Mainline Protestant denominations have been in steady decline for decades, and it’s largely due to the denominations’ embrace of theological liberalism. Trading in scriptural truth and sound doctrine for social justice and the cultural whims of the day is no way to reach people for Jesus — and it shows.
One denomination has made a massive move that shows how bad its decline is. The Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA), a radically progressive denomination, is shutting down the vast majority of its global missionary operations.
Greg Garrison reported last week at AL.com:
The office of Presbyterian World Mission closed at the end of March after the Presbyterian Mission Agency merged with the Office of General Assembly into the Interim Unified Agency.
These moves essentially ended a 200-year tradition of sending foreign missionaries, more recently called mission “co-workers,” to spread the faith in other countries, according to denominational sources.
The Presbyterian World Mission is laying off 54 of its 60 missionaries and is assigning 30 office staff to serve as “global ecumenical advisors” in the new organization, which weirdly sounds like a government agency. The PCUSA has seen a drop of over 10% in membership between 2020 and 2023, and the ensuing drop in tithes and offerings necessitated the change, in part. Other concerns include missionaries serving in dangerous areas.
“The denomination, due to budget cuts and changes in emphasis, now expects Christian work to be done mostly by indigenous leaders around the globe, rather than by U.S. missionaries sent to foreign countries,” Garrison reported. Parachurch organizations will take up some of the slack as well.
The missionaries aren’t happy. One anonymous missionary told The Presbyterian Outlook, “I feel that I’ve been treated like a financial liability rather than as an asset in ministry.”
“We’re witnessing the slow dismantling of one of our church’s most defining ministries,” Karla Ann Koll, a Presbyterian missionary to Costa Rica, said. “At a time when the world needs solidarity, this decision sends the opposite signal.”
Related: Progressive Christianity Watch: Heretical Easter Edition
In his podcast on Friday, Dr. Albert Mohler explained that this move is the direct result of mainline denominations’ embrace of liberalism:
And over time, all of them have succumbed to liberalism. All of them have been taken over basically by those with a liberal agenda. And this means anti-supernaturalism. It doesn’t just mean dropping the belief in the virgin birth. It means a total reformulation of Christian theology. Exactly what figures such as [Presbyterian scholar] Gresham Machen warned back in the 1920s would happen.
That lurch to theological and political liberalism changed the way these churches viewed missions, Mohler emphasized:
Well, one of the things that is also sent here is the signal that there was a retreat from conversionist missions long ago. Among theological liberals, conversionism became an embarrassment, and the expansion of Christianity became a form of imperialism, of imperialist imposition, that was itself an embarrassment.
A letter sent by several Presbyterians to the denominational office demonstrates the concerns that liberals have. They’re worried that a dearth of left-leaning missionaries might — GASP! — allow conservative missionaries to gain a greater foothold.
Two quotes from this letter give the game away (emphasis added):
We are concerned that the PC(USA) is withdrawing staff — some of whom have served for many years and have deep relationships with and understanding of global partners and their ministries, histories, and cultural contexts — at a moment when nationalism and jingoistic tendencies are on the rise in the U.S. and in many other places.
When progressive Christians, communions and mission sending organizations leave a mission field, their absences are inevitably and invariably filled with voices, personnel, and mission partners who view Jesus and his ministry differently, in less inclusive and liberating ways.
Yeah, it would be a shame for missionaries to go into areas and teach the truth of scripture, explain sin, and instill sound doctrine in new converts to Christianity. The letter also insinuates that non-progressive missionaries could usher in colonialism — you can’t make stuff like this up.
There’s more than a twinge of radical politics in the letter as well as in the reactions to the denominational decision. And that’s the problem with progressive Christianity. Just preach the gospel that scripture lays out, and leave the radicalism outside the church.
Here at PJ Media, we will always stand up for the truth about Christianity. You can help us in that mission by becoming a PJ Media VIP member.
VIP membership is an investment in our mission, but you get some cool benefits as well. And it’s a great deal when you take advantage of our 60% off sale. Click here to sign up, and your discount will apply at checkout.
