Welcome
Our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, and our vision is to know Christ and make Him known. This page is here to help you do both. Whether you are new to the Christian faith, exploring what Presbyterians believe, or have been in the church for decades, you will find a place to begin, and places to go deeper.
Everything here is meant to point you back to Scripture and to the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you have a question these pages do not answer, please email us at churchoffice@eagleheightspca.org or ask one of our pastors or elders on any Sunday.
Jump to a section:
1. Start Here: The Gospel
2. The PCA and Presbyterian Government
3. The Westminster Standards and the Creeds
4. Reformed Theology: What We Believe and Why
5. Practical Doctrine for Daily Life
6. Apologetics: Giving a Reason for Our Hope
7. Worship Resources
8. Family Worship and Children
9. Church History
10. Recommended Reading
1. Start Here: The Gospel
The apostle Paul writes that the gospel "is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). The gospel is not mainly advice about how to live better. It is the good news that God, in his grace, has done for sinners what they could never do for themselves.
In brief:
- God is holy, and we are sinners. We were made to know and honor God, but we have rebelled against him and cannot save ourselves (Romans 3:23).
- Jesus Christ is the Savior. The eternal Son of God became man, lived the perfect life we have not lived, and died in the place of sinners, bearing the penalty for our sin. He rose bodily from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
- Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
- The gospel changes all of life. Those who trust Christ are forgiven, adopted into God's family, and begin a lifelong journey of becoming more like him.
If you would like to talk with someone about this, please contact us or speak with one of our pastors or elders. We would be glad to hear from you.
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2. The PCA and Presbyterian Government
Who we are
Eagle Heights is a local congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The PCA was formed in 1973 by congregations and ministers who wanted to be "Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission." Today it is a national denomination of churches that share a common confession of faith, a common form of government, and a common commitment to missions and church planting.
What the words mean
Evangelical. We proclaim salvation by faith in Jesus Christ and hold to the full authority and trustworthiness of Scripture.
Reformed. We hold to the doctrines recovered in the Protestant Reformation, summarized in the Westminster Standards. Scripture, not tradition, is the final authority for faith and life.
Presbyterian. The word comes from the Greek presbyteros, meaning "elder." Our church is governed by elders elected by the congregation, not by a single individual or by a distant hierarchy.
How our government works
Presbyterian government is representative and connectional. Churches are not isolated; they are bound together under shared accountability.
Session. The pastors (teaching elders) and ruling elders of the local church oversee its spiritual life: worship, doctrine, discipline, and pastoral care.
Deacons. Deacons lead the church's ministry of mercy and practical service, and care for its physical needs.
Presbytery. The elders of the churches in a region meet together. Eagle Heights belongs to [NAME] Presbytery.
General Assembly. Representatives from every presbytery meet annually to address matters affecting the whole denomination.
The PCA's Book of Church Order sets out how this government, discipline, and worship are to function. All of it is meant to serve one end: that Christ would be honored as the head of his church.
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3. The Westminster Standards and the Creeds
Our Confession
The Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms were produced by the Westminster Assembly in England in the 1640s. They are the doctrinal standards of the PCA. They are a carefully reasoned summary of what the Bible teaches, and they are a subordinate standard: Scripture alone is the supreme authority, and the Standards are valued because they faithfully express what Scripture teaches.
PCA ministers and elders affirm that the Standards contain the system of doctrine taught in Scripture, and they preach and teach in accordance with them.
Read the Standards
The Westminster Confession of Faith Thirty-three chapters, beginning with Scripture and ending with the last judgment.
The Shorter Catechism 107 questions and answers, written for teaching children and new believers.
The Larger Catechism 196 questions and answers, a fuller exposition for more mature study, often overlooked, and well worth reading.
The first question and answer of the Shorter Catechism shows what these documents are about:
Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
The Ancient Creeds
Along with churches across the centuries, we also affirm the great ecumenical creeds, which state the church's faith in the Trinity and in Christ:
A way to start
If the Standards feel intimidating, begin small. Read one Shorter Catechism question each week, with its Scripture proofs, and talk it over at dinner.
Go deeper:
- Confessing the Faith: A Reader's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith by Chad Van Dixhoorn
- The Westminster Shorter Catechism for Study Classes by G. I. Williamson
- Shorter Catechism Devotions: Timeless Truths for Today by Robert Cathcart
4. Reformed Theology: What We Believe and Why
Reformed theology is not a collection of slogans. It is an attempt to let the whole Bible speak, and it centers on the greatness and grace of God. A few of its main emphases:
The Authority of Scripture
The Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and our only infallible rule of faith and life. This is why the Westminster Confession begins with Scripture before it speaks of anything else.
The Sovereignty of God
God is the Creator and Lord of all things. He rules history, and nothing happens outside his wise and holy purpose. This is a comfort, not a threat, to those who belong to Christ (Romans 8:28).
The Doctrines of Grace
Often summarized by the acronym TULIP, these describe how God saves sinners:
Total depravity. Sin has affected every part of us, so that we cannot save ourselves.
Unconditional election. God chose a people for himself before the foundation of the world, not because of anything in them.
Limited (definite) atonement. Christ's death actually accomplished the salvation of those the Father gave him.
Irresistible grace. The Holy Spirit effectually calls God's people and brings them to faith.
Perseverance of the saints. Those whom God saves he keeps to the end.
These are rich doctrines, and they are best studied in Scripture and with patient teaching. If you have questions or struggles with any of them, please bring them to us.
Covenant Theology
God deals with his people through covenants, from his promise to Abraham to its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This is why we speak of one people of God across both Testaments, and why we baptize the children of believers as well as believing adults.
Justification by Faith Alone
We are declared righteous before God not because of our works but because the righteousness of Christ is credited to us and received by faith alone. This was the heart of the Reformation.
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