Are Presbyterians Christian?

A word about being “Presbyterian”

The guy towing my car was curious. “What church are you the pastor of?” he asked. 

“First Presbyterian Church,” I replied. “The big white church, right there on the corner.”

The driver got a puzzled look on his face and asked a question that I’d never expected. “Presbyterian? So… how is that different from Christian?” Happily, I was able to explain that Presbyterians are very Christian indeed!

The word “Presbyterian” comes from a Greek word that means “Elder.” To put it simply, Presbyterian churches are churches that are led by Elders, elected by the members of the congregation. Elders, though, are not chosen for their age! Elders are men and women who are called by God, through the voice of the congregation, because their lives have demonstrated spiritual maturity and wisdom. In this church, we’ve elected several “elders” who are actually in their 20s. Elders serve three year terms on the “Session,” which is what we call the leadership board of our church.

One distinctive belief of Presbyterians is that all congregations should be in committed relationships with other churches. A group of Presbyterian churches who share ministry together, encourage one another, and are accountable to one another in Jesus Christ is called a “Presbytery.” To put it simply, we Presbyterians believe that we are “better together.”

It is our expectation that very soon this church will be transferring from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to a new community of Presbyterian churches called the “Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.” also known as “ECO.” We will be voting at a special congregational meeting on June 10 at 12:15 pm. For more information about this move, check our literature racks, or visit http://updates.dunellenpres.org.