Who are we?
We are a group of Christian people from in and around Ballyclare who believe that the Bible is the word of God to us and is true and relevant to everyday life. We are ordinary people with an extraordinary saviour.
We have the name ‘Reformed’ as we thank God how 500 years ago the great truths of the Bible were rediscovered and through them God ‘reformed’ men’s hearts, the church and many nations.
We are ‘Presbyterian’ (the word the Bible uses for elder), in that we are organised under the leadership of elders locally and meet with other congregations in a presbytery to oversee the work of Christ’s church.
We are sometimes known as the ‘Covenanters’ as we remember the continuing obligation upon us when our country made a solemn covenant with God, in which the church and nation proclaimed Jesus Christ the King.
Reformed Presbyterians have been present in Ireland since the early 1600′s. There are Reformed Presbyterian churches around the world from Australia, Japan and Africa, through France Scotland and Ireland to North America.
Where do our beliefs come from?
We believe and seek to practice what orthodox Christians have from the first days of the church, that the Bible is God’s perfect word and that by it he tells us our greatest need and how that need is met through the Lord Jesus and how we can please Him and worship Him.
What is the Bible’s message?
God tells us in His Bible that we are made in His image and every person is of immense value, but we rebelled against our creator in wanting our own way. Standing separated because of this sin we deserve punishment and are headed for judgment. Yet the same God whom we wronged sent His perfect son to live the perfect life and to take the punishment that was ours upon himself on the cross.
Because the price has been paid, nothing needs added but to enter that relationship through repentance and faith in Christ alone. Today Christ reigns over creation as the risen saviour and ruling King. We must take seriously this kingship of Jesus Christ over the whole of life, personal, family, church and national.
What happens at our public worship?
Following the simple pattern of the early church we meet each Lord’s Day, as Christ rose from the dead on the Sunday. We pray, read the Bible and hear it explained and applied. We simply sing the Psalms of the Bible given to the church as the perfect praise book, they are filled with the joy of Christ and richly reflect God’s holiness and man’s need of a saviour. Worship is a special time where we enjoy the fellowship and encouragement of one another in Christ’s church and seek to be pleasing and acceptable to a Holy God.
What will you find at our church?
We are ordinary people with an extraordinary saviour.
We desire to worship and serve in a manner pleasing to Him.
As we give our lives to the Lord Jesus we want to be more like him, but we must learn more each day.
We believe that the good news of Jesus can stand for itself, simply proclaimed, preached and seen in the lives of Christians and our desire is that you also will know that peace that is found in God alone through Christ alone by faith alone.
You will be warmly welcomed to come and join with us or if you would like to talk to our pastor David Sutherland, you can contact him here.