Structure

The word Presbyterian comes from the Greek word “presbuteros” which simply means “elder”.  This reflects the fact that the Presbyterian denomination is committed to congregations being lead by a team of elders (instead of one person calling all the shots).  Each congregation is led by a pastor (or minister) and a team of elders, sometimes called the Session.

Each congregation in the Presbyterian system is relatively autonomous. We are responsible for our own finances and appointing our own leadership. There is a constitution that stipulates how our finances are to be organized, our leadership structured, etc; while allowing freedom in matters such as how our Sunday morning meetings run.

History

The Presbyterian denomination has its roots in the Reformation in Europe in the 1500′s and Scotland in the 1600’s.  Prior to the Reformation there was one church in Western Europe, the Roman Catholic Church.  Throughout the whole of Europe people began to react against what the Catholic Church was teaching and the way it wielded power.

In Scotland, the church got right back to basics.  They started a very simple church with a strong commitment to the Bible and moving away from the idea of power being vested in one man (the Pope overall, the priest in each parish).

In Australia in 1977, about half the congregations in the Presbyterian denomination voted to leave and form a new denomination called the Uniting Church (combining with some Methodist and Congregational Churches).  Those who decided to remain did so for various reasons.  One of the major concerns being that the Uniting Church did not seem to have the same commitment to the authority of the Bible.

Theology

Our attitude to the Bible is Evangelical. The Bible is God’s Word to us. This means our teaching is focused on understanding the Bible – from the small detail, to the broad sweep of how the whole Bible fits together.

We are committed to the gospel – the good news about salvation which is only found in Jesus. The gospel is the most important thing we can share with people.

Along with other churches coming out of the reformation the founders of the Presbyterian denomination adopted the motto: “Faith alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone”. They also drew up a “statement of faith” that outlines the important beliefs of the Christian faith.  This document is called the “Westminster Confession” (drawn up after the Reformation in the 1640′s).

In 1901 when the Presbyterian Church of Australia was formed it adopted a with a Declaratory Statement clarifies the way in which the “Westminster Confession” is understood by the PCA – it states that leaders are not required to hold to “non-essential” doctrines in “Westminster Confession” and the Declaratory Statement affirms and explains the key doctrines of the reformed faith.

Ministers and elders (but not all members) are required to assent to “the WCF read in the light of the Declaratory Statement”. However the Declaratory Statement and the Westminster Confession itself recognizes that the only authority over Christians and what they believe is God’s Word (the Bible). Members are not required to agree to a doctrinal statement, only that you know and love the Lord Jesus. Elders and pastors must agree to “the key beliefs” of the Westminster Confession of Faith.

structure, history & theology