What does it mean to be “Evangelical?”
To be “Evangelical” means to believe
in the importance of sharing the good news that through Jesus Christ the kingdom of God has been inaugurated, freeing people
from the guilt and power of sin through personal faith and repentance.
What does it mean to be “Reformed?”To be “Reformed” means several things. Historically,
it means that we trace our roots to the Reformation, when John Calvin and others led the movement to reform the Church according
to Scripture. Theologically, it means belief in the absolute sovereignty of God and that the highest good is God’s glory.
This historical and theological heritage is often expressed in the five“solas” of the Reformation. Sola
is a latin word for "only" or "alone". The five sola's are:
God’s grace alone as the only way to be reconciled to God.
Faith alone as the only means of receiving God’s grace.
Christ alone as the ground of God’s saving grace
Scripture alone as the only infallible authority for belief.
God’s glory alone as the ultimate purpose for the lives of men and women.
What does it mean to be “Presbyterian?”
Presbyterian describes the way the church is governed.
To be Presbyterian is to be governed according to the pattern of elders seen in the Old and New Testaments. We are ruled neither
by bishops in a hierarchical model nor by members in a congregational model. Biblically qualified elders are recognized through
congregational election and, along with ministers, rule the church corporately. It also means being connected in mutual accountability
and responsibility. Just as individual Christians are connected to one another as members of the body of Christ, so also individual
congregations are connected under Christ as the great Head of the Church.
