What We Believe
Northside Presbyterian Church adheres to the following beliefs.
Reformed Tenants
- Sovereignty
- Election
- We believe that God has first acted on our behalf with grace and faithfulness
- Covenant
- Fancy theological word for the relationship God has with us: 100% committed in love!
- Stewardship
- Everything we have belongs to God. We simply act as stewards of it.
-
Sin
- Broadly defined as worshiping anything other than God. Leads to brokenness in human lives and relationships. Also understood as "Not the way it's supposed to be" by Cornelius Plantinga.
- Obedience
Core Beliefs
- God Alone is Lord of
the Conscious
- Anything not contrary to the Word of God is between you and God. For anyone to tell you dogmatically you must take a certain position on something is to betray the true liberty you have in Jesus Christ.
- Jesus Christ is Lord
- Jesus is the the way, the truth, and the life. Offering guidance for those who would be his disciples and leading them into the abundant life God has prepared for us.
- Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the
Inspired and Authoritative Word of God
- God has spoken and continues to speak through the words of Scripture. Likewise, the words of Scripture carry God's authority and should be handled responsibly. Responsibility to God's Word means being educated about it, reading it in context, and sharing with other believers so edification and correction may take place.
- Sacraments
- Baptism
- Baptism is the sign that we have been claimed by God and welcomed into God's family through the grace of Jesus Christ. We believe that baptism is a sacrament of our Lord Christ - not dependent upon the church or the minister doing the baptism. We recognize all baptisms done in the trinitarian formula (In the name of the "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit") by a Christian Church.
- Communion (a.k.a. The Lord's Supper, or The
Eucharist)
- Communion is a sacrament of Jesus Christ enacted the
last night he was with his disciples before his
death and resurrection. In communion, we receive not
only the bread and wine, but we are reminded of
God's covenant actions to show us his love and make
us citizens of the Kingdom of God. During communion
we are fed and nourished spiritually by Christ who
is present in a very special way when his followers
are gathered together celebrating this meal.
Therefore, communion is always a public occasion.
- Communion is a sacrament of Jesus Christ enacted the
last night he was with his disciples before his
death and resurrection. In communion, we receive not
only the bread and wine, but we are reminded of
God's covenant actions to show us his love and make
us citizens of the Kingdom of God. During communion
we are fed and nourished spiritually by Christ who
is present in a very special way when his followers
are gathered together celebrating this meal.
Therefore, communion is always a public occasion.
- Baptism
Statements of Faith
- We hold the twelve creeds contained within the Presbyterian Book of Confessions to be statements of faith bearing witness to God's grace in Jesus Christ. These statements also serve to identify who and what the church is, what it believes, and what it resolves to do as it works out faith in Jesus Christ in the world.
- These statements are not binding rules of faith, however, they do bear witness to the faith of men and women who have gone before us. Although historical, the faith represented is not locked in the past. Rather, these faithful words still find meaning and life for Christ's church today.
- Follow this link to view the Book of Confessions online, download a digital copy for free, or purchase a paper copy.