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Contend in the Courts of the Church

Writer's picture: Jared DeanJared Dean

I begin this writing with a disclaimer: I am an intern in Chesapeake Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America and not yet ordained. However, I write this article primarily to encourage my fellow men in preparation for ministry: seminary students, candidates for ministry, licentiates, and interns in the Presbyterian Church in America. The time of seminary and the trials of licensing and ordination are intense and filled with seemingly endless reading, studying, writing, and examination. However, there is one area which seems to be frequently ignored in the preparation of many men for the ministry: the art of contending in the courts of the church. Parliamentary procedure often seems quite the nerdy escapade to most, but it truly is vital work in prosecuting the business of the church. This time of preparation for ministry is the time to add this vital arrow to your ministerial quiver, so to speak.


The 19th Century Irish Presbyterian minister Thomas Witherow wrote about the apostolic and Biblical example of Presbyterian polity in the assembly of elders in the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15. [1] The elders in the early church not only preached and taught the Scriptures, exhorted the believers, and corrected the sinners, but they also contended for the peace and purity of the church. We see this modeled in Acts 15 and in Paul’s corrective epistle to the Galatian church, among other examples. The elders of the early church both preached and ruled in the church.


The PCA’s Book of Church Order 8-1 says that one of the responsibilities of the elder is “to govern well, in the house and Kingdom of Christ.” Elders in the Presbyterian Church in America, both Teaching and Ruling, have the calling and responsibility to rule and govern the church. This work is carried out in the courts of the church: the Session, the Presbytery, and the General Assembly.


BCO 19-12 says that “Presbyteries should require interns to devote themselves diligently to the trial of their gifts; and no one should be ordained to the work of the ministry of the Word until he has demonstrated the ability both to edify and to rule in the Church.” The job of edification for an intern is obvious; preaching, teaching, leading Bible studies, writing, etc. But practicing rule in the church can be a bit tricky as an intern cannot yet vote in the church courts. However, candidates for ministry must still gain some experience in this area. We see both from examples in Scripture and in the PCA’s Book of Church Order that elders ought to both teach and rule. As an intern however, the question of how to gain this experience in church rule still remains.


If you are a candidate for ministry or intern in your Presbytery, I encourage you to attend the Session meetings of your church, the stated meetings of your Presbytery, and the annual meeting of the General Assembly. Use these times to pay attention to the parliamentary procedure and begin learning how it all works. Buy a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order, read it, and follow along during the meetings. Talk about it with your pastor, mentor, and Ruling Elders of your church. If you have the opportunity, have lunch with one of the men who function as the parliamentarian of your Session or Presbytery and pick his brain. Once you attend a few meetings, you will quickly learn which men have an aptitude for parliamentary work. Perhaps you can even cut your teeth by making motions or participating in the debate at your church’s congregational meetings. BCO 19-15 even allows an intern to “temporarily chair the meeting of the Session.” You can use all of these methods to gain experience and confidence in matters of parliamentary procedure and debate.


As men who are training and being examined for ministry, we will one day be called upon to rule and govern Christ’s church well. Use this time to prepare for these future labors. Just as a young boy will one day be a man who cares for his bride by teaching her, praying for her, and leading her, a man preparing for ministry will one day be a minister who cares for Christ’s bride by teaching her, praying for her, and leading her. Take this time now and learn to lead Christ’s bride well.


[1] Witherow, Thomas. I Will Build My Church: Selected Writings on Church Polity, Baptism, and the Sabbath. Ed. Jonathan Gibson. Glenside, PA: Westminster Seminary Press, 2021.


Jared Dean serves as pastoral intern at Liberty Church PCA in Owings Mills, MD while he pursues ordination. Jared has also served as a police officer for 16 years and a provisionally-endorsed chaplain for 2 years at a county police department in Maryland. Jared and his wife Kristin have been married for 16 years and have three daughters.


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