Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) is - -
A New Denomination
The birth date of the Presbyterian Church in America is December 4, 1973. (But our spiritual roots
are in the Protestant Reformation).
We came into existence because we felt strongly the need for a scriptural, evangelical and
Reformed witness for Christ. We wanted to be a part of a denomination which honors God and His Word.
We desired a believing fellowship which is committed to evangelism, Christian education and training as
top priorities in the Church. We felt that ministers and church officers should affirm without compromise
the great biblical beliefs of Christianity.
Many of our churches separated from their denomination because of the compromise of our basic
Christian doctrines. Though we earnestly desired close fellowship with Christians of like mind, we
wanted no part of the National or World Councils of Churches because of their pluralistic theology.
(We are members of the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Churches and the National
Association of Evangelicals.) After years of sincere efforts to call our former denomination to revival
and renewal we were led by God to withdraw and form a new body. The new denomination began with
250 congregations and 50,000 members.
Within a few years it grew to include more than 500 churches with nearly 80,000 members. In 1982
the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod joined with us, bringing almost 25,000 new members
into the P.C.A. fold. As of December 1985, we counted more than 888 churches, with over 151,000
members throughout the United States and Canada. As we approach our 25th Anniversary Year,
we have approximately 1300 churches and over 300,000 members. Of the nine Presbyterian
denominations in North America, the P.C.A. is the fastest growing. Together we are lifting high a banner
of love and testimony to Jesus Christ the Lord, locally and globally.
The elders sit in a "session" This session has the oversight of the faith and life of the local church congregation.
Representatives from the session along with the ordained ministers of the churches compose the
"presbytery." The presbytery has oversight of the ministries of the churches in a given geographical
area. Through the presbytery the work of many churches is coordinated ed and their combined
efforts enable them to extend the Kingdom of Christ much farther than would otherwise be possible.
The local churches also send commissioners - elders and ministers - to the highest court of the Church,
the "General Assembly." The assembly meets annually and enables all the churches to have a voice in
guiding the spiritual and practical affairs of the entire denomination.
In the Presbyterian Church in America the local church owns and controls its property. A church's
relationship with the denomination is based on mutual love and commitment to the Bible, the Reformed
faith, and the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Though a congregation may withdraw from the
denomination at any time by a simple majority vote of its members, we agree that the Bible teaches
that congregations should be yolked in faith and practice and should bind themselves together for the
edification of the whole body of Christ.
Our form of doctrine is also scriptural. As "Presbyterian" refers to our form of government so
"Reformed" denotes our doctrinal beliefs. We stand in the ancient heritage of true-to-the-Bible
theology. We earnestly strive to follow Christ and His Apostles. We believe that the purest expressions
of scriptural doctrine are found in the Calvinistic creeds particularly the Westminster Confession of
Faith with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
This means that we believe in the Trinity. There is one God who exists eternally in three Persons the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
We believe that the Bible is the written Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is our infallible and divine authority in all matters of faith and life.
We believe that all men are sinners and are totally unable to save themselves or even to cooperate with
God in efforts to earn their salvation.
We believe that salvation is by God's action alone, who sovereignly chooses out of the fallen race of
mankind those whom He will save. God alone saves the people whom He draws to Jesus by His Holy Spirit.
He convinces them of their sin and enlightens them so that they repent of their sins and trust in Jesus
Christ as He is offered in the Gospel. Because God alone knows who are His, we call on people everywhere
to repent and to trust in Jesus Christ.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who became man and lived and died and rose
again to atone for the sins of those who trust Him alone for their salvation. Jesus Christ is the only
mediator between God and man.
We believe that God's Holy Spirit gives Christians the daily strength and wisdom they need to walk
according to His will and to grow in holiness.
We believe that Jesus Christ shall return personally, visibly, and bodily to judge all mankind and to
receive His people unto Himself.
A Progressive Denomination
We sincerely desire to spread the Gospel to every land, to make disciples and teach them the
faith once for all delivered by God's Church. And we happily serve men in need, resisting man's
inhumanity to man, working for peace, honor, and dignity among all men without discrimination.
We are "conservative," but not old fashioned! We hold to the faith of the Bible and of our fathers,
but we strive to proclaim God's Truth as imaginatively and creatively as possible.
We are busy. Busy about God's work. Starting new churches in the United States and Canada;
supporting small congregations who want a full ministry in their communities; teaching and training
workers and leaders how to study, apply, obey and share the Scriptures; sending missionaries to many
countries throughout the world publishing literature and curricula for individuals, groups, schools, and
churches; caring for retired ministers and their families; sponsoring youth and children's ministries; guiding
men and women and families to a closer walk with the living God.
(This information was taken from the brochure The Presbyterian Church in America Is, published by the
Committee for Christain Education and Publications)
