Counting the Cost in the PCA

A Denominational Status Update

My church, East River, is currently an independent Reformed church. We didn’t start that way. We began as a mission church of All Saints Presbyterian in the CREC. My friend Gregg Strawbridge, who has since gone to be with the Lord, sent me out as the evangelist, even though I wasn’t your typical CREC planter. I’m not a paedocommunionist, and I’m not interested in overly complicated liturgies.

Our time in the CREC was short. They made constitutional changes that would have required us to compromise our vows and confessional standards. We appealed, but without success. So we left on the best terms possible, and I still count many of those men as close friends. That said, we were always an odd fit.

Since then, we’ve been on a three-year investigation of where we belong. For now, we have an accountability board made up of PCA teaching elders. They give us wise counsel, and they also serve as a court of appeal if anyone in our congregation regarding any judicial action we take. They’ve been a tremendous blessing and have helped meet the need for real connectivity between churches and elders.

I don’t like being independent. It was never my goal. I’m persuaded by the case for Presbyterian polity, and I believe denominations are key to maintaining generational faithfulness. I planted East River with the hope that my grandson, or even great-grandson, could worship here. I don’t want a work that burns bright for a season and fades. I want a strong tower from which the gospel will sound for generations.

Looking ahead, I see three possible paths. We could remain independent and build organic relationships. We could join a like-minded denomination and throw in with the work they’re already doing. Or, least likely, we could start something new. My strong inclination is toward joining an existing work. Institutions matter, which is why liberals target them, and building something from scratch requires far more bandwidth than most realize.

Right now, the PCA makes the most sense. It’s where I was trained and ordained, and much of East River’s DNA comes directly from the Book of Church Order. I’ve looked at every Reformed denomination in the States. Smaller “microdenoms” don’t appeal to me. Too often they’re built around secondary doctrines elevated to confessional status, strong personalities, or they lack the infrastructure to credential men and support members who relocate. They have their place, but they’re very low on our list.

If you follow me online, you’ve seen me highlighting problems in the PCA. That’s intentional. Just as a presbytery must consider whether to receive our church, we have to weigh whether this is the right home for us. It goes both ways. For me, the core issue is accountability. Denominations matter most in how they credential and discipline ministers. Who is allowed into the pastorate, by what standards, and what happens when they fall short? If unqualified or compromised men are allowed to shepherd churches, heterodoxy follows and courts are corrupted. The question is: is there transparency and accountability?

I’ve been accused of violating Matthew 18 or writing “hit pieces” just for pointing out public compromise. But in my experience, those who cry against transparency are often the ones avoiding responsibility. So I’m asking plainly: will the PCA hold men accountable? Because if we join, I’ll be held accountable by those courts, and I’ll be expected to hold others accountable. If doing so gets treated as a “purity crusade,” then there’s a problem.

By “conservatives,” I mean those who keep their vows and hold to the confession without word games. They need to recognize the predicament they’re in. I don’t believe the PCA will split anytime soon. People have been saying that for decades, and it hasn’t happened. It nearly did during the Revoice controversy, but the grassroots rose up and pushed out corrupting elements. So the danger isn’t a denominational fracture. It’s the quiet loss of the best and brightest candidates—younger men who see the slippery slope of feminism and DEI compromises and decide not to pursue ordination in the PCA. Many of them don’t want to spend their lives trying to renovate a house where even modest reforms are fought tooth and nail.

We’re about a year into our three-year investigation. We’ll keep at it. We’ll be at GA again next year—that will make three times. And we’re going to start attending our local presbytery meetings.

This is where things stand for us...for now.