Solus Christus
Soli Deo Gloria
WE ARE PROTESTANT IN OUR WITNESS
The great Protestant Reformation of the 17th Century brought
the Church of Jesus Christ back to the teachings
of the
Bible. Luther's desire was for people to have the Bible
and to read it - Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone!
They turned to God's Word and that is our witness in the
Twenty-first Century.
WE ARE REFORMED IN DOCTRINE
Chapter one of the Westminster Confession of Faith, produced
by the Westminster Assembly in London, 1643-47, is devoted
to the subject of the Bible: "All which are given by
inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life."
Reformed doctrine is historic Christianity, emphasizing
the sovereignty of God and the complete trustworthiness
of the Scriptures. This is the faith held by Calvin, by
Knox and the great American Presbyterian pioneer, Francis
Makemie. The Westminster Confession of Faith, and Larger
and Shorter Catechisms are what we call our "subordinate
standards," that is, the systematized statement of
the teachings of the Bible.
WE ARE EVANGELISTIC AND MISSIONARY
IN PRACTICE
The Bible Presbyterian Church preaches the gospel without
addition or subtraction. It is the good news that Christ
died to save sinners.
Believing that all are lost and under the wrath of God,
we are with the Apostle Paul, "Ambassadors for Christ,"
(II Corinthians 5:20), seeking to preach the whole "counsel
of God." (Acts 20:27)
Evangelism and missionary work are always practiced within
a Biblical context. Our methods and our message arise from
the Bible. We believe evangelism must issue into discipleship
and church planting.
It was modernism on the foreign mission fields in the Presbyterian
Board of Foreign Missions that became the point of issue
in 1933. Men, such as Dr. J. Gresham Machen, exposed the
teaching of unbelief on the missions fields, but when nothing
was done about it, these faithful men preferred to lose
all and be true to Christ. This church, therefore takes
seriously the command of Christ to preach the true gospel
at home and abroad.
WE ARE PRESBYTERIAN IN CHURCH
GOV'T MAY WE SUM UP THIS WAY?
"And they ordained them elders in every church…"
Acts 14:23
Believing that the Scriptures give is a pattern for orderly
church government, the Bible Presbyterian Church has a representative
form of government. There are "ruling elders"
(officers who make up the church session, along with the
pastor), and there are "teaching elders" (another
name for the church pastor). The ruling elders are representatives
of the congregation and each has an equal vote with the
pastor on all matters to come before the session. Elected
by the congregation, the session has the responsibility
of maintaining the purity and peace of the church. This
was the practice in the time of Moses and in the time of
the Book of Acts.
The Bible Presbyterian Church carries on the witness of
Biblical Presbyterianism in the United States. We extend
our hand of fellowship and co-operation to other separated
groups. We are part of the American Council of Christian
Churches, founded in 1941, as a Biblical alternative to
the National Council of Churches. We oppose the inclusivist
ecumenical movement and those who compromise with it.
We are a confessional church, standing in the line of historic
Christianity. With Paul, we preach "Jesus Christ and
him crucified," (I Corinthians 2:2), labor to "perfect
(or equip') the saints,' (Ephesians 4:12), and are "set
for the defense of the gospel" (Philippians 1:17).
We have regular meetings of out presbyteries (made up of
several churches) and an annual general synod, to which
there is representation from all presbyteries, by ministers
and elders from each church.