Smoke Mirrors and Misdirection

My general impression of the Gathering is that its purposes were unfocused by design. The three options that kept a congregation within the PC(USA) but somehow soothed the minds of those troubled by our recently passed permission for homosexual pastors.Those three objectives are so convoluted that I cannot explain them to anyone. They do nothing but distract or misdirect.

The only options are two: leave or stay. The future response for those who stay are to either celebrate the inclusion of homosexual persons in leadership, or to quietly or loudly deplore it, or to peacefully ignore it. We could fight it in the Church courts, but that has already proved unsuccessful. We can try to reverse it at the next GA, but that, at best, only assures the continuation of the thirty years war into an indeterminate future. (Most of us are tired of using our energies fighting this battle.)

Seven very charming pastors, from seven upper middle class larger than average congregations, whose membership is as divided on this question as is the United States society, don’t want to lose a single member. They have a problem. If they stay, some folks will leave in protest. If they leave, some folks will leave in protest. So, they have a plan to both leave and stay. If they can pull this off, some of their members will believe they are still in the PC(USA) and others will be convinced they are part of a New Reformed Body. This is all done by smoke, mirrors, and misdirection. It is magic. It turns out these seven very charming pastors are really clever wizards in disguise.

Here is how the trick works. You help start a new Reformed Denomination. You connect that new denomination with the old denomination by continuing to support their missionaries and participating in their pension fund. (If you play it right, you also keep the deed to your buildings,) Let’s say you’re the Bright and Shinning Faces (New Reformed Body) Presbyterian Church. When you leave the PC(USA) you say only very nice things about your former denomination. You explain, that “It’s not you, its us, we think we should try something new and a bit more missional. We have no complaints against you or what you are doing to advance the Kingdom (sorry Realm) of God. We really, really want to remain friends.“

Now what do you do with folks at Bright and Shinning who refuse to join the New Reformed Denomination? What do you do with those in Bright and Shinning Face Church who will not leave the PC(USA)? You form a Fellowship that serves as a big umbrella covering the new and old. Some get to believe that you are still part of the PC(USA), all the while really you are a New Reformed Denomination. There: everyone is satisfied. Win/win all the way!

For some of these churches they will stay in the Fellowship as legally the PC(USA) and others they will participate in the Fellowship as legally the New Reformed Body. If the trick works, many will be amazed and wonder “How’d they do that?” Smoke, mirrors and misdirection.