What is a Presbyterian?

"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 2003 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 ENTERING the 21st CENTURY

Presbyterians are entering 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.

Presbyterians . . . as WE BELIEVE, so WE DO.