Polity Matters

Ben and Jared are joined by Lloyd Kim, coordinator of Mission to the World (MTW), as the RAO series continues through the committees and agencies of the General Assembly. Lloyd shares his path from Southern California and Westminster Seminary to the Philippines and Cambodia, and how he came to serve in his thirteenth year as coordinator of MTW, the sending arm of the PCA. The conversation looks at what the BCO says about foreign missions, including the powers of an evangelist in places with n...

Ben, Jared, and Scott are joined by Stephen Estock, coordinator of the PCA's Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM), as the RAO series continues through the permanent committees and agencies. Stephen shares his path from Birmingham to the Air Force, Covenant Seminary, and the pastorate, and how he came to lead CDM, formerly Christian Education and Publications. He describes CDM's mission to strengthen the local church as it makes disciples, organized around five streams: children, youth, ...

Ben and Jared are joined again by PCA Stated Clerk Fred Greco to walk through Chapter 3 of the Rules of Assembly Operation, which covers the Stated Clerk. Fred explains what the job is and isn't: clerical rather than spiritual leadership ("He's not the bishop of the PCA"), the qualifications in RAO 3-5, and why the clerk is a trusted source of constitutional advice precisely because he doesn't take sides. The conversation moves through the clerk's role as an ambassador to other denominations...

Jared Nelson and Scott Edburg are joined by Mel Duncan, moderator of the 53rd General Assembly, to walk through the first two chapters of the Rules of Assembly Operations. Chapter 1 covers calling the General Assembly to order, the opening sermon and exhortation, the stated clerk's enrollment report, and the election of the moderator, including nominating speeches, ballots, and clickers. Chapter 2 turns to the moderator's duties: presiding, inviting others to preside, calling the next assembl...

Ben, Jared, and Scott welcome PCA Stated Clerk Fred Greco back to the show as they kick off a new season working through the Rules of Assembly Operation (RAO) -- the "yellow pages" section of the BCO appendices. Fred explains what the RAO actually is: the rulebook for how General Assembly conducts its business, and a window into how the PCA's permanent committees, agencies, and Standing Judicial Commission operate between assemblies. The conversation covers the RAO's relationship to the Cons...