Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Can I ask for your help with something very important?

At its 2012 General Assembly the PCA will have an opportunity to vote to withdraw from the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). The PCA is the last of the NAPARC denominations that is still a member of the NAE, and it's membership in this organization is highly inappropriate as the NAE frequently lobbies the US Government in favor of political issues such as global warming, budget cuts, nuclear disarmament, and immigration reform. This "intermeddling with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth" is a violation of the constitution of the PCA (WCF 31.4, BCO 3-3). Additionally, the stands taken by the NAE are usually left-of-center and definitely not representative of the views of the PCA.

An overture asking that the PCA withdraw from the NAE was presented at the last General Assembly. That resolution is currently being considered.You can help in this process by showing your support for getting the PCA out of this organization simply by clicking "Like" on the "PCA OUT OF THE NAE" Facebook Group!

Please also "Share" this group with your friends on your Facebook Profile.

If you still aren't sure why membership in the NAE is such a bad idea, the following is just a short list of some of the actions, resolutions, and positions taken by the NAE that should make the need to withdraw a no-brainer.

Introduction: The NAE claims to represent and act on behalf of it’s members. The PCA is a member of the NAE. The critical question we must ask ourselves, therefore, is would or could the PCA have endorsed any of the following actions at its General Assembly?

1) May 7, 2003 – NAE holds a Press “Consultation on Evangelical Christian-Muslim Relations” where it publicly “Lovingly rebukes” Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, Chuck Colson, Jerry Falwell, and Dr. Jerry Vines for their statements condemning Islam as violent:

None of these publicly rebuked brothers, save Franklin Graham who is an NAE member, were invited to the rebuke beforehand. Jerry Vines responded: “"I must say I am really amazed at a 'loving rebuke' being issued to a brother none of you know, and in the public secular media, at that," Vines wrote. Rebuke' is a pretty strong word. As I understand it, personal sin must be involved before a rebuke is issued. I would like for you to point out to me what my sin was for which you issued me a 'loving rebuke.'" Source

2) January 17, 2007 – NAE Releases Letter to President and Congress Endorsing Climate Change (Global Warming) and Pressing for Legislation:

The Letter calls on “religious, scientific, business, political and educational circles to join the initiative” and urges “fundamental changes in values, lifestyles, and public policies required to address these worsening problems before it is too late.”: “Evangelicals Embrace Climate Change Science To Save The World, Washington (AFP) Jan 17, 2007 Evangelical and scientific leaders have united for the first time to sway Americans to back urgent action to stem greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming threatening the planet. Repudiating the struggle between neo-creationists and defenders of the theory of evolution, a group of prominent scientists, including Nobel prize winner Eric Chivian and NASA's chief climatologist James Hansen, joined US evangelical leaders on Wenesday to launch this unprecedented joint-initiative.

The coalition of 28 US scientists and eminent members of the Christian evangelical movement, which boasts 30 million followers in the United States, announced an "urgent call to action" to curb habitat destruction, pollution, species extinction, the spread of human infectious diseases and other manufactured dangers that are now threatening humanity. The statement was released at a news conference and sent to US President George W. Bush, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, bipartisan congressional leaders and national evangelical and scientific organizations.

The group pledged to "work together toward a responsible care for Creation and call with one voice" on religious, scientific, business, political and educational circles to join the initiative. They urged "fundamental changes in values, lifestyles, and public policies required to address these worsening problems before it is too late." "There is no such thing as a Republican or Democrat, a liberal or conservative, a religious or secular environment. We all breath the same air and drink the same water," said Chivian, Nobel laureate and director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. "Great scientists are people of imagination. So are people of great faith. We dare to imagine a world in which science and religion cooperate, minimizing our differences about how Creation got started, to work together to reverse its degradation. We will not allow it to be progressively destroyed by human folly," added Richard Cizik, vice-president for Governmental Affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals.” Source

NB: This understanding is still part of the official NAE website:
“International Adaptation - As natural disasters and other problems begin to erupt due to the effects of climate change, funding is needed to help poorer countries adapt to the changes and problems. Governing bodies believe this will not only reduce vulnerability but also enhance resilience in response to observed or expected changes. Evangelical relief and development organizations that work with the vulnerable and poor worldwide are coming together to make sure appropriate private and federal funding is in place.” Source

3) October 2008 – NAE endorses Ecumenical Christian Apology to Muslims:

“Loving God and Neighbor Together” a document produced by the Yale University Center for Faith and Culture in which “300 evangelical, mainline Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders sponsored a letter seeking “reconciliation” and “common ground” with Islam. The letter, “Loving God and Neighbor Together,” was issued as a response to a similar letter written to Christians by 138 Muslim leaders last fall: The Christian letter expressed regrets for the Crusades and for excesses of the “war on terror,” acknowledged Allah as the God of the Bible and insisted that, “without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world.” Source

The RPCNA (the last other Reformed denomination in the NAE) withdrew from the NAE as a result of this letter in 2009 citing “President Leith Anderson’s participation in the meeting between Christians and Muslims where the document, ‘Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to “A Common Word Between Us and You”’ was approved and signed.” and noting that “The document is clearly based on an unbiblical premise. It falsely assumes that Christianity and Islam approach the same God, but in different ways.” [RPCNA IRC NAE Withdrawal Statement (permission granted to cite by the RPCNA Interchurch Committee)]

4) October 8, 2009 - NAE Approves Resolution Supporting Comprehensive Immigration Reform:

“Washington, D.C. – The Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), representing 40 denominations, scores of evangelical organizations and millions of American evangelicals, today approved a resolution calling for action on immigration reform. Source

“The president of the largest evangelical body in the United States testified in favor of liberalized immigration policies before a Senate subcommittee on Thursday, following an endorsement of immigration reform by the group’s governing board. Anderson, who pastors the large Wooddale Church in suburban Minneapolis, reported to the committee that the NAE board had earlier that day unanimously endorsed a call for immigration reform. The NAE represents evangelical denominations such as the Salvation Army, the Church of the Nazarene, and the Assemblies of God. The United States’ largest protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is not an NAE member. Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Schumer eagerly embraced the NAE resolution. “Evangelicals’ community support for immigration reform is a moral imperative for all people of faith,” said the U.S. Senator from New York.” Source

“The Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), representing more than 45,000 local churches from over 40 different denominations, approved a resolution at its semiannual meeting in October calling for new efforts toward verifiable multilateral reductions in nuclear weapons and ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.” Source