State of the PCA

Sorry for the insiders conversation, but David over at the Jollyblogger got me thinking about this.

The church I go to is part of the PCA denomination. The PCA is the Presbyterian Church in America. The PCA website has this note about the founding of the denomination:

"Organized at a constitutional assembly in December 1973, this church was first known as the National Presbyterian Church but changed its name in 1974 to Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). It separated from the Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern) in opposition to the long-developing theological liberalism which denied the deity of Jesus Christ and the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. Additionally, the PCA held to the traditional position on the role of women in church offices."

I have realized in the past few years that I have had a very skewed impression of the PCA. I grew up at Perimeter Church in Atlanta and have been a member at Intown Community Church for over 10 years now. Additionally, my wife went to Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York while she was in college and we have visited there many times. Because of these experiences, I figured most other PCA churches were similar to these churches. Wow, was I wrong. About 7 years ago, my wife and I moved to Greenville, SC for a year and then to San Diego, CA for 2 years. We checked out many PCA churches in those areas and they were for the most part dramatically different from the PCA churches I had been to in Atlanta.

I also get the impression from friends in the know that many of the new churches being planted by the PCA are more in the Redeemer/Intown/City Church mold.

I'd love to get comments from those who know better than I about this apparent dichotomy in the PCA and what the future holds for the denomination.

Update: I found a very good article in the denomination's online magazine that talks about this change: A Growing Hunger for Honesty and Authenticity - byFaith Online
(My homey, Shayne, is pictured)