Book of Church Order

NAPARC Agreements

Includes all amendments approved up to and including the 51st General Assembly held in Richmond, Virginia, June 11-14, 2024

NOTE: “Amendments to the BCO are unnecessary to enable Sessions and Presbyteries to be guided by the NAPARC AGREEMENT, and the Assembly [will] communicate the NAPARC AGREEMENT to Sessions and Presbyteries for guidance” (M17GA, 17-82, III, 10, p.152).

NAPARC Golden Rule Comity Agreement

(For the Information of Sessions and Presbytery MNA Committees)

1. We will be sensitive to the presence of existing churches and missions ministries of other NAPARC churches and will refrain from enlisting members and will take care in receiving members of these existing ministries.

2. We will communicate with the equivalent or appropriate agency (denominational missions committee or board, Presbytery missions or church extension committee, or session) before initiating church planting activities in a community where NAPARC churches or missions exist.

3. We will provide information on at least an annual basis describing progress in our ministries and future plans.

4. We will encourage our regional home missions leadership to develop good working relationships.

M15GA, 15-80, III, 6, p. 165

NAPARC Agreement on Transfer of Members

Recognizing that the churches of NAPARC have on occasion unintentionally received members or ordained officers who were under various states of discipline in another NAPARC church, thus creating tension between the churches, and at the same time recognizing the need for mutual freedom and openness on the part of the churches, we agree to respect the procedures of discipline and pastoral concern of other denominations as follows:

1. Regular Transfer of Membership

That in the regular transfer of membership between NAPARC churches, the session/consistory or presbytery/classis not receive a member until the appropriate document of transfer is in the hands of the receiving church.

2. Transfer with Irregularities

a. That upon request for transfer of membership by a person under NAPARC AGREEMENTS

discipline, the sending session/consistory or presbytery/classis inform
the receiving body of the nature and extent of the disciplinary procedure before implementing the requested transfer, thus enabling informal consultation between the pastors and elders of both churches.

b. That such a person not be received officially until the judicatory/ assembly of the receiving church has taken into serious account the discipline of and the information supplied by the sending church.

c. That such a person not be received officially until the judicatory/ assembly of the receiving church is satisfied that proper restitution has been made and/or reconciliation has been seriously attempted.

d. That a “fugitive from discipline” who no longer is a member of a church or who is no longer on the roll of a presbytery shall not be received until the former judicatory/assembly has been contacted to determine if proper restitution has been made and/or reconciliation has been seriously attempted.

3. Recourse and Appeal

Where communication or action regarding the sending/receiving of a member or ordained officer/office bearer does not satisfy either the dismissing or receiving judicatory/assembly, communication may be submitted to the interchurch relations committees of the denominations involved with a view to mediation of the problem.  If this proves unsatisfactory, the session/consistory or presbytery/classis may register its concern to the appropriate judicatory/assembly of the other denomination.

4. Congregational Transfer

That a congregation seeking to leave a NAPARC church to become affiliated with another NAPARC denomination be received only after it has complied with the requirements of the form of government of the church from which it is separating, and the receiving church shall be responsible to see that it is done.

M16GA, 16-25, III, 5a, p. 116.