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What is Presbytery?

The answer to the question “What is Presbytery?” is a bit complex. I could say “That’s where Don and Tom go to reconnect with pastor friends and other Presbyterian church leaders.” That’s very true, but it’s not quite saying enough.

The Greek word which we translate “elder” sounds like presbytery. Here is how it works in the Presbyterian Church in America. PCA churches in a region are grouped together so they can support one another in their mission of church planting, campus ministry, world missions, and other similar things. This is called a presbytery. We are in the Blue Ridge Presbytery of the PCA. The presbytery meets four times a year.

Here is some of the things they do. First, they screen incoming pastors. They make sure they believe the bible and that their theology is our theology (i.e., PCA). They very thoroughly go about this work. The presbytery oversees church planting, thus our former assistant pastor, Tag Tuck, reports to the Presbytery about his work. They oversee the campus ministers we sponsor along with other Presbyteries in the state. Our campus ministry is called “RUF” . . . Reformed University Fellowship.

When churches get in a mess, Presbytery is there to help. If the pastor and the elders are feuding, the Presbytery can send wise elders in to give advice and try to settle things down (yes, sadly, that really happens). If a church doesn’t have a pastor, some of the members of the presbytery might step in to preach and help lead that church’s elders. There have been occasions where our church has benefited by the help and oversight of the Presbytery.

So, the Presbytery is our church, only bigger! It’s us, but it’s more of us. It’s other wise leaders who help when our leaders need wisdom. It’s pooled resources when a church needs to be started. It’s a group of us to help when a member decides to follow God’s call in to the ministry, or missions.

Tom and I are glad to tell you more because I’m really just scratching the surface of the topic!

Yours in Christ,

Don

Don Ward

Senior Pastor

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