The following is a statement from the permanent committee of Mission to North America:
At the September 10-11, 2025, stated meeting of the Permanent Committee of Mission to North America of the Presbyterian Church in America, the Committee received and accepted MNA Coordinator Rev. Dr. Irwyn Ince’s resignation, effective September 30, 2025.
As a committee, we believe Dr. Ince’s prayer of thanksgiving and blessing at the conclusion of a worship service where TE Joel Littlepage announced his decision to leave the PCA and join the Roman Catholic Church was wholly inappropriate. We understand from Dr. Ince that it was not his intent to convey support of TE Littlepage’s decision to unite himself to the Roman Catholic Church, but his prayer had the unfortunate appearance of support thus upsetting the peace and the purity of the church.
The Committee believes that the Roman Catholic Church fails to maintain the Word and Sacraments in their fundamental integrity and is not to be recognized as a true branch of the Church of Jesus Christ (PCA Book of Church Order 2-2; cf. Westminster Confession of Faith 24.3; 25.5–6).
The Committee expresses gratitude for Dr. Ince’s four years of ministry as Coordinator of Mission to North America. An Interim Coordinator will be named after September 30, 2025.
The Committee is working to form a search committee for the next Coordinator. Please join us in prayer for the Ince family, the PCA, the MNA staff, and the search committee. Pray also for God’s blessing on MNA’s commitment to church planting and church vitality.
The following is a statement from TE Irwyn Ince:
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I have tendered my resignation as Coordinator to the Permanent Committee of Mission to North America, effective September 30, 2025. It has been an honor to serve the PCA in this role over the past four years, and I remain deeply grateful for the privilege of laboring together with so many kingdom-minded brothers and sisters. My decision to step aside arises from recent circumstances that I believe make this step best for the peace and unity of the church.
A few days in advance of the worship service on August 31, 2025, at Grace Mosaic in Washington, DC, I was asked to pray for TE Joel Littlepage and his family as he concluded his service as Associate Pastor. While I have no formal role at Grace Mosaic, it is the church I attend and will participate in elements of the liturgy when requested. Unbeknownst to me, Joel was planning to announce during his sermon a decision to leave the PCA and join the Roman Catholic Church. After doing so he then proceeded to lead the Lord’s Supper. Afterward I offered the prayer I had already agreed to give—thanking God for his ministry at Grace Mosaic and asking God’s blessing on his family.
I realize that my prayer, given in that moment, has caused confusion and led some to conclude that I was affirming Joel’s decision to join the Roman Catholic Church. That was never my intent. I regret that my actions gave rise to such an impression, and I sincerely apologize for that. To be clear: I believe the Roman Catholic Church is in serious doctrinal error, and I would not encourage any believer to pursue membership there. At the same time, I continue to love Joel and his family and will pray for God’s mercy and grace in their lives.
I step away from my role with MNA trusting that the Lord will continue to bless this ministry for the good of the PCA and the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom. It has been my privilege to serve, and I remain confident in the Lord’s work through His church.
In Christ,
TE Irwyn Ince
Source: https://byfaithonline.com/statement-from-mna-committee/
References
2-2. This visible unity of the body of Christ, though obscured, is not destroyed by its division into different denominations of professing Christians; but all of these which maintain the Word and Sacraments in their fundamental integrity are to be recognized as true branches of the Church of Jesus Christ.
PCA Book of Church Order 2-2
Chapter 24: Of Marriage and Divorce
3: It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent. Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord. And therefore such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies
Westminster Confession of Faith 24.3
Chapter 25: Of the Church
5: The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no Churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a Church on earth to worship God according to His will.
Westminster Confession of Faith 25.5
Chapter 25: Of the Church
6: There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ.[501] Nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof.
Westminster Confession of Faith 25.6