Dear Siblings in Christ Jesus and Fellow Disciples of our Crucified and Risen Lord,
Scripture reminds us that as Christ Jesus journeyed to the cross, he was also entrusting his earthly ministry to his disciples. Failing to understand, the disciples found themselves arguing about who would be greatest. To this, Jesus says, “The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11–12).

This is the heart of leadership, especially for any who would claim to be “Christian” — to serve others instead of insisting on one’s own greatness, to lift up others instead of pushing them down, to show honor to the least instead of denigrating their humanity, to use one’s power and authority to work toward the wholeness of God’s beloved world instead of harming those who are most vulnerable in society.
As the Co-Moderators of the 226th General Assembly and I wrote in December, as a Christian, Reformed, Presbyterian denomination, we as the PC(USA) will be a church for this time and place as God calls us to be. And we will act in accordance with our biblical and theological values that have also guided the actions of our General Assemblies, both PC(USA) and our predecessor denominations, in the discernment of our policies.
We will continue to stand with and for the most vulnerable in our society, whether that is because of status, identity, ability, resources, or any other factor; all bear the image of God. In our common life as a denomination, we will continue to pursue representation and full participation of all in the life of our denomination as we continue living into unity in our diversity. We will continue to stand with and for LGBTQIA+ siblings and communities and act to resist efforts to denigrate or harm them, or exclude them from the promise of the fullness of life.
We will work toward the day of God’s wholeness when all tears are wiped away, weapons are hammered into plowshares, hunger and violence are no more, Earth and all that inhabit it are restored, and God’s love and justice reign.
As Presbyterians, the Lord of our conscience calls us to stand up against the abuse of power and authority, especially when it is done in the name of Christ but not in the image and likeness of Christ and his earthly ministry.
Our God calls us and our cloud of witnesses calls out to us and strengthens us by their witness to the love and justice of Christ Jesus in the world.
Taking a stand against the rise of the Nazi party, the Confessing Church movement in Germany drafted the 1934 Theological Declaration of Barmen, asserting that Christ alone is Lord of the church and Sovereign of the world: “Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and obey in life and in death” [PC(USA) Book of Confessions, 8.11].
Our God calls us and also sends us.
God sends the Church to work for justice in the world: exercising its power for the common good; dealing honestly in personal and public spheres; seeking dignity and freedom for all people; welcoming strangers in the land; promoting justice and fairness in the law; overcoming disparities between rich and poor; bearing witness against systems of violence and oppression; and redressing wrongs against individuals, groups, and peoples [PC(USA) Book of Order, W-5.0303].
So many in the church, in faithful discipleship to Jesus Christ, have been working for and toward God’s justice and love in the world. In the coming weeks and months, more will be shared about what Presbyterians are doing and can join to do.
Romans 12:9-16, 21 reminds us:
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Let us not despair even as we grieve the brokenness and the pain we witness. Let us not lose heart. Let our discipleship be a faithful witness to what it means to be “Christian” in this time. May it be so for all of us.
Learn more:
General Assembly Committee on Representation
Advocacy Committee for Women and Gender Justice
Advocacy Committee for LGBTQIA+ Equity (ACQ+E)
The Rev. Jihyun Oh is Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency.
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