The good news of our life in Christ is at the heart of who we are and what we do in every aspect of our church life.
“For to me, to live is Christ.” – Phil 1:21
First and foremost, we are Christians who believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and in the Bible as the written Word of God. All Christians are united by our core beliefs, which are summarized in the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed. These two creeds have been used by Christians for over 1,600 years. We cherish our unity in Christ with all other true believers in Jesus. While churches have been affected by error and division, the spiritual union of all true believers in Jesus Christ remains strong.
As a confessional Presbyterian church and a congregation of the
Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), Forest Hill also subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith, a statement that we believe to be the best human summary of the truths taught in Scripture. As a Statement of Faith, it's long, just over 12,000 words in length. It's also one of the oldest comprehensive
statements of faith still in use, dating back to 1647.
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was formed in 1973 to be a denomination that is “Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission.”
The PCA is an evangelical denomination in that we proclaim the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The word “evangelical” comes from the Greek word meaning “good news.” We desire all people to trust in the saving work of Jesus and enjoy eternal life in him.
Our Core Values
Inter-generational:
We value the connections between the generations as vital to healthy church life. – “Do not
rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men
as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” –
1 Timothy 5:1-2
Actively Growing:
We are not content to be
stagnant, for life and health are found in growth. Growth is not measured in mere numbers but in lives being actively changed by the Gospel into the likeness of
Christ. – “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as
is right, because your faith is growing abundantly,
and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” –
2 Thess. 1:3
Tightly Connected:
As members of one body, we
belong to each other as we belong to Christ. We are committed to seeking ways to live life together and to love each other. – “so we, though many, are one body in
Christ, and individually members one of another.” – Romans 12:5
Reaching the Nations:
The call of the Great Commission is a call to make disciples of all nations, to bring the nations to Jesus as His rightful inheritance. – “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” – Matt. 28:18-19
Reverent, Yet Relaxed:
“God is spirit, and those who
worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” – John 4:24
Reaching Our Neighbors:
Our first calling in missions is to those immediately around us, our families and our neighbors. – “The second is like it, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” –
Matthew 22:39
Serving in Mission:
The church has a mission in the
world, to glorify God by seeking to make Christ and His kingdom manifest, that Christ might be known and worshiped by more and more people. – “to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations” – Romans 1:5
Deeply Rooted:
We are called and committed to
deep knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures and Reformed theology. – “rooted
and built up in Him and established in the faith” – Col. 2:7