ABOUT PRESBYTERIANS
Presbyterians are followers of Jesus Christ. The Presbyterian Church was founded on the ideals of leaders Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox. Presbyterians are part of a church structure that is founded on a concept of democratic rule under the Word of God.
The word "Presbuteros" means elder and refers to the custom of choosing leaders from among the wisest members of the church.
Authority in the Presbyterian Church resides with those who the congregation elects to serve.
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The local leadership body is the Session. It is comprised of elders who serve as the chairpersons of different committees. The Session oversees the day-to-day work of the church. The Session approves the annual budget and makes many of the key decisions of the church. The Pastor is the moderator of the Session.
In the Presbyterian Church, USA [PC(USA)], there are four governing bodies.
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The Session: (local)
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The Presbytery: (local churches together form a Presbytery: all Utah Presbyterian churches are part of the Presbytery of Utah)
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The Synod: (a regional body of several Presbyteries: (the Presbytery of Utah is a member of the Synod of the Rocky Mountains)
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The General Assembly: (the national governing body in Louisville, KY)
PRESBYTERIAN BELIFES AT A GLANCE
God
The Father, Creator of the Universe, 1st person of the Trinity
Jesus Christ
The Son of God, the incarnation of God on Earth, 2nd person of the Trinity
Holy Spirit
The presence of God in the world and in us as believers, 3rd person of the Trinity
The Church
The company of Christ’s followers
Forgiveness of Sin
Made possible by the crucifixion of Christ on the cross
Life Everlasting
Because of Jesus’ resurrection
Because He lives, we live eternally too
Bible
The inspired Word of God
WHAT WE BELIEVE
The Brief Statement of Faith which follows was adopted by the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1983. It serves as an excellent summary of the core beliefs of all PC(USA) churches. Click here to read the Brief Statement of Faith