/ Nathan Eshelman

How to Pray for Synod: A Little Birdie May Tell You... #RPSynod

Recently during family worship my family prayed for the Christian Reformed Church. Why'd we do that? I am a Reformed Presbyterian, why'd we sit in the living room of the manse and pray for a Dutch denomination with whom the RPCNA does not even have fraternal relations?

Technology led to prayer.

Many of the Gentle Reformation readership are members and friends of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. Next week the RPCNA will meet for the 181st Synod of the RPCNA. Technology can help us to pray.

I must confess that I am an ecclesio-nerd. As one who considers myself both a churchman as well as someone who loves the greater Reformed community, over the past several weeks I have looked for updates on other reformed churches' Synods and General Assemblies. What I found was that many of the other reformed bodies live-cast their Synods/GA. This has been really helpful for me in seeing how other bodies conduct business, how to pray for other bodies, and even helped me to be thankful that I am a member of the RPCNA! The live-cast of the Christian Reformed Church's Synod led my family to spent time in prayer for the CRC.

This is a good thing. Live-casting may help in prayers from the people, understanding church government, as well as aid in informing our people on what synod is all about.

Now, the point of this post is not to tell you that the RP Synod will be live-casting meetings, debates, and deliberations next week. I do not know if we will be... but I doubt we will. My point in this post is not to rally the younger pastors to demand live-casting (are there older pastors that want this?). My point in this post is to tell you of some ways that you can follow the RP Synod next week- so you will pray, so you will gather in your houses, apartments, dorm rooms, and prayer closets and pray!

2 Thessalonians 3:1 says, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you." Brothers, sisters- pray for us! Pray that Jesus will be glorified and that the Word of God may grow in our hearts and minds.

"How can I pray without understanding?"

There will be two up-to-date methods for following the work of Synod. The first is the RP Synod Facebook page, which can be found here. The second method is  by following RP pastors and elders who will be tweeting during synod. The hashtag #RPSynod will be used for those who are tweeting during the three days.

Please pray for the upcoming work of synod. There will be many great things discussed and many important decisions made that will shape the future of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. Use these means of communication and technology to pray and to pray and to pray. Ask that Jesus would build His church and pray in your praying as you pray.

Nathan Eshelman

Nathan Eshelman

Pastor in Orlando, studied at Puritan Reformed Theological & Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminaries. One of the chambermen on the podcast The Jerusalem Chamber. Married to Lydia with 5 children.

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