DON'T let this confuse you.

Repent & Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and the Lord of your life. A simple prayer directed to Jesus Christ Himself can be the beginning of a new life for you. After you know Him and His wonderful provision of salvation, you will love Him, too, and you will want to spend your life in thanksgiving and service. This is what motivates us--Joy! Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you so that My Joy may be in you." (John 15:11)

                                Tell me more about the Gospel

Sadly, not all churches believe or preach the Gospel. We live in a fallen sinful world, and not all men are honest or sincere. We not only find conflicts in the Bible, but Scripture itself tells us to beware of such men, to mark them, and even to avoid them. Many men speak naively of unity. But True Christian Unity is based on our own unity with God Himself:
• The Apostle John wrote: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ... If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." (I John 1:3-6)
• "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." (I John 3:10)
• "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; ...: from such withdraw thyself." (I Timothy 6:3-5)

Nonetheless, we make every attempt to think the best of our brethren, and to seek cooperation as far as possible, for our unity does truly glorify God in a broken world. 

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What does "Presbyterian" mean?

This means the church is ruled by elders. The Greek word "presbuteros" means presbyters, or elders. These are the spiritual men (usually older and wiser, and therefore called elders) who are appointed by God and elected by the people. In the Presbyterian system of government, there is neither pope nor anarchy, but spiritual leaders who are ordained by spiritual authorities, yet who are answerable to their flock and to the church at large.

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In the 16th Century, all of Europe was in political disarray as the Reformation period called into question the established feudalistic powers. Scotland was caught in an age-long struggle for independence from England, where "Bloody" Mary Tudor sat on the throne. The Scottish barons sought some forms of self-rule. The leader who came to the fore was John Knox, who prayed, "Give me Scotland, or I die." His faith was rewarded. Queen Mary said of him, "I fear John Knox more than all the armies of Scotland." His vision was to reform the church and the country according to the teachings of the Bible alone. In 1560, the Scottish barons, convinced by the Biblical teaching of Knox and other reformers, voted to form a church ruled in the Biblical way — rule by elders with only Christ as Head of the Church, ruling by His Word and Spirit. Thus began the Presbyterian Church, which has spread throughout the world. There is no worldwide organization, because it depends on Christ's spiritual rule by spiritual leaders within each culture. 
        Where did they get these ideas? John Huss had called for Reform 100 years earlier, as had Savanorolla and others for centuries, but they were persecuted. In 1517, Luther called everyone to return to the Bible as the Source for our knowledge of God and our practices, and people began to listen. Germany and Scandinavia reformed their ways under Luther and Melanchthon. Switzerland did under Calvin and Zwingli. The French did under Bucer and Calvin, as did the Dutch, English and Scots. The same types of churches were formed across Continental and Eastern Europe, taking the name "Reformed" for their moral and religious reform. All of western culture still benefits from this heritage.

What does it mean to be a "Church member"?

Church membership does not signify salvation. It is a means of recognizing publicly those who have made a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. This is called the Covenant Body, not because of our promise to God, but because of His promises to us. By using the external sign of Baptism which is given by God, the World can tell who has and who has not been baptized and joined the church, and who can vote and hold office in the church. In our church, the following vows are taken by all members and all seeking adult baptism, so that our profession is unified:

1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?
2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?
3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?
4. Do you promise to support the church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?
5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the church, and promise to study its purity and peace? 

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Details

Category: Theology

Published: 18 March 2008