What We Believe
What We Believe at Mifflin Presbyterian Church
Our Theology
We believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as revealed to us and all the world in the Bible. In the Scriptures, God tells us that he created the world and us, that he loves us and sent his son 2000 years ago in the person of Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sins, that he has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us when we accept God's salvation through faith in Jesus, and that Jesus will come again to judge and rule the world. In common with all Christians, we affirm the Nicene Creed and Apostles Creed as basic statements of our belief.
As Reformed Christians, we trace our understanding about God, ourselves, and the Church to the Protestant Reformation in Europe , with particular appreciation of the 16th Century contributions of John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, John Knox, Martin Bucer, Theodore Beza, Heinrich Bullinger and the Westminster Assembly in the 17th Century. Our confessions for instruction in the faith include the classic Heidelberg and Westminster Catechisms; and the Scots, Westminster, and Second Helvetic Confessions. (These can be found in our Book of Confessions, the first part of our constitution.)
We have two sacraments, or outward signs of the work of God:
Baptism, which is administered once in a lifetime, for infant or adult. In it, we participate in Jesus' death and resurrection, dying to what separates us from God and raising us to newness of life in Christ.
Communion, which is administered as often through the year as the session determines. In it we share the bread and cup from Jesus' last meal with his disciples before his death as a remembrance and a showing forth of his death until he comes again.
What it Means to be a Member
When you become a Christian you "join the Church." That is, you become a part of that universal Body of Christ which is made up of all believers everywhere. But the fulfillment of belonging to Christ is intended to take place within a local church. Christians need each other for support and fellowship, for instruction and accountability.
Baptism is the first step in the life in Christ, and all members of the Church must be baptized. If you wish to know more about what this means, the pastors are happy to talk with you. If you wish to become a member at Mifflin and have already been baptized, you may find out what it means to be a member by attending our Inquirer's Class, which is usually given once a month. In brief, being a member at Mifflin means:
You are committed to Jesus Christ as Lord;
You worship regularly;
You pray for the needs of the body of believers;
You serve Christ according to the gift he has equipped you with;
You make yourself part of the fellowship with other members;
You support the work of Christ through giving money to Mifflin for its ministry;
You make disciples by sharing the good news of Jesus as God gives you opportunity.
For more information, call the Church office at (614) 471-4491.