beliefs

we recognize that not everybody is going to agree with everything we believe.

We don’t expect that.

In fact, we gladly and warmly welcome people no matter where they are on their spiritual journey, whether skeptical about the Christian faith, spiritually seeking, or trusting in the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, just as with every other church, we have certain theological beliefs that will perhaps make us distinctive in our community.

We are a church that is empowered by the gospel.

What is the gospel? It is the announcement (literally “good news”) that Jesus’ resurrection was the beginning of salvation for the entire cosmos and will be completed when he returns. God is restoring the original peace of his creation (described at the beginning of the scriptures in Genesis 1 and 2) through the work of Jesus, and is renewing individuals, families, cities and nations as people trust and follow Christ.

How do we celebrate the gospel? Through faithful proclamation and obedient demonstration. Weekly worship services are an opportunity for everyone to hear how God is setting things to right and to thank him publicly for it. This public celebration “spills over” to the rest of our lives as we serve our neighbors as Jesus has served us. This is why our church is always looking for new ways to be good neighbors.

We are a church that is connected with other churches.

We belong to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which provides us with a system of representational oversight and accountability. Our denomination, like others, is not without flaws. A denomination, like a family, cannot help but be shaped by its past, its successes and failures, its joys and hurts, its origins and ancestors. Each one is not without its blind spots, its peculiarities, and even its grievous errors.

Yet, the PCA emphasizes that God is gracious, that salvation comes through Jesus by faith, that the scriptures are authoritative, and that the mission of the church is to enrich the world with God’s renewing peace. Thus, our partnership with the PCA on a regional and national level bolsters CityChurch as we seek to bring spiritual, social, and cultural renewal to the city.

We are a church that exists for the benefit of the city.

CityChurch is committed to proclaiming the gospel in everything we do. The test of our effectiveness will be threefold.

First, are people trusting in Christ for the first time, and are those who follow Christ growing in their commitment to him?

Second, is our commitment to Christ visible to our friends and neighbors? Do the people in our city know that we are here to glorify God by loving and serving them, and would they miss this church if it were to close its doors?

Third, is this congregation planting and nurturing other churches throughout South Florida?

We will be most effective in changing Fort Lauderdale with the gospel when all three elements are present.

We are a church that is Reformed in its theology.

We believe that God is sovereign in all things, including salvation, and that the sacraments of baptism and communion not only represent God’s grace, but also seal and apply that grace to our lives. We are committed to a Presbyterian system of church government and to living out the implications of God’s radical grace in every area of life.

The following are links to the historic documents that CityChurch and other Presbyterian churches hold to as a summary of the teachings of the scriptures: