What Do Presbyterians Believe?

First Presbyterian Church of Miles City, Montana is part of the PC(USA) denomination which you can learn more about here. While there are certain beliefs we hold to be true at our core, we are also a diverse community of people who come from different backgrounds, life experiences, and even sometimes different religious traditions. We celebrate this diversity as an expression of God's varied grace in its many forms, revealed through his church, and we are committed to creating a climate of affirmation and acceptance in the midst of our differences.

 

God-- With all Christians everywhere, we believe God exists for all eternity in relationship with himself as a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As those created in God's image, we are called to live in relationships of love with God, neighbor, and the creation.

 

Jesus-- With all Christians everywhere, we believe Jesus is fully human and fully God, two natures in one person, in order that through his life, death, resurrection, ascension, and return, Jesus can and will be the bridge between God and humanity to forgive all our sin, heal all our brokenness, and restore us to right relationship with God, one another, and the world.

 

The Holy Spirit--We believe the Holy Spirit to be the author and perfecter, or the one who completes our faith through various spiritual gifts that we have been given to serve our community and beyond. We are a Spirit empowered congregation worshiping Jesus to the Glory of God the Father.

 

Salvation--With Christians sharing the Protestant tradition, we believe salvation is by God's grace alone which is received through faith alone and not by our own works. Scripture alone is our sole, unique authority in matters of faith and practice. Finally, we believe in the priesthood of all believers (that there is no distinction in God's eyes between clergy and laity and that all Christians have direct access to God through Jesus Christ.)

 

Scripture-- With Christians sharing the Reformed Tradition, we are the Church Reformed, always reforming according to the Word of God, which means that our life together is to be shaped/formed by Scripture and forever reformed (changing) by Scripture through the Holy Spirit. As new challenges present themselves, we are always reforming. However, this reform is never merely what we want but always according to Scripture.

 

Discipleship-- With Christians sharing the reformed tradition, we believe that God's character is one of Majesty and Mystery, Sovereignty and Providence, Mercy and Justice. The Lord is God and thus able to create, sustain, rule, and redeem. Therefore, we believe in election for salvation and service (meaning simply that before we could ever say "yes" to God, God says "yes" to us); covenant life directed by the Word; faithful stewardship of all our gifts; and the recognition of human brokenness which calls us to work for justice in society.

 

Church—The Church consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true faith, and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God. The Great Ends of the Church are: 1) the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; 2) the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the people of God; 3) the maintenance of divine worship; 4) the preservation of the truth; 5) the promotion of social righteousness; 6) the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.