The EPC Responds to Mississippi

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church has responded to the accusations that have been leveled at it by the PCUSA’s Mississippi Presbytery. Posted on the EPC’s Web site, the statement in its entirety reads:

It has come to our attention that the Evangelical Presbyterian Church stands accused of recruiting churches to quit their current denominational affiliation and become members of the EPC.  This complaint prompts the following response:

It is and always has been the policy and practice of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church to not solicit, initiate contact, or recruit churches and leaders who are outside our denomination.  We take any charges of misconduct in this area seriously.  To date, complaints received by the office of the General Assembly about the activities of EPC leaders have been found to be based on inaccurate information.

We do respond to enquiries and accept invitations from the elected spiritual leadership of local churches to answer questions about the EPC.  As there are an increasing number of churches and leaders who are contacting us, we are being especially careful to ensure that we maintain our commitment to practices that are consistent with our stated policy.

That’s what we’ve been told all along about operations nationally, and it has certainly been the way we’ve operated at the presbytery level in the Presbytery of the East. If Mississippi (or any other PCUSA entity or person, including Clifton Kirkpatrick) has evidence–rather than rumor, hearsay, or speculation–to the contrary, let them produce it, or stop making the accusation.

Go Easy on the New Guy

Fellow EPC pastor Darien Burns has started a blog he calls “An Uncommon Grace.” It looks good–he starts off with the obligatory introductory post, and moves straight to Johnny Cash as an example of the unusual ways that God’s grace manifests itself. Joe Bob says check it out.