Biblical and Confessional
We believe that the Bible, contained in the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and living Word of God. By the sovereign power of the Holy Spirit, the Word is the primary means by which the elect are united to the risen Christ and thereafter, in Him, nourished unto eternal life. The Bible alone is the sole rule for our faith and practice.
What we believe about the Bible, however, is contained in the Westminster Confession of Faith which is the official public theology of the church. ALL our ministers and elders happily subscribe to this creedal statement. Along with this we also warmly embrace the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. These documents, though not infallible, are a sound interpretation of biblical doctrine and a faithful expression of the Christian faith.
Presbyterian
We believe that the Bible teaches a Presbyterian form of church government. The word Presbyterian is derived from the Greek word for elder.
The New Testament gives explicit direction for the appointment of a plurality of elders in every church (i.e., Titus 1:5; Acts 20:17), and provides clear qualifications for the office of elder (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). We understand the office of elder to be divided into two distinctive roles, that of ruling elder and teaching elder or pastor (I Timothy 5:17). Both ruling and teaching elders are responsible to provide eager spiritual oversight for every member of their flock (I Peter 5:1-3). However, the teaching elder or pastor is called, in particular, to “work hard at preaching and teaching.” (I Timothy 5:17)
The eldership are responsible to shepherd and feed the flock through spiritual oversight, discipline, doctrine, and the right administration of the sacraments.
The Presbyterian system of government is representative, in which members of the local church are accountable to their session of elders, sessions are accountable to their local presbytery, and presbyteries are accountable to the General Assembly (Acts 15). In an age when moral and doctrinal oversight is rare in the church, God’s prescribed form of shepherding His people exalts His divine wisdom and care.
Reformed
By the word reformed we declare that our church and denomination (PCA) are confessionally and historically rooted in the Protestant Reformation. Under the spiritual leadership of men such as Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox, hundreds of thousands all across Europe broke away from the false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. From the teaching of the Reformers five slogans emerged that provide a summary of the “protest” against Rome.
They teach that:
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SOLA SCRIPTURA |
The Bible alone can bind the conscience of believers and is infallible, inerrant and sufficient. |
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SOLA FIDE |
Justification is by faith alone. The merit of Christ imputed to us by faith is the sole ground of our acceptance by God. |
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SOLUS CHRISTUS |
Christ is the only mediator through whose work we are redeemed. |
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SOLA GRATIA |
Our salvation rests solely on the work of God’s unfathomable grace for us and in us. |
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SOLI DEO GLORIA |
To God alone belongs the glory. |
Our biblical, confessional, Presbyterian, and Reformed beliefs are meant to unite, not divide, Christians under the banner of a robust, loving, humble, repentant, dependant, Christ-centred, Spirit-filled, God-exalting, kingdom-advancing body of believers. We believe in a positive expression of the reformed faith, that is, one that promotes and defends sound doctrine while at the same time exhibits sincere love, joy, humility, patience, and kindness.
For further reading, please see A Doctrinal Summary of the Six Major Divisions of Reformed Theology