e) dealing with the role of the elders:
To exercise, in accordance with the Directory for Worship, authority over the time and place of the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments, over all other religious services, over the music in the services, and over the uses to which the church building and associated properties may be put; to take the oversight of the singing in the public worship of God; to ensure that the Word of God is preached only by such men as are sufficiently qualified

And more directly, the advisory provisions of 53-6
No person should be invited to preach in any of the churches under our care without the consent of the Session.

I'm not a fan of the practice, but it is clearly within the bounds of the BCO. And it can be useful as part of the pastor search process.

 

[Kevin]

Yes it is acceptable. And it is a good practice.

 

[earl40]

See 12-5(e) dealing with the role of the elders:
To exercise, in accordance with the Directory for Worship, authority over the time and place of the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments, over all other religious services, over the music in the services, and over the uses to which the church building and associated properties may be put; to take the oversight of the singing in the public worship of God; to ensure that the Word of God is preached only by such men as are sufficiently qualified

Just to stir the pot a tad (though the true intention is not to stir a pot). My pastor was examined by the presbytery to make sure he was "sufficiently qualified". How in the world did we come to the conclusion a session if fit to make sure a pastor of another denomination is sufficiently qualified to preach when my pastor is available?

 

[Andrew P.C.]

See 12-5(e) dealing with the role of the elders:
To exercise, in accordance with the Directory for Worship, authority over the time and place of the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments, over all other religious services, over the music in the services, and over the uses to which the church building and associated properties may be put; to take the oversight of the singing in the public worship of God; to ensure that the Word of God is preached only by such men as are sufficiently qualified

Just to stir the pot a tad (though the true intention is not to stir a pot). My pastor was examined by the presbytery to make sure he was "sufficiently qualified". How in the world did we come to the conclusion a session if fit to make sure a pastor of another denomination is sufficiently qualified to preach when my pastor is available?

The idea of a session to let a man exhort or preach is not a new concept. The reason your minister went through the presbytery is because he's ordained in the PCA. This requires the work of the regional church. However, technically, the session is a gathering of presbyters that would be sufficient to make sure a man is "qualified" to preach/exhort. The man is not being ordained. He is only being discerned by the elders of your church.

 

[Philip]

I remember as a teenager that there was a man in the church who was ordained as a Baptist, had the full seminary training and a doctorate, and was teaching theology at a local Christian college. During one summer, the senior pastor went on sabbatical, and meanwhile, the session asked Dr. B to fill in about once a month. The other Sundays were filled by a pastoral assistant who wasn't yet ordained, a retired pastor, and other members of the session.

 

[Jack K]

My pastor was examined by the presbytery to make sure he was "sufficiently qualified". How in the world did we come to the conclusion a session if fit to make sure a pastor of another denomination is sufficiently qualified to preach when my pastor is available?

Because there's a big difference in level of responsibility between a pastor who's preaching weekly and is overseeing a congregation's overall spiritual well-being (must be ordained by Presbytery) and a guest preacher (may be approved by the Session alone).

Also, the founders of the PCA tended a bit toward vesting authority in local sessions; they'd recently been through the problem of having liberalism forced upon faithful congregations by central denominational authorities. Vesting power in elders was seen as a protection for local congregations against larger cultural trends that may affect the denominational hierarchy. So perhaps this entered into the thinking when this rule was created. I would think, though, that the first principle I mentioned above would be sufficient.

 

[Jack K]

From a practical spirituality standpoint: If a church figures they're so right and the other churches in town are so wrong that it couldn't be helpful to hear from a neighboring pastor, even just once with that pastor having been carefully selected... well, that's often a dangerous place for a church to be.

 

[earl40]

From a practical spirituality standpoint: If a church figures they're so right and the other churches in town are so wrong that it couldn't be helpful to hear from a neighboring pastor, even just once with that pastor having been carefully selected... well, that's often a dangerous place for a church to be.

True, and I am happy the sermon will be approved by my pastor because heaven knows what would happen if certain passages were allowed to be preached by a person who has significant differences of opinion on many subjects. I am also happy we are having the male pastor preach instead of his wife who is also a "pastor".