Historically, Presbyterians belong to a family of faith that can be described in two ways:

1. If you talk about how we govern ourselves, we are called Presbyterian - which means ruled by Elders. We have a representative form of government after which the United States government was patterned over 200 years ago.
2. If you talk about what we believe, we are called Reformed. This means that our belief grows out of the Christian faith as it was reformed during the Protestant Reformation.

The Presbyterian family has within it members which are unique and distinctive. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) is Evangelical. We are committed to the Spiritual transformation of the individual as well as sharing the good news of Gods love in Christ.

Perhaps the finest distinctive of the EPC is the spirit of love that characterizes our denomination. Our motto is:

• In Essentials, Unity; In Non-Essentials, Liberty; In All Things, Charity.

We were formed out of a desire to be a Christ-centered, Bible-based and Spirit-led congregation. Our primary task is to lift up the cross of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.

What are our roots?

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church had its beginning in the Reformation under John Calvin, its advancement under John Knox, and its seed was present in 1643 when the Assembly convened that would ultimately develop the Westminster Confession of Faith.

The Civil War had divided the Presbyterians North and South but the heart and soul of evangelical pastors and congregations were evident even as the main bodies of our heritage began to diverge from their historical roots. By the 1970s, forces which had been at work for some generations began to overwhelm the Biblical, historic and orthodox positions of evangelicals. By the Autumn of 1980, a working covenant was made among a group of dedicated individuals to grow a denomination with the following principles of faith and life:

• The primacy of Christ, fully God and fully man, without question or apology.
• The Bible as Gods infallible Word.
• The Westminster Confession as our Biblical and confessional foundation.
• The Presbyterian government as most effective for Christs rule in the Church.
• The Evangelical vitality which expresses itself in life.
• The Spiritual and constitutional freedom essential to the work of the Holy Spirit.
• The Essentials of the Faith summarize what we believe and is available upon request.

It seems obvious that God created the Evangelical Presbyterian Church to be a significant part of His plan for the renewal of America and for witness to the world. It is our conviction that we have been brought to the Kingdom for a time such as this.

For more information:

• Evangelical Presbyterian Church website
• Evangelical Presbyterian Church - Southeast Presbytery