The Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) voted on June 24, 2009 to withdraw its membership from the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). The Interchurch Committee has expressed concerns over a decade at the direction of the NAE.

The RPCNA Synod is meeting at GenevaCollege in Beaver Falls, Penn., from June 22-26.

The Interchurch Committee had asked for a 15 minute discussion on the floor of Synod to hear pros and cons on continuing the RPCNA membership in the NAE. During this discussion many concerns were raised, with only one delegate rising to defend remaining in the NAE. A motion was made to withdraw immediately (understood to mean as soon as possible) from the NAE, which was overwhelmingly adopted by the Synod.

It was reported that there had been a growing concern by members of Synod regarding the increasing willingness of NAE officials to engage or associate with liberal Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Muslims. The Synod was also concerned that these associations have tended to obscure the gospel and blur the distinctions between believers and unbelievers. Along with these concerns were the long-held tensions within the RPCNA of an official association with an organization that has become predominantly Arminian and Pentecostal.

Synod directed the Interchurch Committee to draft an official letter to the NAE announcing the RPCNA’s withdrawal, delineating the reasons, and calling for their repentance.

Immediately following this sobering vote the church sang Psalm 133 and sought the Lord in prayer to bring unity in truth.