Presbyterian Polity
Evangel Presbytery will provide accountability, support, and fellowship for pastors and elders outside our congregations. We have been inspired by reading historical accounts of the company of pastors led by John Calvin in Geneva. This is our aim. Geneva’s Company confessed sins and prayed for one another, demonstrating a sweet organic unity that exhorted, encouraged, and strengthened the shepherds of the sheep. Shepherds ourselves need guardians of our souls. We have no higher aspirations.
Reformed Confessionalism
Evangel Presbytery will be a community of faith and doctrine and will guard our faith and doctrine closely. The ordination of pastors will be held in the presbytery rather than the local church. We have a high view of the necessity of doctrinal commitment and accountability, particularly for our pastors (teaching elders). Thus each congregation will adopt the Westminster Standards with exceptions allowed on timing and mode of baptism.
Freedom on Baptism
Evangel Presbytery will allow members and officers of member churches to hold to either the credo-baptist or paedo-baptist position on baptism. In allowing these two positions, we are not saying that Scripture is unclear or not explicit in its teaching on baptism. Only one of these two views is correct. We are saying that the leaders and members of our churches are free to disagree over this doctrine and that we desire to live in peace and charity with one another despite the diversity of conviction found among us on this matter.
Contemporary Confessionalism
Evangel Presbytery will add to the historic Reformed confessions several confessional statements guarding Biblical doctrine under attack in our own time. As currently proposed, both the directory for worship and our statements of faith will confess the Image of God in man; the federal headship of Adam; the Creation Order of Adam first, then Eve; and lifelong, monogamous, heterosexual marriage.
Church Unity
Evangel Presbytery will demonstrate the unity of the Body of Christ by including in her fellowship both those who hold to the baptism of believers only and those who hold to the baptism of believers and their children. This church unity has been displayed by Reformed men in our time joining together in the work of conferences, seminaries, publishing, and worship services. We believe this unity is good and should be extended to presbyteries and the local church.
Reformed Pastoral Care
Evangel Presbytery will be committed to authority being used properly in guarding those souls purchased by our Lord’s Own precious blood. We will exhort one another to preach to the conscience and go house to house, day and night with tears applying the Word of God personally to those who submit to us as guardians of their souls. From our love and fear of God, we will hold each other accountable for this work in such a way that we need not be ashamed.