First Presbyterian Church - What We Believe

Who We Are and What We Believe

We are a diverse group of people united by our faith in Jesus Christ, our commitment to ministry and mission in his name, and our support for each other. We respect each other and value openness and honesty before God. So, we do not have just one way of putting our faith into words. We welcome questions and insights that come from people with a variety of life experiences as we seek a biblical and living faith in Christ.

We are Protestant Christians in the Reformed Tradition. Within Protestant Christianity, we trace our heritage back to Geneva, Switzerland, to John Calvin and the other forebears of the Reformed churches. Reformed faith and theology are not, however, fixed and static. We appreciate the motto of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Ecclesia Reformata Semper Reformanda, which means, "the church reformed, always reforming." Christ is always calling us forward in faith and service.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a confessional church with eleven historic creeds and confessions collected in our Book of Confessions. Even that book is fluid. More confessions may be added in time, as new generations of Presbyterians take stands and express their faith in Jesus Christ in terms that speak to present needs of the church and the world. We cannot simply repeat the faith of our ancestors.

Presbyterians have always emphasized the grace of God in every part of our belief and practice. Grace is freely given love and mercy. For this reason, Presbyterians have insisted upon the absolute sovereignty of God, meaning God is Lord of all and is completely free, without obligation of any kind to human beings. The purpose of insisting upon God's sovereignty, however, is not to make God seem remote, cold, or uncaring. Quite the opposite, we recognize that God is free from obligation to us so we can appreciate God's willingness to care for us, eagerness to love us, and passionate desire for our salvation and wholeness. In Jesus we find God's grace. In his crucifixion and resurrection, we know the triumph of God's compassion for sinful and suffering people.

We know we need to keep growing in faith, hope, and love. We also know we continue to need God's forgiveness. We find our salvation and purpose for living in Jesus Christ as we learn to trust and serve him. Strengthened by God's word and Spirit through the means of grace, we work together and apart to serve Christ in our communities and in the world. We are on the move, and we welcome company in faith's journey.

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