THE

BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER

OF THE

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

 

 

 

 

Fifth Edition

 

With 1999 Amendments

 

 

 

 

Published by

 

THE OFFICE OF THE STATED CLERK OF

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

 

Distributed by the

 

Committee for Christian Education and Publications

1852 Century Place, Suite 101

Atlanta, Georgia 30345

PUBLISHER'S INTRODUCTION

TO

THE FIFTH EDITION

 

 

       In 1981 the General Assembly authorized publishing the Book of Church Order in loose leaf form.  This arrangement would permit revising it year by year according to amendments adopted by General Assembly with the consent of the Presbyteries.  It was designated the Fourth Edition.

 

       The Fifth Edition was published in 1990.  With this printing, which includes the amendments adopted in 1999 by the 27th General Assembly, we again note in the margins (by a bullet) the lines that have been amended.

 

       The Stated Clerk will appreciate receiving notice of any corrections needed which may have inadvertently occurred.  May the Lord, the King and Head of the Church, bless and honor these efforts to make clearer our form of governance.

 

                                           L. Roy Taylor

                                           Stated Clerk of General Assembly

 

 

NOTE:    The following BCO amendments were adopted by the General Assembly in:

 

1990 -- 14-1(14); 19-10; 30-1; 30-3; 34-7; 34-8; 36-4; 36-5; 37-1; 37-2; 37-3; 37-7;   37-8; 42-6; 45-1; 45-4; 45-5; 46-5

 

1991 -- 14-1(11); 14-1(12); 14-2; 15-2

 

1992 -- 10-3; 42-11; 43-3; 43-7

 

1993 -- 14-1(15); 15-4; 24-5

 

1994 -- 15-1; 21-4, d; 24-1; 37-9 plus RAO 4-3; 4-6; 5-1; 13-1; 13-6; 13-13, c, 6; 13-14, d; 14-9, c; Bylaw Article VI, p. R-39 and Certificate of Incorporation, pp. R-29 - 31

 

1995 -- 13-10; 14-1(12); 32-18; plus RAO 15-3 and Bylaws:  Article IV, 4 and VII, 1.

 

1996 -- 35-14; 42-5; 42-6; plus RAO 14 and Bylaws, Article VI, 5.

 

1997 -- BCO Preface II, 15-1, 15-4, 15-5, 19-1, 19-6, 38-4, 39-3, 46-2, 46-5

 

1998 –  13-6;15-5 c.; 38-3;  RAO 14-7; Bylaws:  Article VI, 5

 

1999 – 13-5; 13-12; 20-2; 32-6; 33-2; 33-3; 34-4; RAO 4-18 [editorial changes to 15-3 and 16-3];  SJC Manual 6.2d; 8.3b; 19.10c; and 19.11  [editorial changes to 11.9 (a) (2) and 18.7, (b)]

 

Copyright 1999© by the Office of the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

of the Presbyterian Church in America.  All rights reserved.

Contents

 

 

Publisher's introduction

 

contents

 

Preface

 

  I.    The King and Head of the Church

 II.    Preliminary Principles

III.     The Constitution Defined

 

PART I -- FORM OF GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 1                                The Doctrine of Church Government

 

CHAPTER 2                                           The Visible Church Defined

 

CHAPTER 3                            The Nature and Extent of Church Power

 

CHAPTER 4                                                The Particular Church

 

CHAPTER 5                             The Organization of a Particular Church

 

CHAPTER 6                                                      Church Members

 

CHAPTER 7                             Church Officers - General Classification

 

CHAPTER 8                                                              The Elder

 

CHAPTER 9                                                            The Deacon

 

CHAPTER 10                                           Church Courts in General

 

CHAPTER 11                                       Jurisdiction of Church Courts

 

CHAPTER 12                                                  The Church Session

 

CHAPTER 13                                                       The Presbytery

 

CHAPTER 14                                               The General Assembly

 

CHAPTER 15                                           Ecclesiastical Commissions

 

CHAPTER 16                         Church Orders - The Doctrine of Vocation

 

CHAPTER 17                                              Doctrine of Ordination

 

CHAPTER 18                                 Candidates for the Gospel Ministry

 

CHAPTER 19          The Licensure of Candidates for the Gospel Ministry and

                                                                            Internship

 

CHAPTER 20                                              The Election of Pastors

 

CHAPTER 21                       The Ordination and Installation of Ministers

 

CHAPTER 22                                               The Pastoral Relations

 

CHAPTER 23                            The Dissolution of the Pastoral Relation

 

CHAPTER 24          Election, Ordination and Installation of Ruling Elders and

                             Deacons

 

CHAPTER 25                                            Congregational Meetings

 

CHAPTER 26                          Amending the Constitution of the Church

 

PART II -- THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE

 

CHAPTER 27                         Discipline - Its Nature, Subjects and Ends

 

CHAPTER 28                             Discipline of Noncommuning Members

 

CHAPTER 29                                                             Offenses

 

CHAPTER 30                                                    Church Censures

 

CHAPTER 31                                    The Parties in Cases of Process

 

CHAPTER 32             General Provisions Applicable to all Cases of Process

 

CHAPTER 33              Special Rules Pertaining to Process Before Sessions

 

CHAPTER 34           Special Rules Pertaining to Process Against a Minister

                                (Teaching Elder)

 

CHAPTER 35                                                             Evidence

 

CHAPTER 36                                 The Infliction of Church Censures

 

CHAPTER 37                                            The Removal of Censure

 

CHAPTER 38                                              Cases Without Process

 

CHAPTER 39                Modes in Which the Proceedings of Lower Courts

                                                                                      Come Under the Supervision of Higher Courts

 

CHAPTER 40                                        General Review and Control

 

CHAPTER 41                                                          References

 

CHAPTER 42                                                              Appeals

 

CHAPTER 43                                                           Complaints

 

CHAPTER 44                                                              Vacated

 

CHAPTER 45                                 Dissents, Protests and Objections

 

CHAPTER 46                                                          Jurisdiction

 

PART III -- THE DIRECTORY FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD

 

CHAPTER 47                    The Principles and Elements of Public Worship

 

CHAPTER 48                                The Sanctification of the Lord's Day

 

CHAPTER 49                                     The Ordering of Public Worship

 

CHAPTER 50                          The Public Reading of the Holy Scripture

 

CHAPTER 51                                    The Singing of Psalms and Hymns

 

CHAPTER 52                                                         Public Prayer

 

CHAPTER 53                                         The Preaching of the Word

 

CHAPTER 54                                   The Worship of God by Offerings

 

CHAPTER 55                                                 Confessing the Faith

 

CHAPTER 56        The Administration of Baptism (The Baptism of Infants and

                           Children)

 

CHAPTER 57                   The Admission of Persons to Sealing Ordinances

 

CHAPTER 58                           The Administration of the Lord's Supper

 

CHAPTER 59                                      The Solemnization of Marriage

 

CHAPTER 60                                            The Visitation of the Sick

 

CHAPTER 61                                               The Burial of the Dead

 

CHAPTER 62                                    Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving

 

CHAPTER 63                                           Christian Life in the Home

 

[NOTE:  The following documents are for information. 

They are not part of the Constitution of the PCA.]

 

OPTIONAL FORMS FOR SPECIAL SERVICES

 

 

Appendix A                                                     Marriage Service

 

Appendix B                                          A Second Marriage Service

 

Appendix C                                                    A Funeral Service

 

Appendix D                                                     A Child's Funeral

 

Appendix E                                                 Service at the Grave

 

Appendix F                                The Dedication of a Church Building

 

Appendix G                              Suggested Forms for Use in Discipline

 

  I.    Charge and Specifications

 II.    Citation of Accused

III.     Citation of Witness

IV.    Notice of Intention to Appeal

 V.    Appeal

VI.    Complaint

 

INDEX TO BCO

RULES OF ASSEMBLY OPERATION

APPENDIX:  MANUAL OF SJC

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

CORPORATE BYLAWS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDEX OF BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER AMENDMENTS

       (since the first loose-leaf edition -- 1981)

 

 

1982 -- 8-7; 13-5; 14-1,12; 21-4; 23-2; 23-3; 26-4; Index

 

1983 -- 8-4; 10-3; 13-2; 23-1; Index

 

1984 -- Chapter 5; 13-2; 14-1,12; 24-9; Chapter 42; Chapter 43; Index

 

1985 -- 5-9, 13-2; New 15-4; 20-1; 23-1; Index

 

1986 -- Pref II, 1; 8-3; 12-5; 13-10; New 14-7; 18-2; 19-7; 19-8; 19-11;

        19-16; 20-12; 20-13; 21-4; 24-1; 38-2; Index

 

1987 -- 42-4; 43-2; 43-3; Chapter 45; Index

 

1988 -- Pref. III; 8-3; 12-5; 13-8; 13-10; 14-3; 19-6; 19-9; 19-10; 20-5;

        20-9; 21-4; 22-3; 22-4; 24-6; 25-2; 26-1; 28-4; 32-2; 35-5; Index

 

1989 -- Pref. II, 1; III; 13-6; 14-1,12; 18-2; 19-2,b,2; 19-5; 21-1; 21-4;

        23-2; 23-3; 26-1; 30-1; 30-3; 31-1; 33-1; 34-1; 34-8; 34-9; 56-4;

        (also 15-1; 15-3; 15-4; 15-5 - adopted in 1988)

 

1990 -- 14-1,14; 19-10; 30-1; 30-3; 34-7; 34-8; 36-4; 36-5; 37-1; 37-2;

        37-3; 37-7; 37-8; 42-6; 45-1; 45-4; 45-5; 46-5; Appendix G, Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PREFACE TO

THE BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER

 

 

I.  THE KING AND HEAD OF THE CHURCH

 

       Jesus Christ, upon whose shoulders the government rests, whose name is called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no end; who sits upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth, even forever (Isaiah 9:6-7); having all power given unto Him in heaven and in earth by the Father, who raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1:20-23); He, being ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things, received gifts for His Church, and gave all offices necessary for the edification of His Church and the perfecting of His saints (Ephesians 4:10-13).

       Jesus, the Mediator, the sole Priest, Prophet, King, Saviour, and Head of the Church, contains in Himself, by way of eminency, all the offices in His Church, and has many of their names attributed to Him in the Scriptures.  He is Apostle, Teacher, Pastor, Minister, Bishop and the only Lawgiver in Zion.

       It belongs to His Majesty from His throne of glory to rule and teach the Church through His Word and Spirit by the ministry of men; thus mediately exercising His own authority and enforcing His own laws, unto the edification and establishment of His Kingdom.

       Christ, as King, has given to His Church officers, oracles and ordinances; and especially has He ordained therein His system of doctrine, government, discipline and worship, all of which are either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary inference may be deducted therefrom; and to which things He commands that nothing be added, and that from them naught be taken away.

       Since the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven, He is present with the Church by His Word and Spirit, and the benefits of all His offices are effectually applied by the Holy Ghost.