About our Faith...

Old Bergen Church embraces both Presbyterian USA and Reformed Church in America theology and worship

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA (PCUSA): Beliefs and Church Government

Beliefs

Presbyterians trace their history to the 15th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.

The Presbyterian Church is unique in 2 major ways: they adhere to a pattern of religious thought known as Reformed theology and a form of government that stresses the active, representational leadership of both ministers and church members.

Reformed theology is a way of thinking about God and God's relation to the world. Reformed theology evolved during the 16th century religious movement known as the Protestant Reformation. It emphasizes God's supremacy over everything and humanity's chief purpose as being to glorify and enjoy God forever.

In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) expresses the faith of the Reformed tradition. Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. Related to this central affirmation of God's sovereignty are other great themes of the Reformed tradition:
  • The election of the people of God for service and salvation;
  • Covenant life marked by a disciplined concern for order in the church according to the Word of God;
  • A faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks proper use of the gifts of God's creation;
  • The recognition of the human tendency to idolatry and tyranny, which calls the people of God to work for the transformation of society by seeking justice and living in obedience to the Word of God. (Book of Order, G-2.0500)
Presbyterian Church government:

Church Elders-

John Calvin developed the Presbyterian pattern of church government, which vests governing authority primarily in elected layperson's know as elders. The rod Presbyterian comes for the Greek word for elder. Together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament, they exercise leadership, government, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church at large, including ecumenical relationships. They shall serve faithfully as members of the Session. When elected as commissioners to higher governing bodies, elders participate and vote with the same authority as ministers of the Word and Sacrament. (Book of Order G-6.0302)

Presbyterian elders are both elected and ordained which sets them apart for service. The minister serving the congregation is also part of the session. The session is the smallest, local governing body. The other governing bodies are the presbyteries which are composed of several churches; synods which are composed of several presbyteries; and the General Assembly which represents the entire denomination. Elders serving on these governing bodies are called presbyters.

Deacons-

The Deacons are also elected by the congregation and are ordained. They are chosen for their spiritual commitment, exemplary life, compassionate spirit, and sound judgement.

REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA (RCA): Beliefs and Government

RCA Beliefs

Our faith is God-centered. Every need of ours finds its answers in Jesus Christ. God is three in one: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father created the heavens and the earth from nothing. His son, Jesus, came to the earth as a human--God in the flesh. He was crucified and died, but he conquered death and came back to life. Through this, he offers us forgiveness and pays for our sins. The Bible is the living Word of God. All true spiritual teachings agree with it, and God shows himself to us through it, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Reformed Church of America (RCA) also believes in several historical creeds and confessions: the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed; the Heidelberg Catechism; the Belgic Confession; and the Canons of Dort. Additionally, the RCA expresses its faith through Our Song of Hope. The final authority in the Reformed faith is Holy Scripture, the living Word of God, spoken to everyone through the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and makes it real and actual in our lives. This has always been and will always be the authentic wellspring of Reformed faith. The following confessions and creeds are statements of Reformed beliefs:
  • Three historic documents--the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort;
  • Three historic creeds--the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed

Our Song of Hope was approved by the Reformed Church in America's General Synod in 1978 as "a statement of the church's faith for use in its ministry of witness, teaching, and worship." After several years of study, the 2007 General Synod provisionally adopted the Belhar Confession, which originated with the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa, sending it to the greater church to test over the next two years:
  • In worship through RCA liturgy;
  • In teaching through formation and nurture of faith for RCA witness and mission;
  • In discernment as a theological foundation for the RCA call "to follow Christ in mission in a lost and broken world;"
  • In confessing the themes of unity, reconciliation, and justice by "participating in God's transformation of our lives, our congregations, and the world."
(A study guide for the Belhar Confession is available online.)
  • What we believe about the sacraments;
  • Presenting Children for Baptism, a study paper approved by the 2007 General Synod (PDF);
  • Children at the Lord's Table.

Reformed Church Government

We believe that all authority exercised in the church is received from Christ, the only Head of the church. The power that Jesus Christ bestows on his church flows through the Holy Spirit to all the people. Each RCA congregation has a body called a Consistory that oversees its ministry. Besides the minister(s), the Consistory includes elders and deacons who are elected from the congregation.

While elders, deacons, and ministers of Word and sacrament are called from among the people, we believe the Spirit of the Lord appoints them to their special tasks, and they are responsible first of all to the Lord of the church.

A governing body called a classis oversees ministers and congregations in a specific geographic area. Regional synods support the classes (classes is the plural of classis) in their geographic area and enable congregations, classes, and the denomination to work together. The RCA has eight regional synods. General Synod, an annual denomination-wide meeting of ministers and elders representing classes and regions, makes decisions that affect the life and work of the entire RCA. At this annual gathering, the members of the General Synod reflect on, celebrate, and oversee the ministry, mission, and operations of the church.

The difference between the PCUSA and the RCA:

Historically, the PCUSA finds its roots in the Church of Scotland, while the RCA is of Dutch ancestry and was in fact the former Dutch Reformed Church in America. Both the PCUSA and the RCA are members of the greater Reformed faith that originated from the Protestant Reformation during the 16th century in Europe. While some people would emphasize the differences, particularly in details contained in the Book of Order of PCUSA and the Book of Church Order of the RCA, we at OBC prefer to emphasize the similarities and keep an open mind when certain conflicts arise between the two.

Worship service at the Old Bergen Church combines both of the above traditions and practices:

The pastor and the Consistory determine the order of a Sunday worship service. The service includes prayer, music, Bible reading and a sermon based upon scripture. The sacraments (baptism and communion), a time of personal response, offering and sharing of community concerns are also part of the worship. The constitution of the PCUSA suggests that the worship be ordered in terms of 5 major actions centered on the word of God (gathering around the word, proclaiming the word, responding to the word, sealing of the word, and bearing and following the word into the world.)