A renewed call to prayer for The Presbyterian Church in Canada has been answered. Nine new prayer groups — in varying stages of development — are in the works in reaction to decisions by General Assembly in June to redefine marriage. The proposed changes — in the form of remits— still require the approval of presbyteries and next year’s Assembly before adoption. The new prayer partners join two existing groups in Hamilton and Ottawa.
The impetus is Renewal Fellowship’s statement in reaction to the remits. In July, the board approved a statement which states that Assembly’s decision to move towards full inclusion of non-celibate LGB persons contravenes our understanding of authentic Biblical thinking. Renewal is calling for presbyters to vote against the remits.
The statement was widely distributed. Prayer is the logical followup. I was encouraged by the response to our call to prayer in my July 27 blog. As of early September, we are starting to work with prayer leaders in the following communities: Dresden/southwestern Ontario, Dunnville/Niagara, Regina, Huntsville/Central Ontario, Calgary, Scarborough, Grey Bruce Maitland, Kelowna BC, London/southwestern Ontario.
Each group is being encouraged to take on a life of its own and meet according to its own calling. Prayer topics are up to the leaders and participants in each place, but Renewal is producing a prayer guide in order to kick things off, along with our ongoing national Prayer Calendar, which publishes a new prayer daily.
It’s been suggested by some Renewal supporters that this effort is too little, too late. The battle to renew the PCC into orthodoxy has been lost in light of Assembly’s decision. And even if the remits fail, the tide has turned.
Notwithstanding the theological drift from orthodoxy — which does not appear to be slowing down — prayer is still needed for the following reasons:
1. Those who hold to authentic Biblical thinking need prayerful support wherever they are.
2. While we need to pray for presbyters to heed God’s will when considering the remits, we need to pray over the outcome if the remits pass.
I’m aware of the fact that this recent prayer initiative is in response to crisis. God has no time or patience for those who pray only in times of trouble. Job doesn’t put it kindly. “People are arrogantly indifferent to God—until, of course, they’re in trouble, and then God is indifferent to them. There’s nothing behind such prayers except panic; the Almighty pays them no mind.” (Job 35) Ouch! So it’s wise to approach our reignited prayer initiative with a dose of humility. Notwithstanding the urgent situation in which we find ourselves, we need to also be thankful — eternally grateful — for the amazing things God is doing. As I’ve pointed out in my summer blogs, I’m so encouraged by the outpouring of faith in my brothers and sisters, like green shoots quickly sprouting up out of the ashes. The church has not died and never will die and is brimming with life. We just need more of it.
So let’s guard against the temptation to use prayer as a dumping ground for trash. God will accept our tears and trash; but he also wants us to share the treasures, and there are plenty.