Flushing Alliance Church

Announcements

• A Statement on General Council

  At General Council 2023, delegates of the Christian and Missionary Alliance voted to change the denomination’s polity to permit the ordination of women and give local C&MA churches the prerogative of titling licensed female workers as pastors. The following statement is a response to that decision.

  As Christians, we recognize that apart from the mercy of God in the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, we are all hopelessly lost in our sin. We further recognize that apart from the Holy Spirit, given to believers after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, we would have no power for the life, work, and witness we have been called to in making disciples of all nations who are obedient to His commands.

  We pray that all peoples will hear the good news of salvation and that the Church will be fully mobilized in our generation to labor for the Kingdom of God and hasten our Lord’s glorious and promised return. We desire all of Jesus for all the world. It is with love for our brothers and sisters in Christ and a humble understanding of our full reliance on His grace that we make the following statement:

  We affirm the authority of the inspired and inerrant word of God.

  We affirm the sufficiency of that same word, and stand in agreement with the C&MA’s Statement of Faith (Section 1.4), which maintains that “the Scriptures constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice (2 Pet. 1:20–21; 2 Tim. 3:15–17).”

  We affirm that God made men and women in His image and has bestowed both with immeasurable value.

  We affirm that God has graciously given to both men and women gifts, talents, abilities, and callings necessary for the Church.

  We affirm and celebrate the communion of the saints and recognize that the same Holy Spirit poured out at Pentecost has never been inactive or silent throughout the history of Christ’s Church and is both alive and active in our present day.

  We affirm that God has called all Christians to service in His Kingdom and, in His providence, has designed and designated differing roles within the Church for men and women.

  We affirm the conclusion of the report studying elder authority that was adopted by the C&MA General Council 1999, that concluded “undoubtedly, these three titles [“elder” (presbuteros), “overseer” (episkopos), and “pastor” (poimen)] all refer to one role in the local church for [New Testament] writers use the terms interchangeably.”

  We affirm that God has called the Church to ordain only biblically qualified men to serve as pastors (elders) within the Church and believe that Council’s decision is particularly alarming as our denomination ministers within a culture of sexual confusion and gender fluidity.

  We reject the Council’s assertion that two contradictory interpretations of Scripture can have equal validity and humbly urge them to return to the authority of Scripture.

  We reject Council’s decision to separate the biblical qualifications of an elder from the title of pastor and humbly urge them to return to the authority of Scripture.  

  We reject the Council’s decision to adopt the modern practice of ordaining women and humbly urge them to return to the authority of Scripture.

  “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’” – Hebrews 8:5

  If such a word was spoken about a tabernacle made out of linen curtains, sewn and spun for a short season in the desert, how then should we think of God's blood-bought Church that He sent His Son to die for? If God would warn a man about a tent that way, how serious do you suppose He is about that which He calls the body and bride of His Son, and the permanent dwelling of His Spirit; and how careful ought we be to follow the pattern He’s given us? The Scriptures must remain our divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.

  Grace & peace,

  -Pastor Nathan McKeen with the elders of the Flushing Alliance Church