The Presbyterian Church in America’s bookstore wouldn’t recommend or sell Jesus Calling, but the denomination doesn’t need to do anything about the best-selling devotional, according to the results of an investigation submitted to the General Assembly.
Last year the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) ordered two denominational agencies to investigate the “appropriateness for Christians” of Jesus Calling. Now, ahead of the denomination’s annual assembly June 23, the denominational agencies—Mission to the World (MTW) and the Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM)—have issued the results of their investigations.
Neither agency recommended any further action or condemnation of author Sarah Young’s work, although CDM, which oversees the denomination’s bookstore and publications, said it would not recommend the book, instead allowing local pastors to evaluate it. CDM has not offered the book for sale since 2014.
First published in 2004, Jesus Calling has sold about 45 million copies, making Young one of the most-read evangelicals of the past 20 years. She died 10 months before the PCA voted to investigate her work, but the criticisms of her work from within her denomination were not new.
Critics said she styled her writing as direct revelation from God. Young called her work “listening prayers,” where she journaled what she heard from God in prayer. Young’s husband, PCA elder Stephen Young, has denied that she saw her work as adding to Scripture, saying she instead wanted to push people to Scripture.
The Youngs were longtime PCA missionaries in Japan and Australia, and Stephen Young still serves with MTW. The Young family told Religion News Service last year that the proceeds from Jesus Calling went to fund new churches and overseas missions.
Stephen Young will be at the assembly this year with his daughter to see any further outcome of the reports.
“This process has been really hard and discouraging for our family,” said Stephanie van der Westhuizen, the Youngs’ daughter, in an email to CT. She has monitored podcasts and publications about the dustup to see what might come up at the assembly. “On one hand, I’m thankful my mom did not have to live through seeing this happen. But on the other hand, we are still very much grieving her loss, and we were blindsided by the Jesus Calling overture showing up in the General Assembly last year.”
At that assembly, the PCA tasked the two agencies with investigating Young’s work.
This month, MTW issued a report that was a few paragraphs long—notable in a denomination where similar reports can go for dozens and even hundreds of pages. MTW concluded it had no connection with the writing or publication of the book and that it therefore had no recommendations regarding the book.
“The author did not write or publish the book at MTW’s request or with MTW’s involvement, and MTW did not review, edit, or approve the book in advance of its release,” the missions agency wrote in its report, published by the denominational news outlet byFaith. “After MTW’s good faith investigation of the matter addressed by the Overture—bearing in mind the amount of time that has passed since the book was written and published—MTW was unable to ascertain whether the author asked any individuals in MTW to give any counsel regarding the content of the book. To the best of MTW’s knowledge, the author wrote this book independently.”
The MTW report was also warm toward Young: “As an organization, we miss her dearly but rejoice that she’s in the arms of her precious Savior.”
CDM’s report was also only a few paragraphs and emphasized that local pastors should have the final say over recommending books to their parishioners. CDM said it received complaints about the book in 2014 and removed the title from the PCA bookstore.
“Since the devotional life and spiritual maturity of each person are unique, local church elders are best suited to evaluate the spiritual needs and maturity of those considering the book,” CDM’s report said. “Elders should converse with members and recommend alternative or remedial devotional materials as needed.”
Benjamin Inman, the author of the original overture to investigate the book, had wanted the PCA to investigate whether the book violated the second commandment and to potentially repent as a denomination for it—and he noted that the denomination had collectively repented for other sins like “American chattel slavery.” Inman has compared Young’s work to New Age “mediumship practices.”
Inman’s presbytery rejected the measure, but he submitted it as an individual to the denomination, and the denomination passed an amended version last year.
Not long after the vote, it came to light that Inman had already joined a church in another denomination when he introduced the measure. PCA administration said the vote to investigate Young was still valid because the assembly had amended Inman’s measure.
“We have had to carry the constant burden of wondering what will happen at the upcoming General Assembly,” said van der Westhuizen. “We have felt helpless, not being able to do anything, but just having to wait and see what happens.”
The book’s popularity has risen since the PCA’s investigation; it was fifth on the Christian bestsellers list when the PCA voted last year and is now number two.
