Questions and Answers: Rev. Linn W. Rus Howard

What do I see as the most pressing issue facing the church and General Assembly and why?

The most pressing issue facing the PCUSA and this year’s General Assembly is to elect a Moderator and Stated Clerk who believes the Bible is the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

If renewal and restoration is going to come to the PCUSA, we need leaders who, in their service to God and the Church, will be faithful to God’s call to Joshua:

Be strong and . . . very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not
be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:6-9, NIV)

Our current leaders (particularly our current Stated Clerk and Moderator) have failed to lead us in this manner. As we face the increasing determination of individuals, congregations, and political groups within the PCUSA to defy our constitution and to lead us away from Jesus and the truth of God’s Word, we need strong and courageous leaders who will “lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).

The PC(USA) needs leaders who are not ashamed of the Gospel; who affirm the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in TULIP; and who will “stand up, speak up, and act up” for Jesus. We can no longer afford to have a “politically correct” leadership that accommodates our theology to popular secular opinion.

While some in the church claim that the Stated Clerk has neither the responsibility nor the power to change the direction of the church (this has been Clifton Kirkpatrick’s defense) I contend and believe that the Bible proclaims the exact opposite.

Leaders make a difference! Strong and courageous leaders will set the thermostat for an organization. Effective Christian leaders change institutions; not through power and control, but through passionate, Biblical, and Spirit-led leadership.

Throughout history God has reformed His church through leaders who are unswerving and uncompromising in their loyalty to Him, in their love for Jesus, in their willingness to follow as directed by the Holy Spirit, and in their faithful obedience to His Word.

At this critical juncture in our history, the PC(USA) desperately needs strong and courageous leaders; who believe the Bible is the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice; and who affirm the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in our confessions.

What is my vision of the church for the future, and what specifically would I do as Stated Clerk to assist in accomplishing this vision?

My vision for the PC(USA) is that we return to worshipping and serving Jesus as God’s only Son and our only Savior in full obedience to the Bible as God’s inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word.

When we do this we will witness a Spirit-led renewal of the Presbyterian Church. Our sanctuaries will be filled for worship. Our members will experience the power of God working in their lives. Our gracious and truth-filled witness to the love of Jesus will transform our neighborhoods. Finally, PC(USA) missionaries and congregations will fulfill The Great Commission given by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20.

As Stated Clerk, I will be a strong and courageous leader who will:

• Serve as a spiritual and theological leader to the PCUSA by:

1. Passionately and unequivocally proclaiming that the Bible is the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice;
2. Preaching, teaching, and speaking from God’s Word and according to the essential tenets of the Reformed faith in order to equip all the saints with sound Biblical faith so that they can do the work of ministry with confidence.

• Build strong ecumenical relationships with Christian bodies faithful to God’s Word, while withdrawing support from those organizations which are not obedient to God’s Word.

• Speak-up when individuals, sessions, and other governing bodies within the PC(USA) disobey the Bible and defy our Constitution. I will give guidance to the Church about how to address defiance and how to restore those who are intent on disobeying God’s Word and our Constitution.

• Advocate these specific changes to the Book of Order:

1. To replace G-14.0207b and G-14.0405b (2) with: “Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice?”
2. To add at the end of G-14.0402: “Furthermore, believing that the essential tenets of the Reformed faith are best expressed in TULIP, the presbytery shall examine candidates for the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in their understanding of and adherence to these tenets.”
3. To add as G-13.0103y: “to insure that all materials published and endorsed by the church shall teach and shall support the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in TULIP.”

How do I understand the Stated Clerk’s role . . . “As an officer of the General Assembly, the Stated Clerk shall preserve and defend the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and support the decisions, actions, and programs of the General Assembly”?

The Stated Clerk is called to take a pro-active role in preserving and defending the Constitution of the PCUSA and supporting the decisions, actions, and programs of the General Assembly.

As Stated Clerk, I will speak up when individuals and governing bodies disobey the Bible and defy our Constitution. From the moment I become aware of the defiance, I will provide public guidance to the Church, and to the appropriate governing bodies, about the best way to restore those who are in defiance.

As Stated Clerk, I will provide accurate guidance to all parties who seek advice about how to interpret correctly our Constitution. When providing this guidance I will quote Scripture, our Confessions, and our polity. My guidance will be based on the Truth of God’s Word, the Reformed theology of our Confessions, and our polity.

As Stated Clerk, I will continue to remind, privately and publicly, denominational employees that they shall faithfully serve the church by adhering to the decisions of the church in their daily work and public pronouncements as church employees. I will encourage and seek the
removal of any employee who does not support the decisions, actions, and programs of the General Assembly.

What do I see as the role of the Stated Clerk in addressing contentious and controversial issues?

The role of the Stated Clerk in addressing contentious and controversial issues is to fulfil the instructions given to us in Ephesians 4:11-16.
In specific instances, I will follow the words of Jesus given in Matthew 18:15-17. I will be faithful to the spirit of love and grace which Jesus embodied in John 4:7-26 when he confronted the woman at the well and in John 8:1-11 when he confronted the Teachers of the Law and the woman caught in adultery.

In the public square, I will not be ashamed of standing up for the Truth of God’s Word as I speak about controversial and contentious issues facing the church and society. As I speak on these issues I will be faithful to the Bible, our Confessions, our polity, and the decisions of the Church.

Comment on an item of business before this General Assembly that you are excited about and that you believe will help the church be faithful to its mission to proclaim the Good News.

This year’s General Assembly will have the opportunity to reaffirm our ordination standards, particularly as expressed in G-6.0106b. To remove or to weaken this section of the Book of Order will be to deny that the Bible is God’s Word, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

If we are to bring renewal and hope to God’s people and if we are to equip the saints for the ministry God has given us, this year’s General Assembly must base all of their decisions on the truth of God’s Word and our Reformed theology This year’s General Assembly can radically change the direction of the PC(USA) by resisting the pressure to conform to the ways of the world. The Christian Church has been, is, and will always be under pressure from society to accommodate our theology and faith to the opinions of secular culture. The Apostle Paul writes about this battle in Ephesians 6:10-18. This is an epic battle that must be fought by the Church and by individual Christians until God redeems the world a final time when Christ returns.

It will be exciting to see the commissioners at this year’s assembly:

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, to put on the full armor of God . . . to stand firm . . . with the belt of truth buckled around their waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place . . . with their feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. To take up the shield of faith, to wear the helmet of salvation . . . to carry the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God . . . and to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of
prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:10-18, edited)

By standing firm for the Truth of God’s Word, this year’s assembly will serve God as a shining light and powerful witness. Nothing else excites me more, than to anticipate the faithful stance of this year’s commissioners.