50 !!!

We made it! 50 years ago today we said our vows at Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GA. Dr. Wade Huie, dear friend and mentor (prof at Columbia Seminary) conducted our wedding service, assisted by my seminary roomie, Alan Johnson. 50 years, seven churches, three kids and many adventures later...here we are, parked in an RV in Idaho, knowing for sure God has guided and blessed our lives.

From marching the streets for racial justice in Mississippi in the 60's to leaving a new church in 2008 we started in Atlanta in 1994, to traveling 50,000+ miles in our RV, we have enjoyed incredible adventures, met many new and now dear friends, and have seen nearly all 50 states (not Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, California).  

We have grandkids in Atlanta, Connecticutt and Idaho (two now in college at VA Tech -- Erica -- and Valdosta State -- Aaron) and soon will have our first grandchild married (Emily in Idaho).  Our daughter Anna is teaching first grade in Caldwell, ID and Todd has published his first novel (Newtown, CT.)


Our RV rig is a 2011 Open Range 32' Roamer fifth wheel.  Here's a photo:

We spent August 1 through December 31 in Idaho, then head south (in cold weather) to Nevada, Arizona, Texas, etc.  Sometimes we go east for a few months to see family and friends, but with diesel fuel rising daily, we won't do that in 2013.  Will meet and enjoy old and new friends in the west.  

I fill pulpits when asked and/or needed.  Have declined many requests to serve as interim pastor.  Just not my jig.    Helen is a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Boise, ID and I attend and serve there with her.  CPC is a welcoming and warm, caring congregation, much like the one we began and developed in Johns Creek, GA.  Helen helps in various ways there and I preach and teach when needed to fill in for our pastors.  I moved my presbytery membership from Greater Atlanta to Boise Presbytery two years ago.

If you are out west, give us a hollar!  We'll meet you somewhere if possible.  Blessings, Larry

I Was Once Proud to be a Presbyterian

The PCUSA, the church that birthed me, nurtured, educated, sustained and ordained me is dying.  After serving 45 years as a pastor in seven pastorates in three southern states in influential congregations, I retired in July 2008 and have watched my church lose 50,000-65,000 members each year since.  Actually the demise of my church began in the 60’s, only to accelerate its membership loss in the last two decades. 

There was a time when I was shamelessly proud to be a PCUS/PCUSA Presbyterian in the south.  In the 60’s and for several decades following we stood (for the most part) united in the struggle for racial justice, for the rights of women and on the side of the poor.  We worked to allow children to the Lord’s Table. 

In those years many of us pastors began to worry about a growing disdain for evangelism -- leading others to know Christ as personal Lord and Savior.  The spiritual birth rate of our united church (southern and northern branches of American Presbyterianism) dropped dismally. 

Evangelism (living out the Great Commission given us by Jesus) has become an embarrassment for the Progressive Left wing of our denomination.  The call to start 1001 new churches in the near future is laughable.  Only the conservative wing of our church is serious about church planting and the number of pastors and members counted in the conservative wing is steadily diminishing as pastors and churches opt out of our denomination and move to conservative denominations such as the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.  The Progressive Left is gaining an even greater majority when the critical votes are counted. 

The demise of our church accelerates as our higher governing bodies annually approve and endorse gay marriage, the ordination of practicing gays and lesbians, abortion, the homosexual lifestyle and deny the Lordship of Christ and the authority of Scripture.

When the PCUS and the UPCUSA united in the early 80’s, we together formed a denomination of more than 4,000,000 members and the united denomination carried significant influence in our society.  Today, as 50,000-plus members leave the PCUSA each year, we are now a denomination of less than 2,000,000 and we have little or no influence in our culture.  To the contrary, the culture dictates our policies.

Those who study such things predict the death of our denomination in less than 40 years.  There will not be many members left who can turn out the lights!

Of course, there are many local PCUSA congregations that still stand strong against the cultural influence in our churches.  As I travel throughout the U.S. (60,000 miles in the last four years), I worship at various local Presbyterian churches.  I do hear sermons that challenge me to draw closer to Christ and be more serious and intentional about my discipleship.  But, sadly, I also hear sermons that are void of any passion about a personal relationship with Christ. 

I once was proud to be a PCUSA Presbyterian.  No more.

The Cliff Neareth!

Our (PCUSA) General Assembly meets soon. It's a stacked deck. Conservatives have absolutely no chance on any important vote, such as same sex marriage. The commissioners from small churches have no idea they will be boondoggled into voting the liberal view. They don't have the foggiest idea what is going on as the GA proceeds. Our former beloved denomination is dying and liberals are rejoicing. The average pew sitter is sitting on his/her hands while the church burns. How very sad!

The train is headed for the cliff and 'heads in the sand' keep trying to portray it otherwise. Many conservatives are doing absolutely nothing. Many of their pastors are strangely silent. But they have their excuses...so...?

We (the PCUSA) was once composed on more than 4,000,000 members. Today we are less than 2,000,000. We have lost more than 2,000,000 members since my ordination in 1964. Yet, the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly says the PCUSA is "soaring with hope"!  What planet does he live on...?

Talking about a stacked deck: I was the advocate for a presbytery at a GA meeting in Tuscaloosa, AL, regarding a resolution before a committee. After I made my appeal, the chair of the committee (who opposed the resolution) told me the issue would be taken up at 2 pm the next day. The next day he called the issue to a vote early in the morning without telling me of the time change. He was in bed with the GA staff.

What a Mess! It's Ugly...and Evil.

This entire PCUSA/EPC/ECO/PCA/FOP matter is a huge mess!  
We in PCUSA congrgations have three options: (1) stay in PCUSA and join FOP and endure a continual distraction caused by confusion over what FOP means that will weaken local witness; (2) join ECO and continue to litigate property issues against greedy presbyteries that will sap the energy and funds of local churches; (3) join union presbyteries and be neither fish nor fowl. 

Liberal PCUSA leaders must be laughing hysterically at us.  
FOP leaders could not come up with a plan that makes sense.  We may be conservative evangelicals, but we are no less torrid ‘turf protectors’ than the liberals.  I didn’t expect the FOP leaders to put themselves and their churches in danger of ‘dying to self’, but I also didn't expect this mess.  I was once one of the ‘tall steeple’ preachers and remember the timidity voiced in that group during our meetings in Dallas.  We are all hiding behind the ‘missional’ label as if that forgives our obvious over-riding self-interests. 

I grieve thinking of the lost dollars and witness caused by continual litigation…and I grieve at the greed of presbyteries that cannot simply say, graciously, “Blessings to you” as congregations leave the PCUSA.  It’s all about control, all about power.  It has little to do with gracious separation.  It has even less to do with faithful witness to the lordship of Christ.

I am retired now and should just let the whole thing go, take my pension and forget the ugliness of it all.  The entire ‘fight’ is beyond ugly.  It is evil and the devil smiles at our ineptitude and stunning lack of spiritual power.  
But just when I try to forget it all, I find myself weeping at the keyboard.