When I lived in Berkeley, CA (1999-2004), I made a few visits to worship with City Church, a vibrant body of 800 or so attendees (as of 2003) in the heart of the city. An affiliate of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, NY, City Church sought to reach out to San Francisco with a theologically Reformed framework and methodological winsomeness akin to that of Tim Keller.
One of the tenets of the PCA is the belief that the ecclesiastical offices of the church (elders and deacons) are open only to qualified males. Sadly, City Church is now leaving the PCA over that particular issue. CBMW reports that City Church’s congregation and its pastors recently told presbytery officials, “The elders of this church find themselves out of accord with BCO chapters 8 and 9, which assume the role of deacon and elder are for qualified males only. We have changed our views and believe that the ecclesiastical offices of the church are open to both men and women, and can no longer with good conscience prohibit women from these offices.”
According to the CBMW report, the North California Presbytery of the PCA granted their request to leave the PCA on June 10, 2006. City Church is pursuing affiliation with the Reformed Church in America (RCA). Though more moderate than the PC(USA), the RCA website acknowledges that “deep divisions” exist within the denomination over homosexuality.
I am personally discouraged by this development, as I believe that the egalitarian position is not only unfaithful to the Scriptures, but that, as our understanding of manhood and womanhood touches all of life, this shift will inevitably have unintended consequences. In the past I have enjoyed my visits to City Church, have had numerous conversations with their leadership, and have recommended the church to others. Another reason for sadness is that I am no longer aware of any strong, calvinistic, complementarian church in San Francisco that I can recommend. If you know of one, please inform us in the comments section.
I have also written City Church’s leadership and expressed my concern. However, since these matters have been disclosed publicly, I feel at liberty to also comment publicly.
Update: Mike Hayes (Executive Pastor) informed me via e-mail that City Church leadership was persuaded over the past year of an egalitarian position regarding I Tim 2:8-15 and other related texts. In short, they believe that while the complementarian position is possible, the egalitarian position represents a better understanding of both the grammar and historical setting. Based on this understanding of Scripture, Hayes reports, they consequently found themselves out of accord with the PCA Book of Church Order chapters 8 and 9, which assume the role of deacon and elder are for qualified males only.
Update #2: If you are looking for an outstanding scholarly response to egalitarian arguments of I Tim 2:8-15 and other important passages, see Wayne Grudem’s tome, Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth, which is also available electronically.