Why I Am A Presbyterian
Author: Deanna Mascle

With so many types of Christian churches available today how do
you choose the faith community that best fits your individual
beliefs and needs? The best way to do this is by simple visiting
the different churches. Not only attend a regular service but
also take part in some other activity as well. Plus you should
talk with members to get a sense of the individuals that make up
that church community. In order to help others who are looking
for a church community I would like to share just why I am a
Presbyterian.

One of the primary reasons I am a Presbyterian can be summed up
in one word -- tradition. My family has long been Presbyterians
and that was the church that I was raised and married in.
Whenever I have moved it is always the Presbyterian Church in
the community that I visited first and because of my own
personal tradition that is the church that I feel most
comfortable with. Aside from my own personal tradition with the
Presbyterian Church I also enjoy being part of the larger
Presbyterian tradition which can trace its routes back to the
earliest Protestant Reformation. While the Presbyterian Church
is a living body that is constantly changing and evolving it
also has a long tradition.

Mission is another important part of Presbyterianism.
Presbyterians have long built schools and hospitals in parts of
the world where health care and education are lacking. This
tradition continues today. Presbyterians attitude toward mission
work is not to convert by offering a helping hand to those in
need but rather to demonstrate what it means to be a Christian
by helping others. We hope to spread the word of God's love by
our actions rather than our words. Presbyterians walk the walk
while some other Christians simply talk the talk. This is why
you find Presbyterian churches in unlikely locations such as
remote villages in Africa, cities in China, and small
communities in Appalachia. Because the Presbyterian Church came
to offer help to that community then the people living there
were inspired to become Presbyterians.

Evangelism, or rather the understatement of it, is a key
component of being a Presbyterian. Presbyterians believe that
you will know we are Christians by our love. I am always
suspicious of someone who needs to tell me they are a Christian.
I believe that I should know this by your actions and deeds.
Presbyterians believe we are a Christian nation but strongly
believe in separation of church and state. While many
Presbyterians might be community leaders they hold their faith
and their leadership apart from each other. Our witness is
rooted in the gospel ministries of preaching, teaching, and
healing, and in Christ's example of advocacy for the poor, the
hungry and the oppressed. Presbyterians believe they are already
saved by Jesus Christ and so can focus their life on helping
others rather than saving themselves.

Tradition, mission, and evangelism are the reasons why I am a
Presbyterian and why other Christians should at least consider
joining this community of faith when seeking out a new church.


About The Author: Read more articles by Renaissance Woman
Deanna Mascle at http://deannamascle.com