Discipleship is really pretty simple, says Brian Clark, organizing pastor of a successful new church development outside Washington, D.C.

“Discipleship is about following Jesus – nothing more, nothing less,” Clark said Tuesday at the Evangelism and Church Growth Disciple Making Breakfast at the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Abortion, a recurring issue at Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assemblies, was one of the matters before the Assembly’s Social Justice Issues Committee.

An overture from the Presbytery of South Alabama related to abortion drew more speakers during the open hearings session than any other matter of business before the committee. Yet after a short discussion, the committee voted 50 to 17 to disapprove the measure. A motion later in the day to reconsider also was defeated.

Despite a general consensus that recent military actions by the present state of Israel are a grave concern, the Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations chose Tuesday to recommend rejection of a proposal that the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) make a distinction between "ancient" and "modern" Israel.

The issue came to the Assembly from the Presbytery of Chicago, prompted by the heading “God’s Covenant with Israel” in Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal.

New immigrant ministries are flourishing and producing leaders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), leaders of the denominational efforts say.

“We have grown while other parts of the church are declining,” Rhashell Hunter, director of Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women for the Presbyterian Mission Agency, said Monday during the New Immigrants and Emerging Ministries Luncheon at the 221st General Assembly (2014).

Recommendations that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) advocate measures to prevent gun violence, including limits on ammunition, were overwhelmingly approved Monday by the 221st General Assembly (2014)'s Committee on Social Justice Issues and sent on for plenary approval later this week.

Other recommendations covered trauma crisis counseling, maternal and child nutrition, and food sovereignty.

Two churchwide initiatives would be launched under recommendations adopted Monday by the Committee on Congregational Vitality of the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

In two unanimous votes, the committee recommended the Assembly approve “Living Missionally” and “Educate a Child, Transform the World," two initiatives recommended by the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

Exuberant applause and a standing ovation punctuated the 221st General Assembly (2014)'s Committee on Mission Coordination’s evening business session on June 16 as the committee recommended that Linda Bryant Valentine be confirmed to a third four-year term as executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA).

Valentine’s election is subject to confirmation by the full Assembly. No previous executive director has served more than two terms.

After lengthy discussion, the Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relationships on Monday approved with amendment a proposed policy on the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s "interreligious stance" to be sent to the 221st General Assembly (2014).

Authors called it a "future-oriented" document that would "empower Presbyterians to draw on the open-mindedness of our Reformed faith.”

For-profit prison companies would be added to the list of investments the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) urges be banned or divested under a proposal recommended Monday by a committee of the 221st General Assembly (2014).

By a vote of 26-15, the Committee on Mission Coordination endorsed for Assembly approval this recommendation from the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Currently the action would affect two companies: Corrections Corp. of America and the GEO Group, Inc.

With a packed committee room and an overflowing list of would-be speakers, it was clear not every one who wanted to would be able to address the controversial recommendations facing the Middle East Issues committee of the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

But those who were heard during an hour-long open hearing Monday represented the breadth of opinions about what the denomination should do about various proposals dealing with the region.