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Who Are We as Presbyterians?
Who are we?
"In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to
serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we
watch for God’s new heaven and new earth praying, ‘Come Lord Jesus.’" —From a
Brief Statement of Faith
Presbuteros, the Greek word meaning elder, is used 72 times in the New
Testament. It provided the name for the Presbyterian family of churches, which
includes the Reformed churches of the world. Both Presbyterian and Reformed are
synonymous with churches of the Calvinist tradition.
In America, the first presbytery was organized in 1706, the first synod in 1717;
the first General Assembly was held in 1789. Today’s Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) was created by the 1983 reunion of the two main branches of
Presbyterians in America, separated since the Civil War: the Presbyterian Church
in the U.S. and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. The latter had been
created by the union of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the United
Presbyterian Church of North America in 1958.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is distinctly a confessional and a connectional
church, distinguished by the representation of elders—laymen and laywomen—in its
government. The church has a membership of 2,587,674 in all 50 states and Puerto
Rico. Presently there are 11,260 congregations, 20,940 ordained ministers, 1,255
candidates for ministry, and 108,532 elders.
Presbyterians Are BELIEVERS and DOERS
WE BELIEVE — in the Great Ends of the Church, as set forth in our Book of Order:
"the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter,
nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of
divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social
righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world."
WE BELIEVE — in a theology of mission, as expressed in the Westminster
Confession of Faith. "Christ hath commissioned his Church to go into all the
world and to make disciples of all nations. All believers are therefore under
obligation . . . to contribute by their prayers, gifts, and personal efforts to
the extension of the Kingdom of Christ throughout the whole earth."
WE DO — mission and its related functions in "good Presbyterian order" through
the structures of our General Assembly, synods, presbyteries, and local
churches, which provide accountability in a connectional system. The chief
agencies of the General Assembly are Office of the General Assembly; General
Assembly Council, which coordinates and provides services for all of the
agencies; Mission Support Services; Congregational Ministries Division; National
Ministries Division; Worldwide Ministries Division; Board of Pensions;
Presbyterian Foundation; Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program; and
Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
WE DO — mission locally, nationally, globally by setting priorities for our
available resources, guided by the emphases given by our General Assembly, the
annual meeting of clergy and lay commissioners who represent the presbyteries of
the church. Through the General Assembly, all Presbyterians have a voice in
setting directions for mission and, through their General Mission Giving, have a
vital responsibility in carrying out what the General Assembly has mandated.
Presbyterians Are ATTUNED To The TIMES
Our style for doing mission is biblically based and historically appropriate. It
builds solidly on our past commitments and mission experience, but it also
adapts to newly emerging needs and to changing relationships in a sensitive
manner. Mission in the United States is decentralized as much as possible,
determined by and administered at the appropriate level of the 16 regional
synods, the 173 presbyteries, and the more than 11,000 congregations. Beyond our
borders, we engage in mission and relations in partnership with churches and
ecumenical bodies in more than 80 countries and territories in Latin American
and the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and
the Pacific.
Our witness, corporately and individually, is rooted in the gospel ministries of
preaching, teaching, healing, and in Christ’s example of advocacy for the poor,
the hungry, and the oppressed.
Presbyterians Are SERVING PEOPLE
As far back as 1837 the General Assembly declared that the church, by its very
nature, is a missionary society whose purpose is to share the love of God in
Jesus Christ in word and deed and with all the world. Witnessing to the good
news of Jesus Christ throughout the world, Presbyterians engage in mission
activities, seek to alleviate hunger, foster self-development, respond to
disasters, support mission works, preach the gospel, heal the sick, and educate
new generations for the future. In partnership with more than 150 churches and
Christian organizations around the world, the missionary efforts of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) involve approximately 1,000 volunteers and
compensated personnel. A host of other dedicated workers includes: mission
specialists and contract associates; Presbyterian Church members working for
overseas employers, recognized as having strategic roles with missionary intent;
binational servants, who advocate the insights of one culture while living in
another; overseas Christians enabled by Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) funds and
ecumenical planning to go in mission with congregations and presbyteries in the
United States.
Presbyterians Are CARING PEOPLE
The 1999 General Assembly mission program allocation for the national and
international work of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is approximately $124.5
million. Besides annual receipts from congregations and income from endowments,
additional special funds are received each year that make particular ministries
possible. These include funds received through Selected Giving Programs and the
Special Gifts Program, through the Hunger Fund, Presbyterian Women’s Birthday
Offering (spring) and Thank Offering (fall), and through four special churchwide
offerings: One Great Hour of Sharing, divided among Presbyterian World Service,
Self-Development of People, and the Presbyterian Hunger Program; the Christmas
Joy Offering, which supports racial ethnic schools and assistance programs of
the Board of Pensions; the Peacemaking Offering to support peace education and
peacemaking efforts throughout the denomination; and the Pentecost Offering to
support ministries with youth and young adults and children at risk.
Presbyterians Are LOOKING TOWARD The 21ST CENTURY
Presbyterians are facing the 21st century with a vision of ministry that is
vibrant and inviting and reflects the love and justice of Jesus Christ.
The denomination has set four mission priorities for the next phase of our life
as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):
Evangelism — We are called to invite all people to repentance and faith in Jesus
Christ, by working for growth and renewal of individuals and congregational
families of faith.
Justice — We are called to redress wrongs in every aspect of life and the whole
of creation, working with the poor and the powerless, whom Jesus loves, even at
risk to our corporate and personal lives.
Spiritual Formation — We are called to study and reflect on Holy Scripture,
praying with one another for insight and clarity, so that the Holy Spirit might
mold our lives more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ, the living word.
Partnership — We are called to forge a vital partnership with one another,
marked by mutual respect, openness, daily repentance, and forgiveness.
With the knowledge that in life and death we belong to God, the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) continues the journey with hope and confidence as we move toward
a third century of witness and service to a world in need of love.
Return to What Presbyterians Believe
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