EPC Australia

Approximately 400 years ago there was a great spiritual darkness over Europe. It blighted all of life. While there were remarkable advancements in learning, science and the arts, there was much confusion, fear, uncertainty, hurt and despair among much of the population. There were grave injustices in society. There was great superstition, ignorance and abuse of position for worldly gain in the professing Church - in fact that time was very similar to our society today.

Historically, Presbyterian church polity has distinguished between pastors or ministers^[1] and ruling elders. In drawing this distinction, it has not been the intention to deny that pastors or ministers are elders, nor to suggest that they have no function, so far as rule in the church is concerned. Rather, the purpose has been to emphasise the distinction between those who preach and expound the Word of God and those whose primary function is to exercise rule or oversight in the church.

Reformed means we hold to those truths and way of life that were rediscovered at the time of the Reformation in the 1500's. But we believe that the reformed faith is not only a faith that is held by people today. We understand it is a faith that has been held by God’s people in all ages.  To be Reformed, I put it to you, is simply consistent Biblical Christianity.  It is to hold not only what many of the Evangelicals of Britain held, what Knox and Calvin held, but also what Augustine held, and not only Augustine, but what the Apostle Paul, and believers back to Eden held.  Again we propose that the faith of the Reformation is nothing less than consistent Biblical Christianity.