Our Vision
In Fresno As It Is In Heaven
Our vision paints a picture of our desired future, what we long to see accomplished, what compels us forward.
Beliefs
Who We Are
Our Mission
Loving God, Loving Neighbors, Making Disciples, Pursuing Shalom
Our mission defines what we do today to see our vision become a reality tomorrow.
Our Values
Transformational Relationship
Transformational Partnership
Transformational Leadership
Core values describe the culture of a particular organization or family or church. They help define how the group does what it does.
About Our Mission
To know God not to know of God (Mark 12:30); to actively invest in our relationship with Jesus as friend and savior (Phil. 3:10); to worship and praise God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Luke 4:8); to obey God and to put God first in our lives (John 14:23).
Building caring relationships where we work, live and play as we share the hope of life with Jesus (Matt 9:35-38). We act on opportunities to serve those within our spheres of influence (Matt 22:37-39).
Leading ourselves and others to increasingly submit all of life to the Lordship and empowering presence of Jesus. (John 1:12, Romans 10:14-15, Matt 28:19, 2 Peter 3:18).
Pursuing reconciliation in all relationships (2 Corinthians 5:18): with God, ourselves, others, and creation (1 Thessalonians 3:16). Bringing wholeness and peace to all of life for individuals (Romans 14:19), as well as our city and world (Jeremiah 29:7) through the love, hope and sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:7).
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The Evangelical Presbyterian Church
First Presbyterian Church, Fresno is part of this body of followers of Jesus Christ who are Reformed in our theology, Presbyterian in our polity (governance) and passionate in our relationship with God. FPC became part of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in 2009, and is part of the EPC’s Presbytery of the Pacific. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word and faithful witness to Jesus Christ as the Savior of humankind and hope of the world.
When the EPC started in 1981, we determined that we would not disagree on the basic essentials of the Christian faith, but on anything that was not essential, such as the issue of ordaining women as officers or practicing charismatic gifts, we would give each other liberty. Above all, we committed ourselves to loving each other and not engaging in quarrels and strife. The result is that when we get together in our regional and national meetings, we spend most of our time in worship and fellowship and almost none in arguing with each other.
The EPC consists of more than 600 churches and 145,000 members. We have a world missions program with a priority on sending missionaries to unreached people groups. We are eager to plant churches across the United States and especially in urban communities and college towns. Our desire is that every one of our congregations will be an outpost of the Kingdom, with every member viewing himself or herself as a missionary on a mission.
7 Essentials of Our Faith
All Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks.
On this sure foundation we affirm these additional Essentials of our faith:
We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever!
Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.
The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God's free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, thereby justifies them in His sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.
Jesus Christ will come again to the earth-personally, visibly, and bodily-to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20)
The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to "Him who loved us and gave Himself for us." He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10)