---
title: "Directory for Church Government"
description: "Read and search the RPCNA Directory for Church Government: membership, congregations, elders, deacons, session, presbytery, and synod."
canonical: "https://ctkrp.org/church-government/"
---

LIFE IN THE CHURCH

# Directory for Church Government

How the RPCNA orders its shared life, leadership, and accountability under Christ.

Explore the nine chapters of the Directory from the 2026 RPCNA Constitution. Begin with membership and congregational life, or search for a topic such as elders, deacons, or presbytery.

[Read the complete directory](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/full-text/) · [Open the Constitution PDF](https://ctkrp.org/assets/rpcna-constitution-2026.pdf#page=173)

Introduction from the DirectoryThe purpose of the Directory is to provide the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America definitions and procedures to implement the doctrinal statements concerning the nature of the church and its government, as they have been stated in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. For the purposes of this Directory, “fundamental law” refers to the Westminster Confession and Catechisms and the Reformed Presbyterian Testimony. The “law and order of the church” refers to the Directory for Church Government, the Book of Discipline and the Directory for Worship together with the actions of the Synod.

These definitions and procedures as set down in this Directory are to be received as official statements declaring the law and order of the church. The Directory may be amended by any given Synod by a two-thirds majority vote. If, however, Synod considers that the item before it should have the consideration and discussion of the sessions, it can by a simple majority vote decide to use the procedure of sending proposed amendments down in overture; however, any such amendments must be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the Synod before they can be sent down in overture to the sessions. The same amendment process shall be followed for The Book of Discipline and The Directory of Public Worship.

- [Chapter 1: The Communicant Membership of the Church](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-1-the-communicant-membership-of-the-church/)
- [Chapter 2: The Congregation](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-2-the-congregation/)
- [Chapter 3: The Officers of the Church](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-3-the-officers-of-the-church/)
- [Chapter 4: The Session](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-4-the-session/)
- [Chapter 5: The Board of Deacons](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-5-the-board-of-deacons/)
- [Chapter 6: The Presbytery](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-6-the-presbytery/)
- [Chapter 7: Organizing New Congregations](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-7-organizing-new-congregations/)
- [Chapter 8: The Synod](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-8-the-synod/)
- [Chapter 9: Rules of Order for a Meeting of Synod](https://ctkrp.org/church-government/chapter-9-rules-of-order-for-a-meeting-of-synod/)

## Related reading

- [Church membership and life together](https://ctkrp.org/learn/topics/church-membership/)
- [Westminster Confession of Faith · Chapter 25: Of the Church](https://ctkrp.org/confession/chapter-25-church/)
- [Westminster Larger Catechism · Question 62: What is the visible Church?](https://ctkrp.org/larger-catechism/question-62-what-is-the-visible-church/)
- [What does “Presbyterian” mean?](https://ctkrp.org/learn/what-is-presbyterian/)
- [Find teaching on church](https://ctkrp.org/sermons/?q=church)

Canonical page: https://ctkrp.org/church-government/