# The Fourth Vow for PCA Membership



## j.hansen (Nov 14, 2014)

I understand that the fourth vow was added in 1929. Does anyone know the history behind why the fourth vow as added?
The fourth vow reads as follows:
"Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?"


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## jwithnell (Nov 14, 2014)

The PCA did not exist in 1929 ...

As I recall, this was in use when I joined in 1983, so if it was added, it was added in the first decade of the denomination's life. It seems a reasonable, Biblical promise that you will not absent yourself from public worship and that you will use your abilities within the life of the congregation.


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## Romans922 (Nov 14, 2014)

This doesn't answer your question, but here it is anyway: Historical Development of the PCA Book of Church Order : Chapter 57, Paragraph 5


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## j.hansen (Nov 14, 2014)

Right. Sorry. I think I had my dates wrong anyway. From the Historical Development of the PCA Book of Church Order : Chapter 57, Paragraph 5, it appears the vows were changed by the old PCUS (the denomination out of which the PCA sprung in 1973).

There does not seem to be much explanation of the reasons for the changes, nor for adding a fifth vow (vow #4).

It would be nice to have some legislative history on this vow because I find the wording troubling.


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## j.hansen (Nov 14, 2014)

The problem I'm having with this vow is simply the way it is using language. I don't believe it is intended to convey the meaning that it actually conveys ("the best of your ability"). We can gloss this to mean something less than what it says, but that would (in my view) not be an honest use of language and is inappropriate for children of the God who gave us his Word and all words with the understanding that they actually convey meaning, that we cannot simply assign the meanings we want.


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