Delegates traveled to the 2021 Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America knowing there was more work than they could do. Fifteen months into a pandemic that resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 Synod, the goal was not perfection but rather to be good stewards of the time and means available.

Canadian, Japanese, and other delegates outside the U.S. were prevented from attending by COVID regulations, but they were able to join as voting delegates via videoconference. Due to various impediments, fraternal delegates from other denominations did not attend at all.

Reports from RPCNA boards and committees that required no action were approved as a batch. Some reports of the day were distributed in writing rather than being read aloud.

Thus, the bulk of Synod’s time was dedicated to handling matters that required debate, such as three discipline cases and a few other communications from the presbyteries. Synod’s responsibilities include serving as a court as necessary and also being a deliberative body.

Helping the Synod run efficiently and effectively fell in large part to Moderator Bruce Parnell (pastor, Stillwater, Okla., RPC) along with the Synod clerks and the chairmen of the judicial committees.

The 160-plus delegates met in the Philippe Performing Arts Center on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind., June 14–17. The building seats about 1,000, and due to Indiana requirements delegates were asked to sit at least three feet apart. An Indiana mask guideline had been lifted just prior to the Synod meeting.

Pastor Andy McCracken preached the retiring moderator’s sermon by video—from 10,000 miles away in Australia, where his family moved to minister in 2020. Pastor McCracken brought forth from the Word a challenge for Christ’s servants to live by His “new command” in John 13:34. For the rest of the week, Synod’s devotional times focused on the nurture and display of the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22–23.

New RPC of Canada

After careful deliberation, the RPCNA Synod confirmed a special resolution presented by Canadian RP churches petitioning to become a distinct Reformed Presbyterian Church denomination in the north. This unique petition came with the endorsement of the St. Lawrence Presbytery (consisting of both Canadian and U.S. congregations), requesting that Synod “concur with us toward official action to form a distinct, indigenous Reformed Presbyterian Church of Canada according to the aspirations and plans of the St. Lawrence Presbytery.”

Pastor Andrew Quigley, flanked by fellow Canadian pastors Scott Wilkinson and Matthew Kingswood, presented the petition (via Zoom) from the Ottawa, Ont., RP Church building. The approved plan starts a year-long joint process to culminate in summer 2022 with the establishment of a Canadian RP Church.

This interesting discussion unfolded in part on the big screen at the front of the Philippe Performing Arts Center. In-person delegates noted that Canadian, Japanese, and Chilean delegates, as well as Americans, refined and clarified the petition virtually—from three different continents. “I am listening very carefully, because I hope this same process can lead to the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Chile someday,” said RP Pastor Marcelo Sánchez via Zoom. Delegates expressed concern about several of the details, but overwhelmingly approved the four-step plan.

Judicial Committees

Judicial Committee 2, chaired by Pastor John Edgar, was the first of three judicial committees to report. This temporary “committee of the day” was assigned to address a sexual abuse case within the Great Lakes–Gulf Presbytery, particularly the subsequent judicial matters within the church and the presbytery, as civil authorities had already been involved in the case. The committee aided Synod in preserving confidentiality, debating pastorally (members from that congregation were in attendance), and sorting out decisions of the leadership. After debate, Synod voted that “Synod assume original jurisdiction,…and the moderator appoint a seven-man judicial commission to address this matter.”

Then Synod turned its attention to the numerous complaints addressed to this court of the church concerning Dr. Michael LeFebvre, who had written a book and articles determined to be in violation of the RP Testimony’s stance on creation and evolution. These complaints were received both from presbyters and from church members complaining in various ways about the presbytery’s actions. Judicial Committee 1, chaired by Pastor Daniel Howe, had been appointed to review these complaints.

Some complaints were focused on the doctrinal issues involved (i.e. the denomination’s stance on creation over against theistic evolution). Earlier in the week, Synod had overwhelmingly affirmed its views on the doctrinal matters involved. “This court hereby declares that belief in the literal parentage of Adam and Eve as our first parents is an essential point of the Christian system of doctrine,” and, “The court declares that the Reformed Presbyterian Testimony 4.3 and 4.4 are essential to the Christian system of doctrine, and that Synod declare that Testimony 4.3’s definition of the theory of evolution includes theistic evolution.”

4:3. The theory of evolution which assumes that chance happenings are an explanation of the origin and development of matter and living things is un-scriptural. God created various kinds of living forms with tremendous potential for variation. The increase of varieties which has occurred is within genetic limitations provided at creation. Gen. 1:11, 20, 27; Gen. 2:2. 4:4. We deny that man evolved from any lower form of life. Gen. 2:7, 21-22.

In addition to the communications regarding the doctrinal issues, complaints focused on technical matters related to preparations for a trial and the Great Lakes–Gulf Presbytery’s decision to not conduct a trial but to give Dr. LeFebvre his ministerial credentials without adjudicating the issues.

The Judicial Committee’s recommendations guided Synod through this process. The court made clear decisions; however, numerous dissenters lined up to record their dissent to particular actions. It was determined that Synod did not have the constitutional power to undo the sending of ministerial credentials, so that option was off the table. Synod directed the Great Lakes–Gulf Presbytery to “appoint a two-man committee to communicate with Mr. LeFebvre and, if possible, shepherd him into a true branch of the visible church.”

For Judicial Committee 3, Chairman Peter Smith reported on their work addressing a discipline case arising from the Pacific Coast Presbytery. The paper was asking Synod to take jurisdiction of the discipline case of Pastor Bob Hackett, as it was complicated by the pandemic and procedural issues. Synod decided not to take up the case, but gave directions to the presbytery about how to proceed on the matter.

Synod also addressed the judicial matter of Paper 21–13, a 75-page communication from the Atlantic Presbytery asking for a clarification and affirmation regarding the word “departing” in 1 Corinthians 7 and its relation to scriptural doctrine on divorce. This has been a matter repeatedly before the Synod over the past several years. The authors of the paper requested two points of clarification from the Synod. After deliberation, Synod clarified its position that (recommendation 1) “the only biblical causes for divorce are sexual immorality, as given in Matthew 19, and desertion, as given in 1 Corinthians 7.” Further, Synod clarified (recommendation 2) “that desertion as described in 1 Corinthians 7, is a willful, irremediable, physical departure of one spouse from another or irremediably caused by one spouse or the other in accord with Westminster Confession of Faith 24.6.”

For the first year, the Nominating Committee employed an online ballot that alleviated the collection and counting of paper ballots. In addition to elections to fill board and committee vacancies, Rev. Keith Evans was elected to a seven-year term as Professor of Biblical Counseling at the RP Seminary.

The Silent Reports

Due to the numerous judicial matters before Synod, this highest court of the RPCNA did not spend much time on the annual reports from boards and committees. Instead, Synod opted to receive most of these reports through a “batch approval” process. Even though little or no time was devoted to these missions and ministries on the floor of Synod, their substantial work was reviewed by the Synod in dozens of pages of reports, some of which are highlighted here.

In 2005, with just 77 congregations and mission churches, the Home Mission Board proposed the 20/20 Vision which sought 100 RPCNA congregations and mission churches by the year 2020. By God’s grace, there are now 104. While the HMB has discussed what comes next, it has not felt led by the Lord to consider a new goal. The board suggested that the church should pray in this season for the Lord to strengthen and establish the newer works rather than stretch ourselves too thin. And, to echo seminary president Barry York, there is a lack of laborers for the harvest. The RPCNA has approximately 15 empty pulpits.

In South Sudan, the school is open and growing after a year of COVID shutdown. The radio station is also growing. Missionary Jan Buchanan will return to the States at the end of this year following 10 years of service in South Sudan. Later, after three years of service, the Lucas Hanna family will return. Prayer is needed that God would raise up additional workers for the Cush4Christ mission.

In Central Asia, plans for a second congregation are well underway. In South Asia and Southeast Asia, growth in ministry opportunities and growth in numbers have been seen despite pandemic burdens as well as Christian persecution.

The Japan Presbytery reported the suspending of worship services at Kita-Suzurandai RPC due to declining membership and finances as well as an aging building. There are four congregations and one mission church in the Kobe, Japan, area. Kobe Theological Hall and the Covenanter Book Room continue to provide a witness for the gospel and Reformed doctrine in Japan.

The Interchurch Committee reported on a joint statement of cooperation with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church that was adopted in the past year. The report stated, “In order to develop unity in the visible church, the ARP and RPC have pursued a path of drawing closer by reaching out to know each other better, and to seek to discover ways of mutual cooperation, service and study. We believe that while we have differences, we may still learn from each other, and that our ties will be strengthened as we explore and develop mutual relations. This path is not a proposal for organic union; nevertheless it presents significant goals worthy of our continued pursuit.”

The Youth Ministries Committee announced its plan to host Youth Leadership Conferences (YLC) alternatively in the Eastern U.S. at Geneva College or at a new venue in the Western U.S. The next YLC is scheduled for July 22–25, 2022, at the Golden Bell Camp and Conference Center in Divide, Colo.

The Board of Education & Publication reported several significant publication projects completed since the last Synod, including 7 Big Questions Your Life Depends On by William Edgar, Portraits of Christ, devotional studies by Gordon Keddie and David Whitla, and The White Chief of Cache Creek, by Faith Martin and Charles McBurney, on the RPCNA’s mission to the Comanche and other Indian tribes in Oklahoma. Nathaniel Pockras has helpfully compiled a Directory of Synod Actions from the beginning of the denomination to the present. This ebook, intended for personal use, is now completed and published as a PDF book on ReformedPresbyterian.org.

Denominational statistics for the past two years showed slight growth (.04 percent membership and .6 percent attendance) and a drop in the number of theological students under care of presbytery (from 43 to 37). Reformed Presbyterians were generous in giving to Reformed Presbyterian Missions & Ministries, which was able to distribute additional funds to denominational missions and ministries, some of which had endured extra financial burdens as a result of the pandemic.

Elder Bob Bibby (Lafayette, Ind., RPC) presented the majority view of a committee that has been studying when and how incarcerated persons can be members of a church. Pastor Tim McCracken later presented the minority view, with both sides working toward a compromise even during this Synod meeting. With the committee’s expressed desire, the paper in full was referred back to the committee for their continued refinement under this remit: “Referral to the study committee…to seek ways for long-term incarcerated prisoners to become members of local congregations…to report back to the 2022 Synod.”