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On the first Lord's Day of 2002, three families — Steve and Susan Barnes, Bart and Kristi Hendley, and Stephen and Christian Barnes — began meeting in Macon, Georgia for a home Bible study sponsored by Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church of Conyers, Georgia. Two of these families were members of Providence, and the third family attended a local Baptist congregation. Both Ruling Elder Jess Stanfield and Teaching Elder Wayne Rogers attended the first meeting. After the initial meeting, the group decided to study the book of James. During the next year, Ruling Elder Jess Stanfield led this Bible study. Several visitors came and went, and the core group never wavered. Around the beginning of 2003, the group had grown to a few more families, and they began studying the book of Ephesians. The study of Ephesians profited these families greatly with its emphasis on the headship of Christ and His claim on every area of life. The group grew, and at times it was difficult to find a place to sit in Stephen and Christian Barnes' living room! The families enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship and discussion each week. After a year in the book of Ephesians, a more serious tone developed in the group, especially regarding the idea of seeing a reformed work starting in Macon. Since the commission and interest of the Providence Session in 2002, the inception of a reformed work in Macon had been the goal, and the core families were increasingly serious and excited about such an arduous task.
After much prayer and shepherding the group of about ten (10) families began considering a man to lead the work. The Session of Providence received the name of a man between pastorates. The Session asked him if he would come and preach for the mission families at Providence. He did so, and afterwards met with the Session to talk about personal needs and support. After that meeting and a week of prayer, the families, with the approval of the Providence Session, made a decision to look for someone else. About this time, Mr. Micah Laughlin, head of one of the families involved, called and asked Ruling Elder Jess Stanfield if he would consider a call to the mission work in Macon. Due to Elder Stanfield's teaching of the study since its inception, he was very familiar with the dynamic of the group. Elder Stanfield directed Mr. Laughlin to the Session of Providence for their pastoral counsel considering Elder Stanfield's fitness for such a work. The Session united in total agreement with the idea of Elder Stanfield coming under care of Presbytery and working towards the call of Teaching Elder.
With this in place the families looked for a more formal place to meet and determined a name for the new work. With prayer and $500.00 per month allotted by the Providence Session, a search for a suitable worship place began. After only a week of looking, the Lord graciously provided a church building built in 1896 owned by a group of primitive Baptists. Providentially, they asked for a rental amount of $475.00 a month. The families rejoiced at God's good providence, and Zion Presbyterian Mission was born! By this time Elder Stanfield and his wife Deborah and three daughters had moved to Macon and began to meet people in the community. The Zion families met each Sunday evening and God moved mightily among all of the families involved each Lord's Day — with each Bible study ending with a fellowship meal. Sunday morning services started on August 1, 2004. The meetings began at 9:00 a.m. so as not hinder Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church from its regular meetings at 10:30 a.m. on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. Pastor Rogers of Providence drove down from Conyers each week to preach, and then hurried back to Providence to preach in that pulpit at 11:00 a.m. Pastor Rogers continued laboring in this manner until October of 2004, after Elder Stanfield had been examined and given permission by Presbytery to preach the Gospel. Pastor Rogers continued to travel to Macon once a month to preach and administer the Sacraments for the Zion congregation.
The small mission work saw fruit almost instantly. From October of 2004 families were being added to Zion almost on a monthly basis. The spiritual growth was as evident as the numerical growth, as the preaching of the Word and shepherding of the families strengthened lives. Zion grew from four committed families to fourteen by March of 2005. By this time preparation had begun for Church officers, and the congregation held nominations for the offices of Ruling Elder and Deacon. The congregation nominated several men to begin what would be almost one year of study before being examined by Presbytery.
These efforts again bore fruit. At a called meeting of the Covenant Presbytery of the RPCUS in January of 2006, thirteen (13) Heads of Households petitioned Presbytery to be organized as a church in Macon, Georgia. The Presbytery approved the petition and examined Dr. Steve Barnes and Mr. Stephen Barnes for the office of Ruling Elder and Mr. Chuck Ezell for the office of Deacon. After a lengthy and extensive examination regarding their personal spiritual experience and qualifications, their understanding of the Westminster Standards, and their knowledge of church polity, all three men were approved to be submitted to the congregation for their election upon the particularization of the church.
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About the RPCUS
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The Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States, (RPCUS), was born in 1983 out of the continuing struggle to uphold the all-embracing, inerrant authority of the Bible as the Word of God, to maintain the purity of the church, and to proclaim the truth of the Reformed Faith "in all openness unhindered." We believe that God has called us into existence to glorify him by being faithful to the Word of God. more... |
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April 25, 2005 The Distinctives of RPCUS
Presented by Pastor Joe Morecraft III at Presbytery |
(History Continued) The Covenant Presbytery of the RPCUS then convened on Sunday, February 19, 2006, in Macon at 6:30 p.m. to organize Zion Presbyterian Church. Teaching Elder Chris Strevel, Pastor of the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Buford, Georgia, was elected moderator, and led the Presbytery and congregation through the evening proceedings.
The Presbytery asked the Heads of Households who had petitioned Presbytery to organize them into a particular church, namely, Mr. Bart Hendley, Mr. Stephen Barnes, Dr. Steve Barnes, Mr. Jeffrey Turner, Mr. Matthew Peed, Mr. William Hartley, Mr. Marsh Letson, Mr. Romey Hitson, Mr. Chuck Ezell, Mr. Britt Burrell, Mr. Rob Futch, Mr. Jess Stanfield, and Mr. Clint Vinson, the following Covenant of Commitment: “Do you in reliance on God for strength, solemnly promise and covenant that you will walk together as an organized church, on the principles of the faith and order of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States, and that you will be zealous and faithful in maintaining the purity and peace of the whole body?” The Petitioners unanimously affirmed the Covenant of Commitment. Teaching Elder Chris Strevel pronounced the church constituted “according to the Word of God and the faith and order of the RPCUS, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” The Presbytery then proceeded by ballot to the election of officers by the Heads of Households of the newly formed congregation. The Presbytery presented as eligible for election Dr. Steve Barnes, Mr. Stephen Barnes, and Providence Ruling Elder Jess Stanfield for the office of Ruling Elder, and Mr. Chuck Ezell for the office of Deacon. The congregation elected all four men to their respective offices.
After the glorious event of particularization and election of officers, the Presbytery proceeded with the service of worship. Along with the approximately fifty members of the congregation, many other friends and family swelled the congregation that evening. About one hundred adults attended the service. Teaching Elder Chris Strevel held an Invocation and Call to Worship, after which the congregation sang Hymn 269, “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken.” Pastor Rogers preached during the worship service from Titus 3:8 on “The Apostle's Code” (available online at www.sermonaudio.org/calvin 1509), after which the congregation robustly sang Hymn 133, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” to the hymn tune “Desert.” The officers-elect and Heads of Households then swore vows to the living God. Following these vows, the Teaching and Ruling Elders of the Presbytery, along with other ordained Elders and Pastors present whom Presbytery had invited to participate in the ordination and installing service, gathered around the kneeling officers-elect to ordain and install them to office. Teaching Elder Greg Green of the RPCUS mission work in Burlington, North Carolina, led in the Ordination Prayer. Teaching Elder Joe Morecraft III charged the officers based on I Thessalonians 5:12-14, and Teaching Elder Chris Strevel charged the congregation based on I Thessalonians 1:4-10. The congregation then sang Psalm 23 to the tune “Brother James' Aire” a cappella. Their singing demonstrated their overwhelming thanksgiving to the Living God for His work in bringing Zion Presbyterian Church to birth.
Zion Presbyterian Church currently rents and jointly uses the Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church located at 2131 Vineville Avenue in Macon. Their website is www.zionpresbyterian.org. We praise God for his grace and providence in establishing this new congregation to proclaim the crown rights of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Macon and Middle Georgia area!
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