PCMNA Defends Segregated Church Event, Openly Promotes Ethnic ‘Affinity Groups’
Last month, Resurrection Oakland Church in Oakland, CA (ResOak), a multi-ethnic, multi-generational church that is part of the conservative Presbyterian Church in America (PCA.), gained national headlines after hosting a segregated church event for black members, consisting of a registered “Black Fellowship Dinner” for “Black Worshipers” only, and which White Folks were instructed not to attend.
The event featured special guest speaker Rev. Irwyn Ince, who leads PCA Mission To North America (PCAMNA). This is the same organization that got into some hot water last month after advising illegal immigrants how to evade capture by ICE and which seemingly has no issues with race-segregated church events.
Commenting on the incident, the PCA’s Mission to North America Permanent Committee issued a statement that first insisted, “The organizers of this event did not prohibit or turn away anyone from attending.”
The church may not have forcibly or physically prohibited anyone from attending, but when you tell your congregation they must be registered for the event and that it’s designed for black folks to fellowship with other black people, that is a prohibition just the same.
Yet not does Mission to North America they defend the event, they also double down while commending Ince and his leadership:
1. Christ, our Peace, has broken down the dividing wall of hostility (Eph 2:14) and has called Christ’s church to honor the dignity of all image-bearing people. With a vision to reach all nations, we condemn any form of racism or segregation as sin because this promotes division and destroys the peace of the church (James 2:1f). Our Coordinator and ministry leaders do not and will not participate in racially exclusive events unless given explicit approval to do so for the purpose of advancing the gospel and at the direction of the MNA Permanent Committee. An example of such an exceptional circumstance would be an event hosted by a racially defined organization that presents an opportunity for our staff to engage in spiritually focused dialogue otherwise closed to Christians.
2. MNA has been given the charge to lead the denomination in reflecting the diversity of Christ’s kingdom (6th GA (1978), Recommendation 5, pg. 76). Affinity ministries equip and encourage minority members who worship in so many of our churches. These ministries support shared cultural experiences for the edification of the whole body. We celebrate the dynamic diversity of the PCA which includes brothers and sisters from backgrounds including: African-American, Korean, Hispanic, Chinese, Haitian, Brazilian, and Native American, among others. We affirm that fellowship gatherings or events that center on the shared cultural experiences of ethnic minority brothers and sisters can be a great blessing and serve to enable a strong sense of welcome and belonging. We affirm affinity gatherings as a part of rejoicing in our unity and diversity (1 Cor 12, Rev 7).
3. We recognize the accomplishments of the 46th Moderator of General Assembly and current MNA Coordinator, Dr. Irwyn Ince. He has implemented important changes within MNA, including the “One Church, One Mission” vision which is renewing the denomination’s focus on church planting and vitality. Dr Ince has consistently demonstrated a heart for gathering people from different cultures together in Christ. He has served the PCA faithfully, welcoming and pursuing peace in the PCA and the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His love for God, the Reformed Faith, the Great Commission, and the PCA is evident for all to see.
X user Blake Bount links to a missive from Chris Rufo regarding Harvard’s practice of ending these groups and points out: “So the #PCAGA is openly promoting ethnic “affinity groups” now – an idea that was so bad that Harvard tried to cover up their own use of the same terms just a year or two ago?”
Megan Basham also points out:
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