Sometimes people ask us about our name. It’s long and a little unusual, especially if you are new to Christianity, the history of Presbyterianism, or Reformed theology.

If you’re curious about our name, this page is for you.

Covenant

A covenant is a solemn promise that creates a relationship. Two people get married, for example, because of covenant promises. This is a great example because marriage is one way the Bible describes the church’s relationship with Jesus.

So the word covenant helps us to remember God’s solemn promises to us in Christ. Out of his love and grace, he has promised to care for us, even save us. And not just until death, as we say when two people get married‚ but he promises to love us even through death and into eternity!

Orthodox

You may have heard that the Christian church is falling apart. That a rottenness has set into the church. That the essential core of Christianity is missing and only the shell remains.

Sadly, this is true. For the sake of money, power, influence, and the other things of the world, many people who would call themselves Christians neither live as Christians nor affirm even the most basic truths of Christianity.

False Christianity will steal your hope from you and is as dangerous as any other villain. We oppose it. Not because we are proud, but because we are desperate. You can’t be saved by a rope that will break. And orthodox Christianity—the Christianity that teaches the old, deep truths of God, as truths of God and straight from the Bible—will never break.

Presbyterian

The word presbyterian comes from a Greek word meaning “elder.” It describes how our church is run.

Simply put, we believe that the only head of the church is Jesus Christ and that he has appointed people under him to rule in his church in his name.

These rulers are like the elders of a tribe. They must be godly men who are capable in leading the people of God. They do so not for fame or power, but out of love and service to Jesus and his people.

Church

The church is similar to other institutions.

Like a club, people share common interest. Like a nation, it has a king (Jesus) and a constitution (the Bible). Like a movement, it has a mission. Like a business, it helps people in their lives. Like a family, it is bound together with the intimate bonds of brothers and sisters.

But the church is also different from these institutions. Though a family, it is spiritual rather than biological. Though a kingdom, it is not of this world. Though a movement, it never shifts and cannot fail. Though a club, it doesn’t just share a common interest: it lives a common life.

Perhaps the most distinctive thing about a church is that at its core it is a body made for worship. It is an organism and institution designed for glorifying God and enjoying him forever.