We hold the following ten commitments as core values that are vital to the life of the church:
- Expository preaching – We commit to verse-by-verse study of books, or sections, of God’s Word in its historical context understanding that His Word is first aspect of the ordinary means of grace that is sufficiently applicable to individual hearts each time it is preached. We are unashamedly committed to the Bible, believing the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be inerrant and infallible and our only rule for faith and practice.
- Observance of the sacraments and prayer – We commit to regular observance of the two sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, and also praying with and for one another. We believe these are the second and third aspects of the ordinary means of grace, and with the expository preaching of God’s Word are the principle ways God blesses His people through his church by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Biblical worship – We commit to the regulative principle of worship, which states that God’s Word directs us in how we are to come into His presence in prayer, preaching, and the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. At Andrews Presbyterian Church, worship is considered the highest priority and privilege of the Christian Church. We encourage the flock to worship in a three-fold manner, namely, in public, family, and private worship. Indeed, we believe our confession when it states that:
“God is to be worshipped everywhere, in spirit and truth, as, in private families daily, and in secret, each one by himself; so, more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by His Word or providence, calls thereunto.”
(Westminster Confession of Faith: XXI. 6)
- Inclusive psalmnody – We commit to include the singing of psalms in our worship. We don’t believe in exclusive psalmnody, which is ONLY singing the psalms. Our desire is to draw from the best songs of praise from two millennia of Christendom, including today. Yet, our corporate worship is about the edified mind and the reverent heart celebrating God’s sovereign grace in life’s joy and sorrow through our music. Therefore, we believe there is no better means of grace in song than to sing God’s own psalms on a regular basis.
- Morning and evening worship – We commit to meet together in the morning and then again in the evening to worship on the Lord’s Day giving greater opportunity to grow in our walk with the Lord and to give mutual encouragement to one another.
- High view of the Lord’s Day – We commit to uphold a high view of the Lord’s Day, which means we try to set aside the worldly influences and tasks of every other day in order to keep our focus and meditation on God as best we can.
- Family worship – We commit to the keeping the family together during worship. Although we recognize the need for a nursery at times for infants and toddlers, we also recognize that families are separated enough throughout the week due to worldly cares. We encourage the assimilation of children into worship as quickly as possible so that families can be together worshipping with the church family as much as possible. Inclusive to this, we believe in the biblical principle of the communion of the saints. As such we are deliberately not “program-driven” but intentionally seek to foster genuine community through Christian love, service and fellowship.
- We promote the simple Christian life, that is, one where private and family worship are central in everyday home life. Private worship (personal devotions) and family worship help prepare the entire household for a more God-centered, Christ-exalting, and Spirit-filled observance of the Lord’s Day.
- Biblical evangelism – We commit to seeking out God’s elect through evangelistic efforts recognizing that no church can start, or grow without the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost. However, we understand evangelism and mission to be more than just an event facilitated by a church or the handing out of a gospel tract. The end goal of our evangelistic endeavors, whether at home or abroad, is not simply to get people to make a decision or pray the sinner’s prayer. Rather, it is to lead people to committed church membership and a lifetime of repentance and faith in Christ through the ordinary, yet life-transforming, ministry of the Word, sacraments, and prayer.
- Emphasis on church membership – We commit to hold each other accountable in making use of our gifts recognizing that each person has a unique quality to offer the church family. Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). At Andrews Presbyterian Church we encourage strong unity and loving hospitality. We firmly believe that as Christ and His Word remain central, God’s people will stand faithfully with, and for, one another.
- Mercy ministries – We commit to serving our community by ministering to the poor, hungry, thirsty, widowed, orphaned, broken spirited, downtrodden, weary, and heavy laden by meeting worldly needs as best we can and meeting spiritual needs through sharing the One who promises rest in Him.
Andrews PCA 