Christ EPC in Houston votes to leave EPC

[fredtgreco]

This past Sunday, Christ EPC in Houston, TX, pastored by my friend, Richard Harris, voted 311-11 to leave the EPC and join with the PCA. The meeting was marked by unity and a spirit of grace. I especially appreciated the EPC Presbytery representatives, who were gracious in their remarks and made no attempt to sow discord in the church (in fact, they encouraged unity).

I will be working with the pastors and elders of CEPC in their process of examination and joining the Houston Metro Presbytery of the PCA. I am very excited about this development for the PCA and the Kingdom in Houston. CEPC hosts RTS Houston and was heavily involved in Harvey relief efforts. I have been blessed to get to know more of its leaders over the past few months.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

It's nice to see the flow going this way for a change given the couple moves from PCA to EPC. Fred, what was the motivating factor if you can say?

This past Sunday, Christ EPC in Houston, TX, pastored by my friend, Richard Harris, voted 311-11 to leave the EPC and join with the PCA.

 

[sc_q_jayce]

A curiosity question for sure, and if I'm asking too much please let me know, but I was curious how they would be addressing their having women deacons? I know when Veto switched from PCUSA to PCA the women elders voted to depose themselves, will something similar happen here as well?

 

[fredtgreco]

To answer some questions - the motivating factors were a continuing shift in the EPC away from the confessionalism of CEPC (due to the great influx of PCUSA churches) and a desire to be in a denomination more in line with the congregation's theological commitments.

CEPC has no women pastors or elders. It is my understanding that they will have only male ordained deacons, with some of their current male and all their current female deacons serving as a Mercy Team (or Deacon Assistants, to use the language of BCO 9-7). The church is united behind this change, including the current female deacons.