Loch Raven Presbyterian Church (LRPC) exists to protect, pursue, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. LRPC is Christian, Reformed, and Presbyterian.
Christian
As a Christian church, we are followers of Jesus Christ. We believe that the Bible is the holy, inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. As God’s Word, we believe the Bible is sufficient, clear, authoritative, and necessary in all things pertaining to life and salvation. As Christians, we are saved by believing the good news of the gospel, that Jesus Christ came to save a sinful and disobedient people, and make them his own. Jesus lived obediently, died faithfully, rose from the dead victoriously, ascended to the right hand of the Father powerfully, and will come again gloriously. In his ascension, he has not left us alone, but has poured out his Holy Spirit upon his church and continues to work in and through us for his purposes. These truths change everything about how we live.
See the Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed
Reformed
As a Reformed church, we embrace and teach the five solas of the Reformation (Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, to the glory of God alone). We believe that the whole Bible is best understood through covenant theology. And we believe in the importance of creeds and confessions to connect us to the church historically and to direct us in how we should serve and worship God.
For a helpful introduction to Covenant Theology see this article by Dr. Ligon Duncan; the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 7 explains covenants in more detail.
Presbyterian
As a Presbyterian church, we believe that the Scriptures must shape our beliefs, our worship, and our government. Denominationally, we belong to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The founding motto of the PCA provides a vision for what we strive to be as a church: “Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission.”
The Constitution of the PCA is subject to and subordinate to the Scriptures and consists of the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms and the Book of Church Order.
