In the wake of a vote by the 46th General Assembly that would allow the ordination of celibate homosexuals, some churches have begun planning their departure from the EPC. At least two different groups have begun laying the groundwork to form new denominations. One group, the Westminster Association of Churches, would create a home for churches that are Reformed and complementarian while allowing freedom for expression of charismatic gifts. More than 45 congregations have expressed an interest in becoming part of the new denomination.
“For many of us, the matter of celibate homosexual ordination is a matter of conscience,” said TE Nate Atwood, Senior Pastor of St. Giles Church in Charlotte, N.C. “A 43 percent vote at our recent General Assembly in Denver on the AIC recommendations suggests there is a sizable group in the EPC who are distressed. It’s clear that there’s a growing number of congregations who are now choosing their own course, exercising their constitutional right of dismissal.”
Another group, Anchor Presbyterian Church, is planning to launch a new denomination that would offer an expedited process for reception, freedom in use of spiritual gifts, and allow grace for ordination of women. The group is already drawing up an organizational and constitutional framework, but the legal status is yet to be determined, according to RE Yvonne Chapman of Memphis, Tenn., former chair of the EPC Permanent Judicial Committee. The Scriptural foundation for Anchor Presbyterian is Hebrews 6:19: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.”
“Churches choosing to leave the EPC are acting upon matters of conscience,” said Chapman. “I agree with the sentiments expressed by many others since the GA vote: they can no longer submit to the authority of a denomination that does not seem to understand the nature of God’s creation recorded throughout Scripture, a denomination that is willing to consider for ordination anyone who rejects His creation in thought, word, or deed, and in so doing, compromises the purity and holiness of the Bride of Christ.”
Four churches in the Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest have already requested dismissal from the EPC and are planning to join the Westminster Association of Churches, said TE Bill Heming, Pastor of Parkway Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, Wash. The group is hoping to complete legal incorporation by November 2026.
Three EPC churches in Puerto Rico, totaling 600 members, also have announced their intention to leave the EPC. The churches are unwilling to compromise on the issue of ordaining homosexuals, said TE Juan Rivera of Westminster Church in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican churches joined the EPC 10 years ago after losing all of their property and bank accounts when they left the PC(USA) over the issue of homosexuality.
In addition, efforts are underway to create an informal umbrella organization where pastors and churches will be able to network, share information and consider options for the future. The group would include churches that are choosing to wait and see what happens in the coming year as presbyteries vote on a constitutional amendment related to ordination standards, according to RE Gordon Miller.
While some churches are taking steps to exit the EPC, others have chosen to stay and vote on the constitutional amendment. The amendment requires approval by three-fourths (12 of the EPC’s 16 presbyteries) in order to be added to the constitution. If the amendment fails, it could signal a possible change of direction for the denomination, although the amendment does not specifically address the ordination of celibate homosexuals.
Despite their differences, the breakaway groups are united in their belief that homosexuality is an unnatural desire that is contrary to God’s design for creation. For this reason, those who experience ongoing same-sex attraction should be disqualified from church leadership — whether they are celibate or not.
Other EPC churches are seeking to join existing denominations, such as the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP). For a church to be dismissed from the EPC, a two-thirds vote of the congregation is required and at least two congregational meetings, according to the Book of Order (G5-10C).
TE Kevin McDonald said he is leaving the EPC to unite with the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.
“I was ordained in the PCUSA in 1992, affiliated and ordained in the EPC as a pastor in 2007, and now leaving after the EPC 2026 General Assembly,” McDonald posted in a comment on the Plumb Line’s article “EPC Opens Door to Ordination of Celibate Homosexuals.”
Another pastor, Ross O’Dell, expressed his sorrow at the General Assembly vote.
“As a Pastor of one of the original churches in the EPC and having been part of the EPC for 32 years, I am now going to have to begin to look into the process of leaving this denomination that I once respected and loved for being Biblical,” O’Dell posted as a comment on the same Plumb Line article. “My heart breaks for those men who attempted to step away from all of this 46 years ago to form this denomination.”
RE Mifflin Dove, who attended General Assembly, said he was “heartsick” with the outcome.
“I walked away from a career as a priest in the Episcopal Church over this very issue and lost almost everything in the process, believing the EPC would be a safe place to live out my faith,” Mifflin posted as a comment on an article by Don Fortson on The Heidelblog. “My congregation had called me to serve as their assistant pastor, but in light of this decision I have stepped back from that call and from the process of becoming a teaching elder.”
While the breakup is painful, it is not surprising. In 2024, the General Assembly appointed an Ad-Interim Committee on Same-Sex Attraction to study the issue and recommend ordination standards. In the months leading up to the 46th General Assembly, more than 340 teaching and ruling elders signed a “Red Line Statement,” warning that they would not accept the ordination of homosexuals, celibate or not. The Letter was signed by seven former moderators and other legacy leaders, including former GA Stated Clerk Jeff Jeremiah.
Nevertheless, General Assembly commissioners voted 516 to 386 (57 to 43 percent) to approve a Pastoral Letter that would allow Presbyteries to ordain homosexual candidates as long as they are repentant, seek to mortify their sinful desires, and do not identify as homosexual. The Pastoral Letter serves only as guidance and does not require approval by Presbyteries.
“We mean no disrespect to those who view this matter differently, but as the Red Line Letter suggested by its name, this is a red line for us that we cannot cross,” Atwood said. “We were all-in for General Assembly, hoping and praying that the General Assembly would see the ordination issues surrounding the AIC as we do. Sadly, we did not prevail. We pray for God’s grace on the EPC but are left with serious questions as to her direction and our place in it.”
TE John Carpenter, Pastor of Oakville Presbyterian Church in Shedd, Ore., voted against the AIC recommendations but has chosen to remain in the EPC for now.
“I believe that leaving the EPC at this moment carries the risk of stepping away from an important opportunity to shape its future,” said Carpenter. “Though many of us are weary from the struggle, I do not believe this is the time to lose heart or to step away from that calling.”
Advocates for the AIC report argued that homosexuality is no different from other sins, and that homosexual attraction is different from homosexual behavior. In response, critics claimed the AIC report was unbiblical and at odds with the Christian orthodoxy and the Westminster Standards which draw a clear distinction between homosexuality and other sins.
On a newly created website, the Westminster Association declared some core principles. In terms of polity, the group is committed to every church being represented by a one TE and two RE parity at all meetings of church courts, regardless of the size of the congregation. This would prevent large churches from having too dominant an influence, according to organizers. In addition, the group is committed to godly male leadership in the home and the church which “…begins with husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the Church, and then fathers raising up their children in the love and discipline of the Lord.”
While recognizing that each church is free to make its own decision regarding dismissal from the EPC, the Westminster Association is willing to provide information for those interested in learning about the new denomination.
“The necessary paperwork has been filed and we are hard at work shaping our denominational future,” the group stated on the website. “We believe the LORD has given us a positive vision for the future built around the church, the home and our call to the nations.”
To learn more about the Westminster Association, consult their website at wmchurches.org.
Leave a Comment