What is known today as the Presbyterian Church USA evolved out of the Protestant Reformation in Europe and our beliefs centuries later still conform to these tenets of our faith.

Six Principles of the Reformed Faith

1. The Sovereignty of God – We believe God is providential over all things and that God’s love and reign are for all people, not just for the Church. God is involved in all of creation (governments, economies, the environment, persons, and relationships) bringing about the purposes and will of the triune God we worship. Historically, God’s sovereignty has been related to the doctrine of predestination, which means that those who live by faith and grace, God’s “elect,” are predestined, foreknown, and foreordained to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. Even the desire to believe, the ability to experience God’s presence in a personal way, is a gift of God.

2. Authority of Scripture – The creeds and doctrines of the Church are judged solely according to their faithfulness to Scripture. The creeds and confessions assist us in understanding Scripture, but tradition is not equal to Scripture. We believe that Scripture will not fail to teach us God’s truth. We believe all Scripture (as we have it today in the Old and New Testaments) is the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ.

3. The Lordship of Christ – Jesus Christ is the only head of the Church. We are all sinners and all institutions ruled by people are subject to sin and error. The human organization of the Church succeeds or fails on the basis of its faithfulness to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

4. Justification by Faith— Faith, hope and love all begin with God’s work of reconciliation in Christ on our behalf. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This is the Good News: That God loved us so much He sent His only Son into the world and whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. (John 3:16) The initiative is with God, and we respond to what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. Our salvation comes by faith and grace. Christians are not justified by any good works they perform. We are justified by God through our faith in Jesus Christ and God’s grace.

5. The Priesthood of All Believers – The Church is a redemptive fellowship, not just its clergy but all its members. We have no need of a priest to stand between God and individual believers. We may pray directly to God and ask forgiveness as we confess our sins to God. Each of us is called to be a minister of the grace of God to a hurting, needy world. The governance of our denomination is patterned on the concept of democratic rule with all Christians under the Lordship of Christ.

6. Fellowship of the Church – The Church is the Body of Christ, and each of us has our place within the Body of Christ. The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are administered within the life of the congregation usually at worship. At Wayne Presbyterian Church, worship, education, and mission are the framework upon which the rest of the congregation’s activities are built. We are a connectional church in that we are affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ through Presbyterian ties and ecumenical connections.