Las Vegas RP Fellowship

Location: Las Vegas, Nev.

Organized: 2012

Members: 12 communicant; 18 baptized

Website: www.lvrpc.com  

Many people find it hard to believe that there are churches in Sin City. Most envisage the bright lights of the downtown “Strip,” the tourism, the casinos, the nightlife. Behind what attracts the tourism to Las Vegas, there are the regular lives of everyday people. In this popular city, God in His faithfulness has planted a Reformed Presbyterian church.

About this time two years ago, a small group of individuals requested the help of the RPCNA to establish a biblical, God-honoring, confessional church in the dry desert landscape. They were increasingly convicted regarding worship and theology, and they reached out to a man whose podcasts they had heard and enjoyed: Pastor John Sawtelle of All Saints (Brea, Calif.) RPC. Pastor Sawtelle got them heading down the right path to requesting a church plant.

Shortly after, in winter 2012, an oversight committee labored to schedule RP pastors, elders, and students to minister to them from congregations across the country, from California to Maryland. With the oversight of the All Saints RPC session, and with Pacific Coast Presbytery’s extension committee doing the scheduling, they started having preachers about every two weeks to administer the means of grace to them.

On the Lord’s Days when there has not been a preacher with them, they have spent time listening to sermons, praying, fellowshiping, and singing psalms. Visitors have remarked that members of the Las Vegas body are very close with each other, and many have enjoyed spending time with them during Lord’s Day fellowship lunch. Over the last two years, the congregation has also benefited from a Thursday night study group that is going through the Westminster Shorter Catechism, learning more of our theological foundations.  

The congregation is undergoing some changes that they hope, by God’s grace, will keep them moving in a positive direction. For a time, they will watch a video of the previous week’s worship from their oversight church (All Saints RPC), and will have live preaching less frequently. They hope that this will allow the congregation to put together some funds to bring out a tent-making or retired pastor for a period of time. This decision enables Las Vegas members to feel more involved in their oversight church as they are able to go through most of the service with them. These changes might also allow them to move out of a private home and begin worshiping in a more public location.

The Las Vegas Fellowship is exceedingly grateful for the diligent work of those shepherding them in providing for their spiritual needs, despite the long distances separating them. The church has been encouraged with very devoted members, one family even driving two hours each Lord’s Day to make it to worship. The congregation is hopeful that God will continue to build a strong foundation for His work in Las Vegas.

—Sean Holm

Prayer Requests

◆ For perseverance despite the long distances that separate them from other RP brothers and sisters. ◆ For strength for a new baby born to the church (Eva Matarazzo). ◆ For blessings to a new marriage in the church (the Farnsworths). ◆ For perseverance for our close brother at RPTS (Patrick McNeely). ◆ For help for the church to grow in influence around their immediate community; for the Lord to add more core families. ◆ For God’s blessing over some recent changes in the strategy of the church.