While Overtures 23 and 37 did not receive the approval of 2/3 of presbyteries, they did receive more than a majority of the presbyteries that have voted so far. The debate on the issue is not over. There are a number of presbyteries preparing to send overtures to the 49th PCA General Assembly on the qualifications for ordination to church office. 

An unofficial early count has determined that both Overture 23 and Overture 37 of the 48th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) have failed to pass the denomination’s regional presbyteries, before which they were considered as Items 2 and 4.
At the 48th General Assembly, commissioners passed Overture 23 by a vote of 1438-417 (71% approval) and Overture 37 by a vote of 1209-617 (66% approval). The General Assembly’s approval of the Overtures led to their being considered by the denomination’s constituent regional presbyteries for a vote. Of the 88 presbyteries in the PCA, 59 were needed to answer these Book of Church Order (BCO) amendment proposals (Items 2 and 4, respectively) in the affirmative for the proposals to be presented to the 49th General Assembly for final ratification. Every BCO amendment must be affirmed by at least 2/3 of the presbyteries.
Conversely, 30 negative presbytery votes on any BCO amendment will cause it to fail at the level of the presbyteries. On January 29th, 2022, Overture 37 (Item 4) received its 30th negative vote, causing it to fail the presbyteries. Just a few weeks later, on February 10th, 2022, Overture 23 (Item 2) registered its 30th negative vote. This means that both amendments fail to meet the 2/3 requirement needed to be considered at the 49th General Assembly scheduled to be held in Birmingham, Alabama in June of this year.
Overture 23 (Item 2)
Overture 23 (Item 2) sought to amend BCO 16-4 to prohibit the ordination of men who self-identify as “gay Christians,” “same sex attracted Christians,” “homosexual Christians,” “or like terms.” The amendment states:
BCO 16-4. Officers in the Presbyterian Church in America must be above reproach in their walk and Christlike in their character. Those who profess an identity (such as, but not limited to, “gay Christian,” “same sex attracted Christian,” “homosexual  Christian,” or like terms) that undermines or contradicts their identity as new creations in Christ, either by denying the  sinfulness of fallen desires (such as, but not limited to, same sex attraction), or by denying the reality and hope of progressive sanctification, or by failing to pursue Spirit-empowered victory over their sinful temptations, inclinations,  and actions are not qualified for ordained office.
Supporters of this amendment argued that the proposal grants constitutional authority to many of the most significant aspects of the Ad Interim Report on Human Sexuality. Concerns regarding gay identity and the nature of progressive sanctification are at the heart of this proposed amendment to the BCO. Supporters believe that the PCA must now issue an authoritative – and even Constitution-amending – response to today’s controversy swirling around human sexuality.
Opponents of this amendment argued that the proposed change lacks mature consideration and was merely reactionary. Opponents characterized this amendment as redundant and unnecessary because the PCA’s doctrinal standards already speak to issues of sexuality. Moreover, opponents argued that the term “identity” is a modern creation that may become opaque and obsolete in the near future.
Overture 37 (Item 4)
Overture 37 (Item 4) sought to amend BCO 21-4 and 24-1 to further emphasize the moral requirements for ordained officers in the PCA and to clarify the process for examining the moral character of candidates for office in the church. The amendment states:
BCO 21-4 e. In the examination of the candidate’s personal character, the presbytery shall give specific attention to potentially notorious concerns, such as but not limited to relational sins, sexual immorality (including homosexuality, child sexual abuse, fornication, and pornography), addictions, abusive behavior, racism, and financial mismanagement. Careful attention must be given to his practical struggle against sinful actions, as well as to persistent sinful desires. The candidate must give clear testimony of reliance upon his union with Christ and the benefits thereof by the Holy Spirit, depending on this work of grace to make progress over sin (Psalm 103:2-5, Romans 8:29) and to bear fruit (Psalm 1:3; Gal. 5:22-23). While imperfection will remain, he must not be known by reputation or self-profession according to his remaining sinfulness, but rather by the work of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 6:9-11). In order to maintain discretion and protect the honor of the pastoral office, Presbyteries are encouraged to appoint a committee to conduct detailed examinations of these matters and to give prayerful support to candidates.
BCO 24-1. In the examination of each nominee’s personal character, the Session shall give specific attention to potentially notorious concerns, such as but not limited to relational sins, sexual immorality (including homosexuality, child sexual abuse, fornication, and pornography), addictions, abusive behavior, racism, and financial mismanagement. Careful attention must be given to his practical struggle against sinful actions, as well as to persistent sinful desires. Each nominee must give clear testimony of reliance upon his union with Christ and the benefits thereof by the Holy Spirit, depending upon this work of grace to make progress over sin (Psalm 103:2-5; Romans 8:29) and to bear fruit (Psalm 1:3; Gal. 5:22-23). While imperfection will remain, he must not be known by reputation or self-profession according to his remaining sinfulness, but rather by the work of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 6:9-11). In order to maintain discretion and protect the honor of church office, Sessions are encouraged to appoint a committee to conduct detailed examinations into these matters and to give prayerful support to nominees.
Supporters of this proposal argued that changes to these two paragraphs in the BCO would bring peace and unity to the PCA by maintaining a high standard for officers within the church. They believe presbyteries have often struggled with evaluating the moral character of candidates for ordination. The adjustments put forward in this proposal would have offered clear guidance for presbyteries and churches as they examine candidates for ordained office.
Opponents of this proposal argued that this addition to the BCO would do more harm than good. They believe that there is simply too much ambiguity regarding what the amendment seeks to achieve. In short, this amendment would fail to protect the church from officers with character deficiencies and it would not be clear or helpful enough for presbyteries in their examination process of candidates for the gospel ministry.
Is the Issue Over?
While Overtures 23 and 37 did not receive the approval of 2/3 of presbyteries, they did receive more than a majority of the presbyteries that have voted so far. The debate on the issue is not over. There are a number of presbyteries preparing to send overtures to the 49th PCA General Assembly on the qualifications for ordination to church office.
Scott Edburg is Assistant Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia, Ala.
Resources on the Sexuality Amendments:
Articles on Overture 23 and 37
2021 BCO Amendment Spreadsheet
Resources on Amending the BCO:
See “Amending the Book of Church Order (BCO) on pcapolity.com/case-studies.

One of his most recent and most destructive assaults on us all is via the trans activists. Transgenderism is a diabolical war on reality, biology, truth and people, and it is mainly a full frontal attack on our kids.

The more I think about it, the more diabolical things appear to be. We do not just have bad philosophies and bad ideologies and bad social policies and bad political agendas. We have satanic philosophies and satanic ideologies and satanic social policies and satanic political agendas. The god of this world is fully behind them all.
The truth is, Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, as Jesus made clear in John 1:10. Name your poison: abortion on demand, the war on marriage and family, the scourge of drugs, the porn plague, the radical woke agenda items, and so on. They all cause tremendous harm and often death.
The devil does his evil work in so many ways, and children are especially in his sights. One of his most recent and most destructive assaults on us all is via the trans activists. Transgenderism is a diabolical war on reality, biology, truth and people, and it is mainly a full frontal attack on our kids.
But like just about anything that the enemy uses to cause carnage and havoc, plenty of clueless and carnal Christians will happily go right along with it. Thus we have pro-abortion “Christians,” pro-homosexuality “Christians,” and pro-trans “Christians”.
In my book, any Christian who supports and promotes the trans militancy in the name of ‘tolerance’ and ‘love’ is simply playing into the enemy’s hands. They have no clue what biblical love means, and they have no clue what Scripture actually teaches.
Simply put, if you love someone, you do NOT want them to go through invasive and irreversible surgeries and procedures that will leave them damaged for life. There is nothing loving about that. And even playing the pronouns game is unloving. Telling lies and denying reality is not how we help anyone.
Truth telling is what these confused and hurting people need—not falsehoods. Back in 2019 I penned a piece on why we should not buy the trans pronoun nonsense. Among other things, I quoted professor Robert Gagnon:
I am stunned that any leader of the Southern Baptist Convention, much less the President, would be contending that faithful Christians should practice so-called “pronoun hospitality” in addressing “transgender” persons by their delusional pretend sex. The idea that Jesus or Paul would have referred to a man as a woman or a woman as a man in anything other than satire and derision for abhorrent behavior is absurd revisionism in the extreme.
It is not an act of “hospitality” or “respect” to the offender but rather (1) a scandal to the weak and young in the church and a rightful violation of conscience for many that will lead many to stumble to their ruin; (2) an accommodation to sin that God finds utterly abhorrent; and (3) a complicity in the offender’s self-dishonoring, self-degrading, and self-demeaning behavior that does him no favor because it can get him (or her) excluded from the kingdom of God. Am I being obtuse here?
What’s next? Treating as a married couple an incestuous union involving a man and his mother, allegedly as a show of hospitality and honoring of their own perspective? Is that what they think Paul would have done at Corinth? Treating the man and his stepmother as “husband” and “wife” so as to extend “hospitality” and “respect”? What kind of revisionist lunacy is this?
I can’t believe that there is no serious push-back on this in the Southern Baptist Convention….I don’t really see what the point is of the SBC having an inerrancy doctrine if it leads to leaders encouraging their congregations to call men women and women men, which in God’s eyes would be blaspheming his work as Creator. I would expect this kind of nonsense from the PCUSA, not the SBC. I am in utter disbelief. Is this something that Al Mohler would approve of? And if not, has he said anything against it? And if not, why not?
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Hermeneutics is critical because it’s the connection between God’s Word and its application. The single most influential class I took in seminary was hermeneutics. It did more to enrich my knowledge and understanding of God’s Word than any other subject.

There’s one topic I wish every believer would study. Even though I’m an apologist and have taught apologetics for nearly two decades, it has nothing to do with defending the faith (though it can help with that). It’s called hermeneutics, but it’s more commonly known as biblical interpretation. If I could, I would require every believer in the global church to learn its principles.
Now, I can almost hear the pushback. Hermen-what? It sounds like a dry, academic subject that has no practical value for my walk with God. It’s probably just for pastors, people say.
That’s just not true. Hermeneutics is an exciting topic because it helps us believers better understand what God is saying to us. You’re going read the Bible between now and the day you die, and what you read will define your theology, affect major life decisions, and determine what you teach others according to what you think it says. Hermeneutics is critical because it’s the connection between God’s Word and its application. The single most influential class I took in seminary was hermeneutics. It did more to enrich my knowledge and understanding of God’s Word than any other subject.
Let me illustrate how three key principles of biblical interpretation can help you understand a commonly misunderstood passage. It’s based on a verse that has fueled numerous skeptics to challenge the integrity of Jesus.
They claim that Jesus commands his followers to round up those who reject him and kill them. They cite Luke 19:27 where Jesus says, “Those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.” That doesn’t sound like the tender and compassionate Jesus we all know. What’s going on? The problem is entirely a hermeneutical mistake—people are misinterpreting the passage. Consider how applying the three keys to biblical interpretation clarifies the meaning and application of this passage.
Context: The first key to interpreting any biblical passage is to read the verses before and after the passage in question. The more you read, the better. That’s why we say at Stand to Reason, “Never read a Bible verse.” Always read the whole paragraph, the chapter, or the whole book. When this verse is read in context, you discover that Jesus is telling a parable about a nobleman and his servants. Parables, of course, are fictitious stories intended to illustrate a point. This story is about a nobleman who leaves ten minas with his ten servants and departs to be crowned king. His servants hate him, though, and send an envoy to petition against his appointment. After he’s crowned king, he returns to judge his servants on how they’ve invested his money. After rewarding the faithful servants, he punishes the unfaithful ones and then orders his enemies to be killed.
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