Like other Presbyterians, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian church developed from the Church of Scotland. In 1733 the Associate Presbytery was organized in Scotland to assure a more Protestant and democratic church. Ten years later the Reformed Presbytery was organized by other Scots mainly over the issue of who was the head of the Church. They emphasized that Jesus Christ---not the national monarch--- was the head of the church.
Members of these two branches entered America in the middle 1700s, mainly in Pennsylvania, New York, and South Carolina. In 1782 these groups merged to form the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (the first church merger in the United States).
Distance and travel limitations in the early 1800s led to a decision to establish northern and southern Synods of the church. The northern Synod has since merged with other Presbyterian bodies. The present Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church continues in what was the southern Synod. However, since the advent of modern technology and vast improvements in travel, our 'southern' Synod is no longer confined to the southeastern United States.
Although predominately in the Southeast, the ARP Church has over 200 churches from Arkansas and Missouri in the Midwest, California, and Texas in the West to Canada, New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in the North. Among our churches are congregations whose services are in Korean and Spanish. We do not limit our sphere of ministry to North America. We have reached out beyond our borders to Mexico, Pakistan, and many other foreign countries.
The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church adheres to the Westminster Confession of Faith, historic doctrinal statements which emphasize the following:
God is the Sovereign Creator and ruler of the universe.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the only Saviour and Lord of man.
The Holy Spirit is the initiator and enabler for the Christian life.
The Bible is the infallible Word of God, the only rule of faith and practice and without error in all that it teaches.
Salvation is by God’s grace, freely given through faith and not earned by any merit of man.
The Ten Commandments are the summation of man’s duty to God and of man’s responsibility to his fellow man.
Family Worship and tithing are encouraged.
Church Government is by the Presbyterian system from which the denomination takes its name. As outlined in the New Testament, church government is by elders and deacons, elected in a democratic manner by each congregation.
The Sacrament of Baptism is administered to believers and their children. All forms of Christian baptism are recognized, and a second ceremony is not administered to those baptized in other churches.
Believers may join the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church by profession of faith, reaffirmation of faith or transfer of membership from another denomination.
Members of these two branches entered America in the middle 1700s, mainly in Pennsylvania, New York, and South Carolina. In 1782 these groups merged to form the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (the first church merger in the United States).
Distance and travel limitations in the early 1800s led to a decision to establish northern and southern Synods of the church. The northern Synod has since merged with other Presbyterian bodies. The present Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church continues in what was the southern Synod. However, since the advent of modern technology and vast improvements in travel, our 'southern' Synod is no longer confined to the southeastern United States.
Although predominately in the Southeast, the ARP Church has over 200 churches from Arkansas and Missouri in the Midwest, California, and Texas in the West to Canada, New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in the North. Among our churches are congregations whose services are in Korean and Spanish. We do not limit our sphere of ministry to North America. We have reached out beyond our borders to Mexico, Pakistan, and many other foreign countries.
The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church adheres to the Westminster Confession of Faith, historic doctrinal statements which emphasize the following:
God is the Sovereign Creator and ruler of the universe.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the only Saviour and Lord of man.
The Holy Spirit is the initiator and enabler for the Christian life.
The Bible is the infallible Word of God, the only rule of faith and practice and without error in all that it teaches.
Salvation is by God’s grace, freely given through faith and not earned by any merit of man.
The Ten Commandments are the summation of man’s duty to God and of man’s responsibility to his fellow man.
Family Worship and tithing are encouraged.
Church Government is by the Presbyterian system from which the denomination takes its name. As outlined in the New Testament, church government is by elders and deacons, elected in a democratic manner by each congregation.
The Sacrament of Baptism is administered to believers and their children. All forms of Christian baptism are recognized, and a second ceremony is not administered to those baptized in other churches.
Believers may join the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church by profession of faith, reaffirmation of faith or transfer of membership from another denomination.
The seal of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church expresses through symbolism the basic conviction of the denomination.
- The SHIELD, the basic form of the seal, is an emblem signifying complete faith or trust in God as Paul suggests in Ephesians 6:16.
- The CROSS forms the central emphasis of the seal and represents the Person and the sacrificial redemptive work of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Living Word.
- The CELTIC cross is suggestive of our roots in Scottish Christian history.
- The CIRCLE (or nimbus) is emblematic of eternity and was used in medieval symbolism to represent God the Father. Here the nimbus additionally signifies the eternal benefit of the redemption secured on the cross by the death of Jesus Christ.
- The descending DOVE represents the presence of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16) as He witnesses to the Church and through the Church to the world. Through these three symbols – the Nimbus, the Cross, and the Dove – witness is given to the living presence of the Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – in the Church.
- The BOOK at the bottom of the shield represents the Bible – the written word of God. The BURNING BUSH (Exodus 3:2) on the left or Old Testament page suggests the indestructibility of God’s word; the monograms, ALPHA and OMEGA, on the right or New Testament page, symbolize the final authority of Jesus Christ who has declared Himself to be “the beginning and the ending” (Revelation 1:8), revealed through the written word.
- The SCROLL beneath the shield bears the motto, “In Thy Light Shall We See Light” (Psalm 36:9).
- The colors are chosen for their meaning as well. BLUE, traditionally expressive of fidelity, appropriately colors the “shield of faith”, and the unconsumed bush. The GOLD suggests royalty and wealth – on the cross it particularly suggests the royalty and wealth of Jesus Christ. RED is the color of the sacrifice and the blood of Christ – precisely the costly sacrifice of Christ by which man’s redemption is secured. WHITE suggests purity – the sinless purity of Him whom God “hath made to be sin for us who knew no sin” (II Corinthians 5:21).
