Our Beliefs and Practices

What do we believe at Park Presbyterian Church?

Some of our beliefs are shared by all Christians, while some beliefs are in keeping with other Protestants. Finally, some of our other beliefs grow out of our Presbyterian heritage.

Here is a snapshot:

What We Believe with All Christians

We believe in the mystery of a triune God. Like other Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians, we believe that there is one God who has been revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and who is our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.

We believe that God became one of us, in Jesus Christ. This belief, again shared with all Christians, is the supreme demonstration of God’s desire to be with us.  We are not alone. God comes to us.

What We Believe with Other Protestants

We believe that we are justified by grace through faith. 

What does this mean?

The Bible calls us to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  We believe we fail to do this completely, however—in a word, we sin.  As a result, we are estranged from a God who is holy and perfect.  The decision of Jesus Christ—the Son of God—to die upon the Cross enables us to be placed back into a relationship with God—or to be justified in the sight of God.  We do not deserve this justification—it is an act of unmerited grace.  By trusting in what Jesus Christ has done for us, we believe are raised to new life, here and now.  We also believe we can look forward to everlasting life beyond this earthly existence.

We believe in the Authority of Scripture. 

The Bible lies at the center of our Christian faith. It is the lens through which we know God, know who we are, and know how we must live. As such, we place a primacy upon the teachings of Scripture.  We believe there is an inexhaustible richness to Scripture—that Scripture can be understood in a variety of ways, for example.  This belief underpins our life-long study of Scripture.   

What We Believe as Presbyterians

We believe in the sovereignty of God.  God—and God alone—is the source and power of all that exists.  In this same sovereignty, God chooses human beings for salvation and for ministry. The grace given to us through the death of Jesus Christ leads us to respond to this fact with lives filled with gratitude and service to others.

We believe that God ministers through all believers in Christ. Scripture shows us—repeatedly—that God enlists every follower of Christ to follow God’s guidance and to spread the news of God’s amazing love in Jesus Christ.    

We believe in faithful stewardship. As we read Scripture, we see the desire of God that human beings care for each other, as well as for the rest of Creation.  We do this through  simple and sustainable living practices, for instance.

We believe we easily worship things other than God. As we read Scripture—and we also examine our own lives—we admit that we often worship things other than the Lord God.  This same practice has a dangerous, trickle-down effect, upon our lives.   

We believe God calls us to transform society. While we remain sinful by nature, we believe God nevertheless enlists—and empowers—us to change the world for the better. This is achieved by pursuing God’s justice in the world.  It is also achieved through living lives that embody the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.