ABOUT US

Learn about our values, culture, beliefs, and partnerships at Christ the King

Denomination

We are thankful to be part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).

OUR VALUES

Here's What We Value as a Church

The core values of any organization reflects who it is and what it believes.

Committed to Christ

Our faith in Jesus Christ unites us to believers throughout history and around the world. That’s why we regularly say the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. We never get tired of proclaiming the good news that Jesus came into this world to save sinners like us.

Joyfully Confessional

We teach according to the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, which were developed out of the Reformation. We don’t equate these creeds with the authority of the Bible, but they do helpfully summarize what the Bible teaches.

Lovers of the Local Church

Jesus loves his bride, the church, and so do we! Our members are committed to care for one another in every season of life. We were planted by Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia and are thankful for the fellowship we enjoy internally, locally, and nationally with the churches in our denomination.

CHARACTERISTICS

Our Church Culture

Though every church shares the essentials of the Christian faith in common, each local church has distinct characteristics, a culture.

Faithful Bible Preaching
We believe the Bible is God's Word for God's people. Sundays are anchored in sermons that unpack what a Bible text means for your faith and your life. In fact, our sermon series alternate between the Old and New Testaments so that the church is fed from the whole Bible–not just parts of it.
Gospel-Centered Liturgy
Services are grounded in God’s Word and designed to tell the story of the Gospel. Our worship is liturgical and participatory. Together we joyfully sing beautiful hymns, pray ancient prayers, and confess historic creeds of the faith. And with a bulletin to guide you, you’ll be invited to join in too!
Vibrant Christian Community
While Sunday worship is the high point of our week, there are many ways to enjoy fellowship and build friendships at Christ the King. We’re a church that loves to eat together, pray together, serve together, and study God’s Word together. Even if you’re a first-time visitor, we can assure you: There’s a seat at the table for you!

BELIEFS

Our Church's Statement of Faith

While the Bible is our only infallible rule of faith and practice, we are also committed—and accountable—to a specific statement of faith that represents a summary of the teaching of Holy Scripture. The link below contains free PDF downloads of the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms with full Scripture proofs.

Still Have Questions?

Our faith in Jesus Christ is the most important thing about us. It’s what unites us to Christian believers throughout history and around the world. While we want to follow Jesus with all our hearts, we can’t take any credit for that desire. Members of Christ the King all acknowledge that we are what the Bible calls, “sinners.” Although we were created by God in his image, we have “all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Every week in our worship service, we agree together that we are sinners who deserve nothing good from God. That might sound awful, but it’s actually liberating! Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He is a physician to those who are sick, a liberator for those in chains, and a life giver to those who are dead in sin. Jesus lived, died, arose, and was exalted to destroy sin and death and to forgive everyone who trusts in him.

So, we are not a Christian church because we are made up of morally perfect people–and we would never pretend to be. We are a Christian church because we believe that Jesus died for us. We love him because he first loved us. Jesus is our light, life, and hope in this life and the life to come.

If you’re interested in exploring more, this site called “Two Ways to Live” contains a beautiful and simple explanation of the Christian Gospel. Better yet, we hope you’ll visit us on a Sunday. We’d be happy to answer any questions you might have about Christianity and your personal relationship with Jesus.

When we say that we are a “Reformed” church, what we mean is that we trace our theological and historical roots back to the time of the Protestant Reformation and beyond. The Reformation was a recovery of biblical Christianity. It was an attempt to call the church away from man-made traditions and structures and back to a faith rooted in the Bible itself.

From the earliest ages of the church, there have been various attempts to summarize what the Bible teaches so that the church can have a clear consensus about what we believe. You’ll hear these summaries called creeds, confessions, and catechisms. On Sundays at Christ the King, we regularly confess our faith and teach from these creeds. In particular, we use the Apostles’ and Nicene Creed as our foundational statements regarding the Christian faith. We join our voices and hearts with churches across the millennia as we say these words.

More specifically, our church teaches according to the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, which were among the many creeds developed throughout the time of the Reformation. We do not equate these creeds with the authority of the Bible, but we do believe that they accurately summarize the message of the Bible.

In a world that has become skeptical of truth, these ancient confessions provide a firm place to stand. If you are unfamiliar with these confessions, we invite you to come and study them with us. Being a confessional church might be unusual in our day–but we love it!

The word “Presbyterian” comes from a word in the Bible that simply means “elder.” Our church is overseen by elders who are elected by the congregation. Those elders are either “teaching” elders (pastors of the church who preach regularly and administer the sacraments) or “ruling” elders (laymen from within the congregation who care for the church). But in both cases, their charge and goal is to shepherd the flock through Christ-like service.

We know that we live in an age that is skeptical of church denominations for many reasons. But we are very thankful to be part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). We are connected with churches around the country and, more importantly, with other churches in the Philadelphia area. Together we share fellowship, worship, and youth ministries.

And perhaps most importantly, being connected as Presbyterians provides us with accountability to others. We are not on our own. We are part of a body of churches that collectively oversees our faith, teaching, and practice. Christ the King was started by Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and we are extremely thankful for the local partnership we continue to enjoy with churches throughout the greater Philadelphia area.