Rooted: The Foundations of Presbyterian Polity — Getting Started

The 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved a thorough revision of the Form of Government, the first section of our Book of Order. The revision became known as the “New Form of Government” and, inevitably, given our embrace of acronyms, “NFoG.” The proposed revisions were sent to the presbyteries for their vote. A majority of presbyteries also approved, and in 2011 the revisions were adopted and the newly revised text became the Form of Government.

The new text brought at least one significant innovation. Where previously there had been three sections to the Book of Order — the Form of Government, the Directory for Worship and what was then called the Rules of Discipline, now called Church Discipline — the revision added a fourth section, placed at the beginning of the Book of Order, The Foundations of Presbyterian Polity. This section brought a new vision of what the church is, and thus what the PC(USA) collectively is to be. Central to the new vision is mission — the mission of God and the mission of the church and the relationship between the two.

In his 2009 book “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action,” author Simon Sinek highlighted the importance of the question “why?” Before we face the question “how?” there are prior questions: Whatever we are doing, why are we doing it at all? What vision is drawing us to what we do? A compelling vision answers the “why?” question in ways that empower creativity and resilience. The Foundations of Presbyterian Polity articulates a vision of God, the church and the world that clarifies our why.

From its first paragraphs, this section of the Book of Order is clear: The church has been called into being to serve as an agent of God’s mission in the world. To understand the church’s why, we start with God and God’s mission. “The mission of God in Christ gives shape and substance to the life and work of the Church. In Christ, the Church participates in God’s mission for the transformation of creation and humanity …” (F-1.0). A summary expression of this conviction is the saying: It is not that God’s church has a mission; it is rather that God’s mission has a church. From the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2–3) to the garden city built in and around the Garden of Eden (Revelation 21–22), God sends Godself into the world, equipping creatures for God’s dwelling among us (Isaiah 6 gives a glimpse of how awesome that is), being with us, being our God, wiping every tear away (Revelation 21:3–4). Equipping us to live that reality and to invite others to join us in doing so.

The Foundations section serves as a bridge between the first part of our Constitution, the Book of Confessions, and the second part, the Book of Order. In the Book of Confessions, we declare to one another and to the world beyond our denomination “who and what the church is, what it believes, and what it resolves to do.” Central to the way we, the church, do so are “proclaiming to all people the good news of God’s love, offering to all people the grace of God at font and table, and calling all people to discipleship in Christ” (F-2.01). In the Form of Government, the Directory for Worship and Church Discipline, we are working out how best to go about being that church, living that reality, because polity is not something separate from theology. Polity is, when it is working well, a set of guidelines and instructions for putting our faith into practice. Polity is theologically laden. The Foundations engage our confession of faith, drawing out key themes in order to clarify our why in such a way that we can put our beliefs into action. 
 

For Reflection

•    Read the Foundations of Presbyterian Polity, particularly the first chapter.
•    Go to the Scriptural and Confessional Allusions Index near the back of the Book of Order. Read footnotes a and b to F-1.0201. How do the verses in the footnotes support what F-1.0201 says? What additional light do the verses shed on the church’s “why?”
•    How would you express the “why” that guides your congregation?

© 2025 Barry Ensign-George
Work licensed for publication in “Regarding Ruling Elders: A Monthly Series for Serving Faithfully.” Congregations and mid councils may print copies for educational use. Permission needed for any other use, including copying and reprinting.

Barry Ensign-George is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He has served as a pastor in Iowa and at the denominational level in the Office of Theology & Worship.

Throughout 2025, monthly Regarding Ruling Elders articles will focus on the Foundations of Presbyterian Polity as included in our Book of Order. Ruling elders can benefit from these reflections as they consider their own ministries and call to serve as leaders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Subscribe to receive notifications of monthly Regarding Ruling Elders articles. Visit the PC(USA) Leader Formation website for more resources for ruling elders and deacons. For more information, email Martha Miller, editor of Regarding Ruling Elders.