Views
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Note from the Plumb Line Editors
There is breaking news to report. In the EPC’s January and February presbytery meetings, four presbyteries have passed an overture that would resolve the current crisis in the EPC over same sex attraction (SSA) and ordination. Commissioners to the 2026 General Assembly will now have the opportunity to vote in favor of a proposed Book…
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Yes, God is ‘Anti-Gay’
Is God anti-gay? Yes, God is anti-gay. The God of the Bible is anti-gay, and the gods of this world are pro-gay. We have walked the long road with prodigals and their parents. Some have been led by the nose by the false idea that homosexuality is a permanent feature of some people’s humanity and…
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New Ad Interim Committee
BoG Amendment InsufficientThere is much to commend in the new Book of Government (BoG) amendment (12-17-25 Draft) offered by the Ad Interim Committee (AIC). It reflects many Biblical principles that would be imperative for church officers. Ultimately, it’s not what the amendment says that is problematic, but what it does not say.
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My Personal Experience
with SSA PastorsFor most of us, the question of ordaining a “same sex attracted but celibate” pastor is a theoretical conversation. Not for me. In my 43 years of ministry, three of the four churches I have served have had an SSA pastor. In each instance, though the circumstances vary, each of these pastors would have been…
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The Cult of Self-Care
Perhaps never in church history has there been a time when so many pastors have experienced burnout. A recent survey by Barna Research revealed an alarming statistic: 42 percent of pastors have considered quitting the ministry. According to Barna, the leading cause of burnout was stress, followed by loneliness and political division.
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A Moderator’s Meanderings
“Meanderings” definition: Rambling or passing from one topic to another. I hope you find the following collection of articles, quotes, quips, and Scripture to be informative, edifying, and thought-provoking. This information is not as thorough or detailed as the other articles in the Plumb Line. But I hope to stimulate honest and open debate on…
News
- PJC Sustains Complaint Against Presbytery of the Alleghenies
The Presbytery of the Alleghenies acted improperly by not allowing an overture addressing same sex attraction to be considered for a vote, according to a ruling by the Permanent Judicial Commission. In the January 15 ruling, the PJC sustained in part a complaint brought by New Albany Presbyterian Church (NAPC) in Columbus, Ohio. NAPC elders claimed that their overture was handled “wrongly and improperly” by the Presbytery of the Alleghenies, even though the overture had been ruled in order by the Chief Parliamentarian of the EPC. - Presbyteries Consider Overture
on Same Sex AttractionAn overture that seeks to prohibit the ordination of elders who experience ongoing same sex attraction (SSA) has met with mixed results in meetings of EPC presbyteries. As of February 24, four presbyteries had voted to approve the overture creating a constitutional amendment and three presbyteries voted to not approve the overture for 46th General Assembly consideration in June. One presbytery has yet to vote on the overture. - Michigan Church Transfers to PCAAlarmed by the issue of same-sex attraction, an independent Michigan church has voted to transfer to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). By an overwhelming majority, Christ Presbyterian Church in Novi, Mich., voted in December to join the PCA. Although it is an independent church, the Novi congregation had been in relationship with the EPC since it was chartered in 2006 and had adopted the Westminster Confession, Shorter Catechism, and EPC Book of Order.
- “What’s at Stake in the EPC?”
#3 Coming March 3On Tuesday, March 3rd, the Editorial Board of The Presbyterian Plumb Line will host the third installment of its Zoom meeting series “What’s at Stake in the EPC?” from 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST.