WhatIsAPresbyterian - Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church

Most people can hardly spell it, let alone define it!

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But it really isn't all that complicated. The word "presbyter" means elder, and a Presbyterian church is a church which is governed by elders, who are elected by their fellow members to "rule over them in the Lord." That's why they are called ruling elders.

To be a Presbyterian, then, is to belong to a church that has a representative form of government. At the same time, we Presbyterians do have a system of doctrine, which has its own distinct emphasis, stemming from the teachings of John Calvin, the founder of the Reformed branch of Christendom. Calvinistic theology is rooted and grounded in the scriptures and appeals to both the mind and the heart. It is logical, comprehensive and intellectually sound, with a strong emphasis on education.

Appealing as it does to the individual conscience, Calvinism has produced vigorous champions of social justice, while dealing at the same time with the most profound questions of personal faith. It places great emphasis on the sovereignty of God, who is Lord of all dimensions of life.

There are certain beliefs that Presbyterians hold in common with most Christians, most importantly a common faith in and allegiance to Jesus Christ, whom we accept as our personal Lord and Savior. With other Protestants we believe in justification by faith, which means that we are justified before God not by our good works, but by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe in the priesthood of all believers, which means that all Christians, whatever their vocations, are called to be ministers of Christ to their fellow human beings.

We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of the church, and where he is, there is the true church, the signs of which are seen whenever the word of God is truly preached and the sacraments are rightly administered. We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that the only infallible guide for our faith and life is the Holy Spirit speaking through the scriptures.

Our constitution declares that God alone is Lord of the conscience and acknowledges that good folks may differ in their opinions. But our beliefs must always be guided by the truth of God, as it is revealed in the Bible. To be a Presbyterian, therefore, demands a commitment of the mind, as well as the heart. Presbyterianism is for thinking persons. It challenges us to know why we believe, as well as what we believe, so we can say that we believe with integrity.