Loving the Church that Jesus Loves
Written by Phil Moran   
Sunday, 15 July 2007 00:00
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phil_moran.jpgThe risen and reigning Lord Jesus Christ loves the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We know this to be true because God’s Word tells us, “…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25b). In spite of her sometimes flagrant and shameless unfaithfulness to him, Jesus Christ loves this troubled Presbyterian limb of his body. We are not the whole body of Christ, but, to use another New Testament image, we are his bride nonetheless, and he loves us. He may have much “against” us, as he did the seven churches of Revelation 2-3. Still, Christ loves the PC (USA).

I begin with this obvious truth because the PC (USA) today is not easy to love. For many long-suffering members of evangelical/orthodox conviction, last summer’s General Assembly and the subsequent actions of some governing bodies have strained their relationship to the PC (USA) to the breaking point. Some congregations have left and some are considering departure. Some have concluded that renewal efforts have been fruitless and that the denomination has become nothing more than an impediment to faithful ministry and mission. This conclusion must be challenged. It is not true. For everyone that has ever prayed for the renewal of the PC (USA) this is a gut check moment. Do we love the PC (USA)? And let’s not attempt the dodge that we love Christ, or we love the Church Universal, but we’ve somehow run out of love for this particular denomination. We cannot claim to love Christ if we do not love his body, the Church. And it is into this particular part of Christ’s body that our sovereign God has placed us and called us to love.

It is not easy to love this denomination, but then, it was not easy for Christ to love us! Remember, he gave himself up for us. So, we should not be surprised that love is costly. To love as Christ loves is to bear his cross. But we don’t much like crosses. It may be the special temptation of modern evangelicals that we much prefer power, success, and influence. We are quick to forget that “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor. 1:25). The board and staff of Presbyterians for Renewal believe we are called to love the PC (USA). We aren’t leaving because love “always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Cor. 13:7). We believe the same Spirit who called us here is empowering us for a specific mission: “Mobilizing leaders of congregations within the PC (USA) to be biblically faithful and missionally minded in their service to Jesus Christ.”

I could point to much evidence that this is already happening across our church. I could say that faithfulness to Christ in our great church far outweighs the unfaithfulness. While I believe this to be true, it would put our attention in the wrong place. Our true hope is not in signs of improvement, but in Christ who loved us and gave himself for us. So, let’s get busy loving the church that Jesus loves.

Phil Moran is Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Boise, ID, and President of the PFR Board of Directors.
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