Who We Are

We are Reformed

     The Reformation was a period of time in the history of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ in which a call went out for a return to biblical practices based upon biblical principles from the additions and accretions that had crept into the church over the centuries. The great issue of salvation was at stake. The Bible’s teaching was clearly set forth in the five principles of the Protestant Reformation. The cry of the reformers was that man’s salvation was tied up in these scriptural ideas:

• Sola Gracia (by grace alone). God’s grace to us in the Person of Jesus Christ is the sole ground of our salvation.
• Solo Christo (by Christ alone). Christ’s life and death are the sole basis of our acceptance with God.
• Sola Fide (by faith alone). The Holy Spirit’s gift of faith in the objective gospel is the sole means of our receiving Christ’s substitutionary life and death on our behalf. Faith is the means by which God imputes justification to us.
• Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone). The Bible alone is our objective and infallible rule of faith and practice.
• Soli Deo Gloria (for God’s glory alone). The ultimate purpose of all of life is to bring glory to God.

We are Presbyterian

     Presbyterianism comes from the Greek word that means “rule by elders.” Once established, our church will be governed by Ruling Elders elected from among the male members of the congregation. Together with the pastor, or Teaching Elder as he is called, they make up the Session, the governing body of the local church.
 

We are Vanguard Presbytery

     Our denomination, Vanguard Presbytery, came into being in 2020.

     By the grace of God, Vanguard Presbytery will become a continuing reformed Presbyterian denomination. Whatever the final name of the denomination, it will be a grass-roots, presbyterian denomination committed to discipling the nations in the power of the Holy Spirit.

      First and foremost, we undertake this labor for the glory of the Triune God (Colossians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 10:31), fully aware that only His undeserved favor (Ephesians 2:8,9) will bring this vision of ministry to reality. We live in a world of great darkness. We understand that Christ’s call to disciple the nations is an utter impossibility without the presence and pervasive power of the Holy Spirit coming upon our preaching, evangelizing, teaching, exhorting, discipling, leading, giving, counseling, church planting, mercy ministry, and world missions. Why? Because people are dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-3). None understand, none seek for God. There is none righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10ff).

     Our world is no different than the world of the Lord Jesus and His apostles when they walked upon the earth. We know that the darkness of our world takes many forms, including the dissolution of the nuclear family, drug and alcohol addiction, pornography, homosexuality, transgenderism, idolatry, racism and bigotry all over the world, corruption in the public and private sectors. Without the power of the Holy Spirit we will simply continue our slide into Sodom. The awareness of this darkness moves us to a sense of desperation, an intolerable burden, an intense agony, grief, and alarm at the status quo in our personal lives, in our families, in the church, and in the world. Therefore we are cognizant of our need daily to surrender totally to the only One who can save and sanctify us, our Lord Jesus Christ.

     So while we are very aware of the darkness of our day, while we know that unless Jesus “shows up” by the Spirit we are doomed, we nonetheless, in our surrender to God have an unwavering faith and confidence that He can do far above what we could ever ask or think according to the power that works within us (Eph. 3:20).

     We are not associated in any way with the larger, liberal Presbyterian Church (USA) which ordains women as elders and deacons and which is embroiled in controversy over the ordination of homosexuals to the clergy. We reject such practices and call on those who affirm them to repent of their sin and turn to Jesus Christ.

     We are not affiliated in any way with the National Council of Churches or the World Council of Churches.