What Happened at the RPCNA Synod (2025)?

The synod of the RPCNA met in Marion, Indiana June 16-20, 2025. The synod began with the singing of Psalm 80 and a retiring moderator’s address from Elder Tom Fisher. Elder Fisher spoke from I Peter 5 on the highs and lows of shepherding Christ’s flock while calling us to greater service to Christ. 

Following the moderator’s address, first time delegates were introduced, 12 ruling elders and 3 pastors. The floor was then opened for nominations for officers, with Rev. Dr. Ed Blackwood (Colorado Springs, CO) being elected moderator with Rev. Andrew Barnes (Grandview, MO) elected clerk and Rev. Drew Poplin (Durham, NC) as assistant clerk. The court thanked retiring clerk Rev. Dr. John McFarland (Lawrence, KS) for his many years of service as clerk. In a surprise to the court, Mr. Blackwood was not given “warning” of his nomination.

The court then rose to pray in thanks for the faithfulness of the pastors, elders, missionaries, and wives thereof who have gone to glory since our last meeting. The next order of business was to decide how a series of communications to the court were going to be handled. The Business of Synod Committee provides recommendations on how to handle each communication and the synod votes on those recommendations. A complaint from Rev. Jeff Yelton who was disciplined at last year’s meeting was determined to have “no standing” because Mr. Yelton was no longer a member of the RPCNA. A request to change the Directory for Public Worship on who may participate in communion was sent back to the St. Lawrence Presbytery with the charge to “further study” the matter. Several other communications were to be considered and will be discussed in their appropriate places.

The first major order of business was a decision to form a committee to rewrite the Book of Discipline. Several discipline cases in the past several years have proven the difficulty of handling our current book. That committee will be made up of: Tom Fisher, Kyle Borg, David Schaefer, Shawn Anderson and Gabe Wingfield. Alternates include Bill Chellis and Keith Wing. 

An overture on recusals was announced and declared to be the law and order of the church. Each presbytery met during a stated time at synod and then reported to synod. There are seven presbyteries and each clerk discussed the work of their regional courts—announcing students who have been examined, churches that are being planted, and asking for prayer for difficulties within their courts. The Lord is doing great things. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalm 126:5-6).”

Each missions organization gave report: Global Missions, Home Missions, Commissions in EA, _______ and ______, and the committee of Central and South America. The delegate from Chile spoke of persecution for the gospel. We heard of global churches planted and men raised up for ministry. A video was played showing the good work on one of our fields. A new Spanish Psalter is also in the works, which is exciting. 

Other Boards and committees also reported: Crown and Covenant Publications, Vital Churches, RPTS, RP Global Alliance, and Geneva College, Reformation Translation Fellowship, the RPWA, and Youth Ministries. 

A committee that studied over multiple years our vows and queries reported and it was re-affirmed that the queries of communicant membership is, in fact, vows before God.

In 2023, a study committee on female deacons was established. Synod spent a good amount of time on this committee’s report—stretching over two different time slots for discussion. The committee’s 18 page paper recommended that the line “men as well as women may serve as deacons” be struck from the RP Testimony. This would allow sessions some latitude in service as well as not bind consciences of those who have taken exception to female deacons. The committee put forward eight rationales for striking the line, one of which was an argument based on a survey of current pastors and elders in the RPCNA as to their beliefs. A paper argued against the survey results (which argued that only 46% of surveyed pastors/elders hold to the churches current pro-female deacon position). The submitted paper against the committee’s work claimed that the survey results were flawed based on several factors. The court received this paper as information and it did come up in the debates. After several hours of debate (in the second day) it was noted that the Directory for Church Government requires “notice of major changes” one year before the change could be made. A break was called so that the moderator could discuss this with previous moderators, parliamentarians, and the chair of the female deacon committee. After deciding that one year notice was required, the moderator, due to the paper questioning the committee, called for a “non-binding vote” to determine where the court stood on the recommendation to remove female deacons from the Testimony. A vote resulted in a 54%-46% (76 to 64) divide in favor of removing the line from the Testimony. Notice was then given that next year the change would be proposed. This change would not disallow a congregation from having female deacons, merely not requiring it as something that must be confessed by RPCNA officers. The proposed change will require a 2/3 vote and must then go down in overture.

The next major discussion had to do with the RP Testimony on abortion. Our Testimony says, “Deliberately induced abortion, except possibly to save the mother’s life, is murder.” The committee proposed the following: “Deliberately induced abortion is murder. When medical intervention to remove the child from the mother’s body is necessary to preserve the life of the mother or the child, all medically reasonable measures should be taken to honorably care for both the mother and child's life and body.” After several long debates, the proposed change failed and the committee was dismissed. A new committee was then established to continue working on the language of the Testimony. Rev. Dr. Andrew Kerr, a pastor and surgeon, will convene that new committee. Two professors, a medical doctor, and a pastor will be on the new committee.

Another major decision concerned the Reformed Presbyterian Home. The RP Home was charted in 1897 by the RP Woman’s [sic] Association (RPWA). The RP Home was under scrutiny last year due to a complaint that the Roman mass was being celebrated in an institution of the church that testifies against the mass. A committee was formed to bring recommendations to this year’s synod. The synod decided that the RP Home transition the ownership and governance to another entity able to continue their ministry to care for seniors.  A representative of the RPWA indicated that the RPWA Board has communicated closely with the special study committee through the course of the past year, and that they are in agreement with the recommendation of the Synod committee. The RPWA pledged to proceed towards accomplishing such a multifaceted transition. Mr. Bill Weir, a member of the court who has faithfully served the home for many years was given a long and grateful standing round of applause for his years of service.

A judicial commission related to Phoenix RPC reported on their findings and charges adopted by the Pacific Coast Presbytery against the former pastor of Phoenix RPC were referred to new Synod Judicial Commission. One complaint was heard from the former pastor and elder of Phoenix against the Pacific Coast Presbytery: a man was ordained as a ruling elder that had “allegations of sin.” The court established an additional Synod Judicial Commission and ordered that the ruling elder “refrain from exercising the duties of his office” until the matter is settled.

Another complaint was heard related to the former pastor of Black Forest RPC in Colorado. The former pastor was suspended from office until a series of reconciliations occur. In the meantime he moved to PA for work. The complaint was that his credentials were not transferred upon request (in accordance with the DCG). The court essentially sided with the presbytery, having his membership stay in the MWP until the reconciliation process is completed.

As heavy as these things are, there were several aspects of synod that were encouraging. The synod “commended” our brothers in the ARP for this resolution: 'That the 221st General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church do on this solemn day condemn without distinction any theological or political teaching which posits a superiority of race or ethnic identity born of immutable human characteristics and does on this solemn evening call to repentance any who would promote or associate themselves with such teaching, either by commission or omission.’" We also heard from brothers in other denominations: the RPs of Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and Canada. We also received greetings from the PCA, OPC, and ARP.


A committee report, which had a majority and minority report, related to departing congregations was tabled until next year.

Each morning began with preaching on the theme of shepherding. Besides the retiring moderator’s address, we heard preaching from Rev. Gabe Wingfield, Rev. Kenneth Stewart of RP Scotland, and Rev. Dr. Rich Holdeman. Each of those sermons were excellent and encouraging and are available on our denomination’s Sermon Audio page. The Psalm singing and times of prayer were special times of worship as well. A room of 130 or so men singing praise to God using the Psalms is a special treat. Hearing of the finances of the church was also encouraging as a tangible evidence of God’s blessings on us.

It is a good reminder that it “belongeth to synods… ministerially to determine controversies of faith and cases of conscience, to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of His Church; to receive complaints in cases of maladministration, and authoritatively to determine the same: which decrees and determinations, if consonant to the Word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission; not only for their agreement with the Word, but also for the power whereby they are made, as being an ordinance of God appointed thereunto in His Word.” (Westminster Confession of Faith, 31.3)

The Lord has been good to us—even as brothers do not agree on every matter, we strive towards unity as we do our labor under Jesus Christ, the king and head of the church, who calls us sing, “Behold how very good it is, a pleasant thing to see; when brothers join to live as one in peace and unity (Psalm 133A, stanza 1, Book of Psalms for Worship)!” As the court closed in singing and prayer, we were charged to go forth and to do the work of ministry.

Humbly submitted, 


Nathan Eshelman

Orlando, FL