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Could you introduce yourself?
I am Pastor Nathan Eshelman. I am a native of Western Pennsylvania who defected to Western Michigan for college where I met Lydia Malysa who would later become my wife. I became a Christian at the end of my senior year of high school and within a year and a half of my conversion to Christ, believed I was called to the ministry.

I am a member of the RPCNA, and was a charter member in the Grand Rapids, MI, RPCNA church plant. I pastor the Los Angeles, CA, Reformed Presbyterian Church and am beginning my fourth year of ministry to that congregation.
Lydia and I have four children: Anna Grace (8); Owen Justice (6); Watson Truth (4); and Calvin Wisdom (2). We are expecting a daughter at the end of March or beginning of April. Jestfully, we are calling her Finis!

What are you studying at RPTS?
The doctoral program with emphasis on pastoral ministry is the degree I am working on. I am beginning my second calendar year of that program. So far, so good.

Why did you choose RPTS?
Several factors have gone into choosing RPTS.

I am a graduate of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI (Master of Divinity), and always thought that I would continue my studies after seminary. Since RPTS is my denominational seminary, and I did not have opportunity to complete my M.Div there it was an obvious choice for me. Normally, I would consider a Th.M following an M.Div, but the doctoral program was a good fit for me. This has been a great opportunity to work under the professors that train the majority of the pastors in the RPCNA. This was important to me as a member of the RP Church.

I am also able to continue pastoring while studying. The program is set up for pastors. This means that I can live in Los Angeles and study in Pittsburgh. There are some flights involved, of course, but it is very workable for someone who is dedicated to hard work and using free time to read theological books and write papers (most pastors do this anyway!).

I also am a church history nerd and there is something great about RPTS and her place in American Church history. What other seminary over 200 years old still believes the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and the only rule for faith and life? I think that question answers itself. None. I appreciate this about RPTS.

What classes are you finding the most helpful for ministry?
Both Dr. Scipione’s counseling classes and Dr. Kinneer’s Jesus in the Gospels class have proven to be helpful for my ministry. High scholarship and hands on experience have made these very useful in the pastorate. This is something that I really like about RPTS (and it was the same way at my alma mater, PRTS), the instruction comes from theologians who are concerned with the people in the pews. As pastors, our job is to equip the saints for ministry. This HAS to begin in the seminary classroom.
I really believe that after my first calendar year of studies at RPTS, I can say that I love Jesus more and I love people more because of the classes that I have taken. I imagine there are not many seminaries where students will say similar things.

What are your plans for the future?
Upon completion of my doctorate, I plan on continuing the pastorate in Los Angeles. I believe (as do my elders) that the City of Los Angeles could be a new Antioch for Jesus’ church. The nations are represented here and many opportunities arise to minister to the nations in Jesus’ name. My hope is that my doctorate from RPTS can aid in equipping me to equip others. I truly hope that the LA Church can be a place of discipleship, church planting, theological instruction, and a center for blessing the nations. Big ideas? Well, maybe... but Jesus is bigger than my biggest ideas.

Nathan Eshelman is one of the Gentle Reformation bloggers at www.gentlereformation.com. He serves the RPCNA as clerk of the Pacific Coast Presbytery as well as represents the presbytery on the Home Mission Board. He also serves on the Board of Education and Publication. You can check out his growing congregation at www.rpcla.org and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LARPChurch.