Formation
The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was formed in 1973 to be a denomination that is “faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and obedient to the Great Commission”.
It began with 41,000 members in 260 congregations.
Now, the PCA has grown to more than 370,000 members in over 1,850 congregations, and is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country.
Doctrine
We are an evangelical denomination that proclaims the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We desire all people to trust in the saving work of Jesus and enjoy eternal life in Him.
We are a reformed denomination, meaning that we hold to the biblical truth proclaimed during the Protestant Reformation. The Word of God, rather than tradition, is the only guide for the Church. God alone saves through his immeasurable mercy and according to His sovereign plan. We believe the system for doctrine taught in the Bible is summarized well in the Westminster Confession of Faith with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
Structure
The PCA is a Presbyterian denomination in that we have a representative form of church government.
A local church is governed by a “Session” compromised of Elders, who are elected by the members of a congregation.
Pastors and elders of local churches in a region form a Presbytery. ESPC is a part of the Gulf Coast Presbytery.
All representatives of presbyteries and local churches meet annually at the General Assembly. This combines efforts and resources to advance God’s kingdom more effectively.
