We are a Reformed Evangelical Church

That sounds good, but what does it mean?

 

We are Reformed

Being Reformed, suggests our theological heritage is found in Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, and is formed through people like Huldrych Zwingli, Martin Bucer, John Calvin and Heinrich Bullinger.

The most important characteristic of “reformed” thinking is its stress on the loving, gracious sovereignty of God over all his creation and in every area of human life.  

On the grand scale all of history is moving towards God’s intended end and purpose (Heaven, or the Kingdom of God).  

On a smaller scale God has done everything to secure salvation of each one of his people.  God always speaks first and we can only respond to God.  God saves us into his church in Christ.

 

However we are not just Reformed,

We are Evangelical.

In being Evangelical, we believe the gospel has the power to save.  And so we are called to preach it to the nations.  Not, only to the nations, we believe it is by the word of God that we teach and correct each other.   We believe it is through the word that we are trained to live as God’s people.   It is through the word of God, preached and taught, that the church is built and able to stand against ‘every wind of teaching’ (Eph 4)

 

The Seeming Contradiction

Being Reformed, and Evangelical may then seem a contradiction.  We believe it is all God’s work, yet we believe God does his work as we preach the word to each other and to the nations.  

 

The blessing of being Reformed Evangelicals

Affirming these two descriptors together keeps us from:

1. placing our emphasis on what we do rather than on God’s saving power in evangelism.

2. a preoccupation with the near goal of personal conversion rather than the final goal of Christian maturity.

 

Using both words, “reformed” and “evangelical”, to describe ourselves is a reminder that we don’t have to choose between sound doctrine and evangelistic zeal. The two go hand in hand. Our commitment to evangelism—to personal conversion, a call to repentance and faith, to a spirit-filled life of freedom, joy and humble obedience—arises from our theology. It is God’s character and his purpose, revealed to us in the Scriptures, that drive us forward. As Paul put it, “knowing the fear of the Lord” and “compelled by the love of Christ”, we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:11–21).