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IDENTITY STATEMENT
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Vancouver WA
Adopted by the Session
May 26, 2005
Introduction
It is not at all uncommon to find local churches seeking to encapsulate their mission in a single sentence or verse. Such sentences or verses are routinely labeled “purpose statements” and appear on church signs, stationery and business cards. But there is a problem, we believe with this approach to defining the ministry of a local church. The problem is that it really is impossible to capture the purpose of a local church in this fashion. The most this kind of purpose statement can do is reveal, in a very general way, the disposition of a local congregation.
While it may be useful to adopt a verse as your catch-phrase, it really is not possible to convey much information about a church through a single sentence. This is not to say that adopting a verse from Scripture that becomes part of a church’s logo is necessarily a worthless endeavor—not at all. But if a congregation really wants to understand its calling and really wants to convey to others why it exists and what goals it aims to accomplish, then something more than a single sentence is going to be needed.
In our experience as a congregation, until recently, we have not given much thought to this matter of setting forth our mission. We now believe that our congregation needs specific guidance regarding what we are and how we are supposed to operate. Simply put, we need to identify ourselves in light of the teaching of Scripture and the place we presently find ourselves in history. A single verse or a catch-phrase would not be sufficient for what we have in mind. Therefore, we have chosen to produce something more detailed and we’ll call it our Identity Statement.
In this statement, two primary goals are desired: one, we want to say with clarity what we believe we are called to be as a congregation; and two, we want to explain how this perception of our calling will be incorporated into every aspect of our life as a local church. The first of these goals will be met as we turn to the Scriptures to find our primary identity and our primary mission. To that information, we will add what might be gleaned from the history of Protestantism, since we are a Protestant church. The second aim will be met as we apply this information to the various duties and activities in which we engage. In summary, therefore, we want to know what the Bible and history teach us about our identity and how that identity is supposed to be manifested in the life and ministry of this congregation.
In the following paragraphs, we have addressed the question of what we are—first in general terms, relying on the Great Commission, that classic passage in which the Savior declared to us the mission given to us as His followers. Then, becoming more focused in our explanation of our identity, we have defined Westminster in terms of our participation in Protestantism. Finally, becoming even more detailed in our self-expression, we have given attention to Westminster’s character within the Reformed tradition of Protestantism.
We Are a Church with a Calling: The Great Commission and the Nature of Local Church Ministry
Here is a partial list of issues associated with local churches of the New Testament era:
- Competing ministry movements associated with assorted popular teachers
- Various kinds of ministry to the needy, including counseling, shelter, food, etc.
- Developing a judicial philosophy
- Understanding marriage, divorce, and gender-specific roles
- Cultural norms vs. Biblical principles
- The nature of the family
- Civics and civil government
- Church government
- Developing a philosophy of education
- Regulating the worship of God
- Personal piety and morality
- Identifying cults and false religions
- Applying Christian liberty
- Developing a philosophy of history
- Making proper use of spiritual gifts
- The nature and practice of Church discipline
- Individual and corporate finances
- Dealing with physical handicaps
- Philanthropy
- Stewardship of resources, including money and personal abilities
- Parliamentary procedure
- Racism
- Employer-employee relationships
- Conflict with Satan
- Foreign and local missions
- Interpreting so-called “natural disasters”
- Cross-generation relationships
- Developing a philosophy of symbolism and creativity
- Developing a philosophy of communication
We would judge all of these concerns legitimate. The question is, however: What ties all of these matters together? We wouldn’t imagine trying to produce a purpose statement or an identity statement by referring to all of these subjects (and more could have been added). We find a wide variety of issues discussed in the New Testament epistles, which were sent primarily to Christians organized in local congregations. What unites all of these issues? The answer is found when we consider why such things were discussed, why such topics were taught, and why these issues would have been of any concern in the first place. The answer is that all of the matters listed have to do with living according to what God has revealed in His word. Specifically, they all have to do with thinking and acting like a Christian is supposed to think and act.
The topics that were of concern to the local churches of the New Testament era may have been quite varied, indeed, but the goal for such instruction, exhortation, and discussion was always the same—to produce disciples. To take any one of these subjects or any collection of these subjects and try to define what the local church is about would be a mistake. All of these topics flow from that one chief concern, one unifying factor, which is disciple-making. Those who wrote to the churches of the New Testament were aware of the aim of those ministries—the aim had been specified by the Savior sometime before. It was His command that gave shape to the activities and ministries of all those early Christians in all those local congregations.
Following His resurrection and prior to His ascension, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20)
This is known as the Great Commission. Upon the basis of His possession of all authority, the Savior revealed a primary mission for His followers. They were to “make disciples of all nations.” This command implies a very wide array of concerns for the Church and an inevitable world-wide impact. The Church, represented primarily in local congregations, cannot help but become a substantial influence in the world if She remains true to this commissioning.
All agree that the Great Commission assigns to the Church the responsibility to make disciples. A disciple, strictly speaking, is more than a person who simply makes a profession of faith. Discipleship may begin with a profession of belief of the gospel, but it certainly doesn’t end there. A disciple is one who is trained to think and live according to the standards of Christ and how, having been thus trained, engages in ministry (whether informal or formal) as a representative of Christ. Let’s consider precisely, therefore, what the Great Commission requires so that disciples are produced:
First, the Great Commission requires calling.
Jesus said: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…” Christ commissions His Church to preach the gospel, thereby calling sinners to faith and repentance. The local church, therefore, must be concerned about taking the gospel to the lost. We are to have vision that looks beyond our immediate context and into the community in which we live and the world of which we are a part. Outreach, therefore, will be one of the leading characteristics of a local church seeking to obey the Great Commission.
Second, the Great Commission requires equipping.
Jesus said: “… teaching them to observe all that I commanded you …” Christ commissions His Church to train those who are called, thereby equipping them to serve as disciples. This aspect of a local church’s existence is going to be the most time-consuming. It is not enough to be a congregation that emphasizes evangelism and outreach—that is only the beginning of our mission. A local church must also dedicate herself to training in Biblical doctrine. Whatever the Bible teaches is part of the “curriculum,” if you will. Disciples are made when, having come to faith in Christ, they are taught to live according to all He commanded.
Third, the Great Commission requires providing.
Jesus said: “… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” We believe that this phrase implies that we are to recognize Christ’s continuing ministry through His Body; and if that is the case, then we must provide opportunities for who have been trained to be disciples to function as Christ’s representatives. Disciples are the instruments through which the now-exalted Savior carries on His post-resurrection ministry in this fallen world. When believers are instructed in the doctrines of grace, the inevitable response is the thankful and humble heart seeking to serve the Savior. Providing avenues for service is, we believe, a critical aspect of keeping the Great Commission. Disciples are made to serve. A local church, therefore, must guide its members in this area of living for Christ by engaging in ministry.
These three duties define what we are to be concerned about as a local congregation—calling, equipping, and providing. We are to engage in calling sinners to faith by supporting the spread of the gospel. This necessitates an interest in and the promotion of missions. Not only do we want to create an awareness in the congregation of the work of Christ around the world, we also want to encourage our own people to consider serving the cause of the gospel should God so lead them.
Moreover, we are to engage in equipping those who have faith. We do this by providing those in our body with whole-life training. We instruct the congregation in general matters of Christian thinking and living, and we instruct the congregation in specific matters related to their respective positions in life. We offer instruction according to need with the goal being the production of a well-informed and faithful individual functioning properly within whatever station has been assigned by God.
Finally, we are to engage in providing avenues of service to those being trained in the church. This calls for developing a sense of responsibility not only for those in our body, but also those outside out body. We must also think creatively while measuring all things by Scripture. All in all, our goal in carrying out the Great Commission is the redemption of the world, beginning where we are, with ourselves and our families.
While the Great Commission provides us with our fundamental perspective on our identity, history also serves to define this congregation. As we seek to fulfill the Great Commission, as explained above, we do so in the context of a particular relationship and place in history. We are part of the legacy known as the Protestant Reformation. Therefore, Westminster is a local church called to fulfill the Great Commission within the context of the Protestant Reformation.
We Are a Church with a Legacy: The Protestant Reformation and Our Identity
The Reformation of the 16th century was a movement within Western Christendom to purge the Church of medieval abuses and restore the doctrines and practices of apostolic Christianity. This movement led to a break between the Reformers and the Roman Catholic Church. “Protestantism” is the name given to the beliefs and practices of those who left the Roman Catholic Church. Most prominent among the convictions of Protestantism is the belief that the Bible is the sole authority in matters of faith and practice. In carrying out the Great Commission, Westminster does so with reference to our Protestant heritage. This means we strive to ground all aspects of our ministry in the word of God; it means we are committed to the notion that all opinions, ideas, and practices are subject to the teaching of Scripture. Our goal is to judge our labors by the word while seeking to conform our labors to the word.
Not only are we a Protestant congregation, we are, in particular, a Reformed Protestant congregation. We are Reformed in terms of our history, meaning that we trace our ecclesiastical identity to the Reformation; and we are Reformed in terms of our theology. This latter declaration means that we confess and advocate the theological formulations of the Reformation. Specifically, we are a Protestant congregation committed to the system of doctrine found in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. We believe these Standards represent the single best systematic summary of the teaching of Scripture.
It is our belief that to be Reformed is to be Biblical. A commitment to Reformed theology is another way of expressing commitment to the teaching of Scripture as we recognize that only Scripture is ultimately authoritative and must, therefore, inform our thinking and practices. We are dedicated to maintaining and propagating the legacy just described. This dedication mandates a ministry characterized by certain distinctives. Therefore, in all aspects of our ministry, we desire to reflect theological convictions that are clearly Reformed.
We Are a Church with Particular Characteristics: The Commitment to Reformed Distinctives
In this section, we will outline those characteristics that we believe should be present in a ministry based on previously expressed convictions. We have declared that the Great Commission requires us to be engaged in calling the lost to Christ, equipping the saints through training in Biblical doctrine, and providing avenues of service so that those called and equipped may serve. Further, we have said that what the Great Commission requires of us will be manifested in the context of commitment to the guiding principles and doctrinal formulations of Reformed theology. What follows, therefore, is a general overview of a ministry grounded in the Great Commission while reflecting Reformed distinctives.
Our Worship
Worship is the most fundamental obligation of God’s people and is, at the same time, the most satisfying activity in which the redeemed can engage.
We believe:
- that worship is to have the highest priority in terms of our life as a congregation and in terms of our individual commitments
- that God is to be worshiped only according to what He has revealed (cf. Westminster Confession of Faith XXI)
- that our worship of God is to follow Biblical patterns not only in what we do (singing, praying, preaching, etc.), but also in how we do it (with gladness, thankfulness, humility, precision)
- that expository preaching is of central significance in worship
Our View of Scripture
As indicated above, we hold that Scripture alone is the word of God and is, therefore, ultimately authoritative in all matters.
We believe:
- that the Reformation motto sola Scriptura represents what must be the enduring conviction of God’s people regarding His word
- that the hermeneutics of covenant theology is the most suitable approach to understanding the Scriptures
- that encouraging the study of the word—in private, in family settings, and in opportunities provided by the church—is to be a hallmark of our ministry
Our Understanding of the Body
We are to encourage and support the manifestation of those characteristics by which the whole Body of Christ is described in Scripture.
We believe:
- that mutual, self-sacrificial concern for one another is of the essence of communion among the saints in this life
- that, as a body, we are called to the pursuit of holiness in all aspects of life
- that planned fellowship involving all members of the congregation is a fundamental characteristic of a healthy church
- that we must be committed to bearing with one another, forgiving one another as we have been forgiven
- that we are to encourage and utilize the various gifts that reside in the congregation for the good of the body and the glory of God
- that the vows taken for membership represent solemn promises and, therefore, require prolonged consideration before they are assumed and uncompromised fidelity afterwards
Our Understanding of the Family
The Scripture teaches that the local congregation is, generally speaking, a family of families. The essential nature of the family in the overall makeup and mission of the local church requires that our ministry give particular attention to understanding what the Bible teaches about the family.
We believe:
- that the Bible gives clear instruction regarding all the role relationships within the family (e.g., husband to wife, wife to husband, parents to children, children to parents)
- that we must be committed to discipling our families regarding these role relationships
- that we have a particular duty to emphasize the doctrine of male headship in marriage and the family
- that the training of men to lead their households is of the utmost importance to the family and to the church
- that motherhood is a uniquely dignified and fundamental calling
- that Scripture requires parental involvement in the education of covenant children
- that the ministry of the local church is, to a large extent, the ministry of the families of that body
Our View of Church Government
We are Presbyterians by conviction and practice. Rule by representation, which is the heart of Presbyterianism, is taught in both the Old and New Testaments.
We believe:
- that we should be committed to establishing and honoring the offices appointed in the word, namely, those of deacon and elder
- that the office of elder is primarily one of shepherding the people of Christ
- that elders are bound to have equal concern for the doctrine taught in the church and the ongoing development of all households in the congregation
- that the office of deacon is one of service
- that deacons are called primarily to a ministry of mercy
- that the deacons are to guide the congregation in the development of mercy ministry convictions and opportunities
Our General View of Ministry
There are general characteristics that should be observed in the local church that is rightly grounded in Scripture. The overriding emphases of the word should be detected in a congregation’s demeanor and approach to ministry.
We believe:
- that we are called to preserve and promote Biblical doctrine in the tradition of the Protestant Reformation at every level of ministry
- that every aspect of our ministry should be conceived in and designed to reflect the glorious grace of God
Our Service to One Another and the Community
Fulfilling the Great Commission requires that we look within the Church and without. We must give attention to those who are being trained as disciples and those who are yet to be called as disciples.
We believe:
- that Christ is our best example of how to respond to needs in the Body and outside the Body
- that Biblical priorities and principles must be maintained as we engage in ministry in the church and outside the church
Conclusion
These declarations represent our understanding of key aspects of ministry in the local church. Our intention is to have these convictions serve as guides as we continue to refine and define the ministry of Westminster Presbyterian Church.
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HO ARE WE?
WOMEN'S PRAYER CIRCLE (1PM)