Welcome to this issue of Equip for Ministry. We have enjoyed putting it together because we believe it contains articles, news, and resources that underscore the challenges confronting the church today. A specific challenge is how the church is being marginalized in our culture. Fewer and fewer people are attracted to the church, especially among younger generations. We are also convinced, particularly in the PCA, that the church does have an opportunity to make a difference in North America and in other countries. Our missionaries and ministers are driven by a strong commitment to Scripture and they flesh out a Word-based theology that speaks to today’s world.

One of the ways God grew the New Testament church, in a culture where biblical truth was not known, was to couple preaching of the Word with signs and wonders that attracted people and displayed the reality of that preached Word. Today, we are in a culture that increasingly less knowledgeable about the Bible and Christianity. Many who “think” they know are not always seeing the real thing. I think about the perception of many Muslims who equate America and Western civilization with Christianity.

We wish that were true and America was indeed a genuinely Christian nation, but such is not the case. There is, however, a remnant of biblical Christianity alive in the West and America. We also hear from those who have exited the church or who are unimpressed with what they see in the church and they claim the church is lacking authenticity and integrity. While the church claims to represent the life-changing truths of the Gospel, very little life-change is seen. Christians seem to live very much like the non-Christians. So many ask, “Why should I get involved or have any interest in the church?”

By God’s grace, the PCA is attempting to follow James’ warning that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Toward that end, the PCA is building and encouraging healthy churches, sending missionaries to other nations and giving the church solid biblically reformed training and resources. It is also seriously addressing diaconal ministries, sometimes referred to as mercy ministries.

Through officer training, Christian Education and Publications, Women in the Church and Mission to North America are calling the church to mobilize for an aggressively intentional mercy ministry. These ministries are to be spearheaded by local churches through their diaconal leaders and women in the church leaders. We believe that it extremely important to concentrate energies and resources into “word and deed” ministries that truly demonstrate our beliefs in action.

In this Equip, you can read more about our commitment to active ministry. A dear friend and colleague, Dr. George Fuller, who is a pastor, theologian, professor, and seminary president, has written the lead article, “Deacon is a Verb.” At our recent mercy ministry conference, he presented material on diaconal ministry aimed at senior citizens. Through CE&P, Dr. Fuller will be available to work with local churches and groups to help them minister to, as well as mobilize, senior citizens for Kingdom work.

I have asked my colleague Richard (Dick) Aeschliman, to write the “In Case You’re Asked” section. Dick is serves CE&P by focusing on officer training and resources. His article takes a close look at the relationship between deacons and mercy ministry.

Be sure to read our “CE At a Glance” section to learn about our recent WIC Leadership Seminars, Mercy Ministry and Children’s Ministry conferences. These are excellent illustrations of how members of the PCA are attempting to combine word and deed through ministry.

In “Buy the Book”, you will find two books dealing with culture that are vitally important to help us to understand, as well as to develop an action plan, for engaging the culture. Our coordinator of youth ministries reviewed two books on Christian education and youth ministry that are well worth reading. We, as a church, are committed to engaging the culture with the Gospel and the truth of the Christian faith. That commitment is on paper in the form of general assembly minutes and various committee and agency records. But the reality of that commitment will only surface when Christians in local churches actually implement it.

In addition to Equip for Ministry, our website (www.pcanet.org/cep), the WIC Resource Quarterly and the monthly Bulletin Supplement are provided to assist you in building the church and extending the kingdom. Through additional resources such as curriculum, the CE&P Bookstore and the video library, we are committed to helping you with your resource needs and assisting you in the process of making disciples. Our motto at CE&P is “Discipling God’s Covenant Family.” That statement reflects both who we are and what we do at CE&P.

Enjoy this issue and pray for us in our ministry, including the choices we make for our training and resources, and particularly the Equip for Ministry publication.

- Charles Dunahoo

Back to Equip Page