On the eve of the concurrent synods of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, representatives from the ARP and RPCNA held a conference at Geneva College to discuss how each denomination applies the regulative principle of worship in the area of the content of praise in the worship of God. The expectation was “that this presentation will lead to collegial discussion about our practice of worship.”
Pastor Michael LeFebvre (Christ Church [Brownsville, Ind.] RPC) delivered the opening message on the regulative principle of worship, which is held by both the ARP and RPCNA. The principle, he said, is primarily about God’s revelation (i.e. revelatory principle). God is the host of worship as we enter His house; He is the host and the one to reveal Himself to us. Many Christians today believe that they are the hosts in worship and therefore it is their duty to come up with something good and new for God. ARPs and RPs agree that the scriptures regulate our worship, not because we want to restrain people but because we dare not restrain God.
Pastor Adam Kuehner (Southfield, Mich., RPC) gave the main address on the RP position of the content of praise in worship. He recounted how throughout the Old Testament and New Testament periods, God’s inspired words are what is sung in corporate worship. He stated the position that the “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” directed to be sung in Ephesians 5 indicate titles/categories of psalms rather than man-made hymns and songs, and that is how the Apostle Paul’s audience would have understood them. He pointed out that Christ could have, at the Last Supper, as He instituted the Lord’s Supper, also have announced new songs to be sung in the new covenant era; but instead we already have the scriptures that speak of Him, including psalms about His life, death, and resurrection.
Dr. Mark Ross (associate dean and assistant professor of theology at Erskine Seminary) gave the main address on the ARP position of the content of worship praise. He said that in considering the topic we should look at scriptural examples as well as commands. He spent some time on the use of instruments in worship, saying that the same book that commands singing psalms also commanded the use of instruments, and that the discontinuance of instruments in the new covenant is an argument from silence rather than actual directive. He pointed out the use of “prayers” in the Psalms as examples of another category of songs and said that our singing is like the praise of speaking (e.g., prayer), which is regulated by the whole content of scripture even though we are not given the whole content of what to say.
A question-and-answer time followed, with questions from the audience that included ARP and RP delegates as well as others. Panelists included the previous speakers as well as ARP pastors Philip Bunch (Fayetteville, Tenn.) and David Vance (Blacksburg, Ind.) and RP pastor Kyle Borg (Winchester, Kan., RPC).
Complete audio recordings and transcripts of the conference are to be made available.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), both the ARP Synod and the RP Synod will officially commence business. They will be meeting in two gymnasiums of the Metheny Fieldhouse at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa. At certain times they will meet together, such as at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. tomorrow in the main gym for worship and retiring-moderator addresses.
Daily reports of the RPCNA Synod will be posted to RPWitness.org, and occasional updates will be posted at Facebook.com/RPSynod.