His loud voice boomed across the airport’s departure lounge as he argued in very, shall I say, colorful language on the phone. As he approached the only open seat in the area, conveniently placed next to me, I hoped he might find another place to rest. God had different plans.

“Do you understand women?” he asked me.

“I understand one woman,” I responded. “We have been married for more than 30 years.”

Looking at me like I had five heads as he struggled to comprehend how we could be together for so long, he asked how my wife and I got along and worked things out.

“We use the instruction book we got with our marriage,” I quipped as I pointed to the open Bible on my lap.

For the next half hour or so, he peppered me with questions about money, children, sex, communication, trust, and many other topics. The Lord blessed me with decent recall that day (and a useful concordance in the back of my Bible) as I showed him God’s answers to his questions. As he left, I prayed for his soul and thanked God for my seminary classes, which helped me answer many of his questions.

Birth of an Idea

Not everyone has time to attend seminary. How does someone prepare for the office of an elder or deacon in the church?

What started as some offhand comments from deacons who wished they had better insight into executing their office has morphed into Applied Theology for the Church, a special layman-level series of courses available from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. The administration explored how specific seminary course content could be imparted to those serving the church.

The first answer was a deacon training program titled “Deacons and Mercy Ministry.” Taught by RPTS president Dr. Barry York, this 10-lesson course consists of half-hour video lectures with accompanying support materials and discussion questions. The aim was to provide existing deacons with further training or to encourage congregations on the importance of mercy ministry. As this is a program focused on mercy, not all aspects of the diaconal office are covered.

Flexible in nature, the materials allow participants to interact with them, including individual study and gathering as a group to investigate and discuss together. The contents are easily comprehended and arranged in a manner to encourage engagement.

Additional courses include an introduction to Reformed theology, a look at the history of the Reformed Presby­terian Church’s role in combating slavery (taught by Dr. Robert Copeland), and a detailed selection of biblical counseling courses, including options for those seeking certification from the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. These are found online at rpts.pathwright.com/library.

The positive impact of the mercy ministry course led to the development of the Ruling Elders Program, a comprehensive theological and practical approach to eldership. In Johnstown, Pa., Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) found such value in the deacon program that they eagerly signed up for the new elder program. Pastor Jared Havener (RPTS M.Div. 2014) is walking through the course with his session. Recalling his training at RPTS, Pastor Havener reflects, “The longer I’m in ministry, the more I am convinced of the value of ongoing training for ruling and teaching elders. In the spirit of what John Calvin once said, we study theology to be better pastors. I would encourage others to consider the Ruling Elders Program because Christ calls elders to care for His people. You wouldn’t want an untrained doctor caring for your body; so why would you want an untrained elder caring for your soul?”

President Barry York notes, “The primary purpose of RPTS is to train men and send them out into pastoral ministry. Yet the faculty and staff recognize that ongoing training and encouragement are also vital to men who are already out on the field involved in kingdom work.” Last summer, in conjunction with the RPCNA Home Mission Board and the Revitalization Committee, a Pastoral Renewal course was offered. Thirty participants, online and physically present, spent an intensive week of study that led to reading groups along with monthly mentoring and prayer sessions with faculty members and denominational church planters. The Ruling Elders Program is an expansion of that same theme.

The Directory for Church Government in the Constitution of the RPCNA notes the various duties of ruling elders to their congregation, including active pastoral care, oversight of the teaching ministry, training to mature discipleship, ministry to the erring and lost, and dedication to the advancement of the whole church of Christ. Ruling elders often have tremendous business skills and educational backgrounds, with many of those skills transferring well to the eldership’s work. There is a place, though, for formalized training of a spiritual and theological nature.

What Is the Ruling Elders Program?

Participants work through five flexibly designed courses taught at the seminary with modest amounts of reading materials. Depending on the study rate, enrollees audit online RPTS courses for one to five years. Course content includes three required classes: Introduction to Biblical Counseling, Interpretation of the Bible, and Ministry of Worship. Two additional electives are available, including Care & Administration of the Church, RP Church History, The Doctrine of the Church (a systematic theology course), and a class on the Westminster Confession. Other courses are under consideration for inclusion as electives.

Our lives are hectic, so how does a man considering the eldership or an existing elder find time for intentional study of this nature? Each course includes 30 hours of recorded lectures, though there are no examinations or papers due—just the classroom content’s blessing. Materials include readings and recorded lectures. Some men study individually, while others gather as a group, working through the material at a standard pace for encouragement and discussion. Flexibility is critical as each course remains available for an entire year.

Due to the nature of the lectures and materials, the Ruling Elders Program is presented in a different format than other offerings in the Applied Theology for the Church program. Enrollment is available individually or as a session or group. Information is available at the end of this article.

It is important to note that these courses are not all specifically Reformed Presbyterian. Elders and students from other Reformed or Presbyterian backgrounds are finding blessing and benefit from the content.

Why This Program?

Pastor Adam Niess (RPTS M.Div. 2012) is excited that the elders at Lafayette, Ind., RPC are going through this program. It is tangible evidence that they take their calling seriously and want to keep growing and excelling in that calling. “I am so thankful for the elders and all they do for our church,” comments Pastor Niess. “They are an incredible help to me. In fact, I did not even suggest that they participate in this program. It was their idea.” Noting the church’s elders’ commitment to sharpening their theological understanding, Niess adds, “These are the kind of guys I want to serve with as they increase their excitement for the Lord and ministering in the church.”

Dean Filson, a ruling elder since 1983 at Second RPC in Indianapolis, Ind., remarked, “With so much information out there available at our fingertips, we need to prioritize what is important and foundational to our faith in Christ and the ministry we are called to so we can grow in our love for God and His people and compassion for the lost.” Retired from professional work, he has always enjoyed intentional study, especially at his own pace. The cohort format that his session has chosen is an encouragement to stay focused, making continual progress.

“Having more in-depth studies in biblical topics has been a huge blessing for me,” reports Richard Blum, also a ruling elder at Second RPC. Ordained in 2019, he finds the relaxed atmosphere of the classes enjoyable. There is no need to be daunted by the thought of taking seminary courses, as the content is presented in a non-threatening manner. “I am able to gain skill and knowledge without being intimidated by an academic environment full of quizzes, papers, and examinations.” His current course, Interpretation of the Bible, taught by Dr. Jeffrey Stivason (professor of New Testament Studies), is impressive. It is helping to fill in a few gaps in Blum’s biblical knowledge.

One of Blum’s primary goals in enrolling was to help in his preparation to lead the Friendship Bible Study Group at Second RPC. Seminary coursework has expanded his ability to link familiar Bible stories to broader biblical truths, helping this group of students with developmental disabilities more clearly understand God’s Word.

Elders participating in the course recognize the high calling of the office. As Paul admonished the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28, elders are placed by the Holy Spirit to oversee congregations that belong to the God who purchased them with His Son’s blood. This program encourages and trains ruling elders in their devotion to Christ, love for His church, and their abilities to serve His people. Jeff Platt, another elder at Second RPC, noted the “huge responsibility before God” to know and understand the congregation’s spiritual needs and be knowledgeable of how culture influences the church. Being better informed is “important kingdom work” to invest in training and preparation.

“Studying at RPTS helped me a great deal in preparation for my work as a ruling elder,” notes Jordan Feagley, librarian at the seminary. Mr. Feagley was recently ordained and installed at Covenant Fellowship RPC in Wilkinsburg, Pa. “Having the opportunity to sit under our faculty’s teaching has helped me understand and love God and His Word better. I was also equipped with a clearer understanding of pastoral and doctrinal theology, providing me with many of the skills necessary to shepherd the sheep under my care. All of the professors at RPTS are also teaching elders, so I have had the privilege of gleaning from them as they share their own experiences in a gracious and pastoral way.”

I don’t know what happened to that young man at the airport. What I do know is that, in the Lord’s providence, the man gave me an impromptu systematic theology exam. Eternal life and death were in play as his questions poured forth. With a great sense of peace in knowing that God would use that circumstance to His glory, I was thankful for the opportunity to point that man to God’s promises.

For more information on the Ruling Elders Program or to register, click on the Resources tab of the RPTS website ( rpts.edu) or contact RPTS at (412) 731-6000 or apply@rpts.edu.