Christ Church InTown

Seeking The Renewal Of All Things In Jesus Christ

Affiliation & Beliefs

A PCA Church in Jacksonville

Christ Church InTown is a Presbyterian PCA church in Jacksonville, FL, with beliefs rooted in two millennia of Christian orthodoxy. We hold to the historic Christian faith as contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and as confessed in the creeds of the universal church (The Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed).

Furthermore, we are a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The PCA church was formed in 1973 to be a denomination that is:

  • Faithful to the Scriptures
  • True to the Reformed Faith
  • Obedient to the Great Commission

Faithful to the Scriptures

As a local PCA church in Jacksonville, we affirm the inerrancy of Scripture and place a high value on biblical preaching and worship. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is breathed-out by God and is useful to teach us what is true about the world, to correct us when we are wrong, and to train us to live rightly in God’s world. Although we don’t expect the Bible to give us specific answers to every scientific question or subject imaginable, we believe that the Bible is our only infallible rule of faith and practice.

True to the Reformed Faith

The Reformed faith speaks to the biblical truth that was recovered and once-again proclaimed during the Protestant Reformation that the Word of God, rather than human religious traditions, is the only guide for the Church. The beliefs of the Reformers can be summarized in five Solas (latin for ‘alone’).

  • Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) – The Bible is our highest authority
  • Sola Fide (Faith alone) – We are saved though faith alone in Jesus Christ
  • Sola Gratia (Grace alone) – We are saved by God’s grace alone, not by our good deeds
  • Solo Christus (Christ alone) – Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King
  • Soli Deo Gloria (God’s glory alone) – We live our lives for the glory of God alone

These five Solas give a quick encapsulation of what PCA churches believe along with the system of doctrines that detail the Biblical Christian faith as found in the 17th Century Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. While our Confessional standards are secondary to Scripture, PCA churches seek to maintain their peace and purity by requiring ordained pastors, elders and deacons to affirm that the document the teachings put forth in the Bible.

Obedient to the Great Commission

PCA churches believe that the Bible primarily proclaims the good news that God’s disposition towards humanity is one of love and redemption even in spite of our sin and rebellion against him. Like our first parents Adam and Eve, each of us seeks out life apart from God’s presence and commands. The Bible tells us that while we were still sinners Jesus Christ died to save us. The Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:16-20, is the charge given by Jesus to his followers to spread this good news by making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all of Jesus’ commands. The PCA is therefore committed to being a missional church, called to proclaim the gospel in word and deed throughout the world.

In summary, what do PCA Churches believe?

    • PCA churches believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
    • PCA churches believe in the Holy Trinity. There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
    • PCA churches believe that all are sinners and totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure, except by His mercy.
    • PCA churches believe that salvation is by God alone, as He sovereignly chooses those He will save. We believe His choice is based on His grace, not on any human individual merit, or foreseen faith.
    • PCA churches believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him, alone, for salvation.
    • PCA churches believe that God is gracious and faithful to His people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to His Covenant promises.
    • PCA churches believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him.
    • PCA churches believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people unto Himself.
    • PCA churches believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.