Every church of any denomination or tradition has a polity. "Polity" simply refers to the system by which a body is organized and governed. "Polity" does not mean "politics"-with that word's connotations of partisanship and special interests doing b...

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For Presbyterians, how we make decisions isn't just a clerical detail or bureaucratic decision. The way we go about coming together, speaking and listening, waiting and praying, deciding and doing is a process that, like everything else, belongs to ...

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The constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) consists of the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order. This Leader Reader by Brian Ellison considers what the constitution truly is and how it binds us together as Presbyterians. Each componen...

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The fourth section of the Book of Order is the Rules of Discipline. The Reformed tradition believes discipline is necessary because of the reality of sin and our human tendency to stray from God's goodness, and the church exercises discipline in ord...

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Across the denomination there is renewed attention given to the responsibilities of sessions and presbyteries in examining those elected to serve as ordained leaders in the church. This week's new study, "Selecting and Preparing Ruling Elders and De...

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One of the most important ways the church can show Christ's compassion and love is by visiting someone in the hospital or at home. Yet many people are anxious about visiting the sick and are unsure of what to say or do. This study examines how we sh...

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