Is A Storm Brewing in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church?
Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church. (Photo via Google)
A storm is brewing in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and a “meaningful group of churches” is considering other options, according to Pastor Nate Atwood, the pastor of St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.
Atwood has been involved in the EPC since 1988 and held several leadership roles, including serving as moderator of the General Assembly. He says there is a “crisis of confidence in the current stated clerk, moderator, and leadership team” after an overture concerning same-sex-attracted pastors never made it to the floor of the General Assembly this summer.
Now an issue involving a Pittsburgh church — Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church — is raising more questions about whether the denomination is going to follow its original vision. Beverly Heights is trying to leave the EPC following the stated process but has clashed repeatedly with the presbytery, culminating in a civil suit.
According to Atwood, the original vision of the EPC when it was founded in 1981 was to be a biblical, evangelical, constitutional and Reformed denomination.
Recent events have raised questions about several of those commitments, Atwood explained, including whether denominational leaders will follow processes outlined in the EPC Book of Order.
An overture presented unanimously by the New River Presbytery — composed of 39 churches — proposed an amendment to the denomination’s Book of Government. “Men and women who identify as homosexual, even those who identify as homosexual and claim to practice celibacy in that self-identification, are disqualified from holding office in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.”
The issue arose because Greg Johnson, the Presbyterian pastor of Memorial Presbyterian in St. Louis who says he is homosexual but celibate, left the Presbyterian Church in America in 2022.
Now his church wants to join the EPC. “That has stirred up all kinds of controversy because we’ve got some in the EPC that appear to be very open to bringing him into the EPC, and we’ve got other groups that are absolutely opposed to him coming into the EPC,” Donald Fortson, professor of church history and pastoral theology emeritus at Reformed Theological Seminary and longtime EPC member, told Christianity Today.
Normally, when an overture is presented, it goes to the permanent judicial commission (PJC) for examination to ensure it is clear and fits with the church’s constitution and its confession (the Westminster Confession of Faith).
If there is an issue with the overture, the PJC explains the issue and goes back to the presenters with a suggested cure, Atwood said.
In this instance, by a vote of 5 to 4, the PJC claimed the overture was not valid and offered no explanation or cure. Atwood called their action “high-handed and imperious” and a “catastrophic failure of their constitutional duties.”
Instead, the New River leaders, realizing their overture would not be allowed on the floor of the General Assembly for discussion and a vote, agreed to a two-year study of the issue.
Meanwhile, attention toward Beverly Heights’ departure crisis is growing. Observers, like Atwood, are wondering if the presbytery leadership will use strong-arm tactics or will follow the proper constitutional protections afforded to churches in the EPC.
According to Beverly Heights Pastor Dr. Nate Devlin, the church that has been part of the EPC since 2007 began the separation process from the denomination in October 2023. An open letter explains the church’s view of events since the separation process began.
According to the EPC Book of Government, once a church notifies its presbytery of its desire to leave, the “Presbytery shall take no action to dismiss, dissolve or divide the local church and its elders until all proceedings under this section … are fully completed.”
The first Beverly Heights congregational separation meeting was held on Oct. 29, 2023, with a second one scheduled for Feb. 4, 2024.
A sticking point that has arisen between the presbytery and church involves determining the membership rolls for participation in the separation vote. According to Beverly Heights, the commission “sought to influence the [dismissal] vote’s outcome by unconstitutionally reinstating properly dismissed former members back onto the [Beverly Heights] rolls and denying the vote to newer members.”
Beverly Heights filed a complaint with the EPC General Assembly explaining what it believed to be the commission’s unconstitutional actions.
The church also filed a civil suit in Pennsylvania state court because it is incorporated as a nonprofit under Pennsylvania laws.
Beverly Heights sought civil relief, claiming the presbytery’s actions “not only infringe upon the responsibilities and authority of the elders as duly elected trustees but also infringe upon the voting rights of active members.”
In March, the two parties met for a mediation and reached a verbal settlement. However, the church claims that when the presbytery sent the written agreement over, it significantly deviated from the previously agreed terms.
In May, Beverly Heights asked the court to enforce the previously-reached settlement. A hearing was held on Sept. 16, but the court has yet to issue its decision.
“[Beverly Heights] is profoundly saddened that it had to seek protection from secular courts against the [presbytery’s] attempts to manipulate [church] membership rolls, ignore a mediated agreement, and violate the constitution,” the open letter states.
On Sept. 29, Beverly Heights held a congregational meeting to amend its corporate bylaws to remove any reference to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The congregation voted 99 to 16 in favor of the amendments. Presbytery leaders were present to observe the meeting.
Devlin said the meeting was held based on legal advice for protection against the actions of the presbytery and to demonstrate the continuing will of the congregation to leave the denomination despite the year delay.
Roger Rumer, who heads the administrative commission of the presbytery investigating issues around Beverly Heights, told MinistryWatch the vote on Sept. 29 was not “a constitutionally proper vote on dismissal.”
He acknowledged the dispute about who is allowed to vote in the dismissal action and the civil suit surrounding that issue. He said the Sept. 29 meeting “included those who the Presbytery had decided shouldn’t rightly vote, and excluded those who the Presbytery had decided should be able to vote.”
On Oct. 1, Beverly Heights received an email from the presbytery demanding a copy of its financial audit and all of its session minutes since November 2023 as part of its “oversight” responsibility.
The church had until Oct. 4 to respond to the presbytery’s most recent demands. It offered the audit committee’s report of the church finances, but did not provide copies of the minutes because some of the minutes’ contents are protected by attorney-client privilege.
Rumer told MinistryWatch the presbytery’s request of a financial review is unusual.
“In April, the Pastor informed the congregation of the resignation of the church’s financial administrator and a significant financial shortfall. In June, Presbytery directed a limited financial review, not a full audit, and offered to pay for it so as not to burden the church’s finances. While the financial review we ordered has yet to occur, we believe a ‘check up’ from an independent professional will be helpful,” Rumer said.
Devlin says the church has just wanted to follow the dismissal process laid out in the EPC constitution by allowing the “session to do its job and the congregation to make its decision.”
Yet he says the presbytery has been overreaching, claiming broad authority that it is not given in the EPC Book of Order.
“We love our brothers and sisters at Beverly Heights and want the best for them regardless of whether the congregation votes to stay in the EPC or not,” Rumer said.
Atwood said he has friends he regards highly on both sides of the Beverly Heights issue. How the leadership handles it may have implications for many other churches. “People are asking questions. They are unhappy. We have got real problems,” he said.
“Pray for the EPC that nothing would be hidden or done in darkness,” Atwood said.
This story has been republished with permission from MinistryWatch..
Kim Roberts is a freelance writer who holds a Juris Doctorate from Baylor University. She has home schooled her three children and is happily married to her husband of 25 years.