Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand

Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand (GPCNZ) is a Presbyterian denomination in New Zealand which was formed in 2002. It currently consists of 21 churches and missions, which are in the process of becoming fully established churches.[1]

Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
ClassificationProtestant
Orientationconservative Calvinist
TheologyReformed, Evangelical
GovernancePresbyterian
AssociationsWorld Reformed Fellowship
RegionNew Zealand
Origin2002
New Zealand
SeparationsPresbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
Congregations22
Membersunknown

Background

Many members of the GPCNZ are former members who left the largely liberal Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand (PCANZ) as they took a more conservative view of faith and the Bible than other churches in the PCANZ. In practice this means that the GPCNZ holds different views to the PCANZ on the Bible, salvation, the gospel, preaching, homosexuality and the ordination of women.[2] In 1974 the Evangelical Presbyterian Church was founded in Christchurch. In 2000 like minded churches formed Grace Bible Churches. In February, 2003 a fully fledged denomination with common constitution called Grace Presbyterian Church in New Zealand was formed.[3]

Theology

The Grace Presbyterian Church describes itself as "Presbyterian in government, Reformed in theology, and Evangelical in spirit." [2] It confesses the truth of the Trinity, the centrality of Jesus, the unconditional and yet particular love of God the Father, and the irresistible calling, present power and ministry of The Holy Spirit. Grace Presbyterian Church holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith as its official confession of faith. Grace Presbyterian Church believes in the sovereignty of God and subscribes to the Solas of the Reformation:

  • Grace Alone (Sola Gratia)
  • Faith Alone (Sola Fide)
  • Christ Alone (Solus Christus)
  • Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura)
  • God's Glory Alone (Soli Deo Gloria)

The denomination teaches that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and remains committed to Reformed Christianity. The Bible contains everything people need to know for salvation.[2]

Church positions

Grace Presbyterian Church teaches that homosexual practice is sinful. In relation to abortion, it maintains that the Bible does not distinguish between prenatal and postnatal life. GPCNZ believes that women are valued members of the church, but that the Scriptures limit the office of pastors and elders only to men.[2]

Each congregation has the right to own and control the property. Local Churches are represented in the Presbytery and the General Assembly.

Ecumenical relations

GPCNZ is in the process of forming formal links with the Reformed Churches of New Zealand, the Presbyterian Church of Australia, and the Presbyterian Church in America.[4] It is a member denomination of the World Reformed Fellowship.[5]

Theological institutions

GPCNZ does not operate its own theological college, and has approved the courses at the Grace Theological College [6] as the churches' official training institution in New Zealand. Grace Theological College is a non-denominational institution for leaders of churches in the evangelical and Reformed tradition. It was established in 1995.[7]

Official website:

Constituent churches
Church Location Year
Formed		 Current Pastor/Minister
Northern Presbytery
Redeemer Grace Presbyterian Church[8] Flat Bush 2005 Neal Vinson
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Manurewa Manurewa Logan Hargoort
Trinity Presbyterian Church Takanini 2001 Geoff Macpherson
Providence Presbyterian Church Mangere Steve Panapa
Grace Church Gisborne Bruwer Vroon
City Presbyterian Church (Mission Church) Central Auckland David Bruner
Central Presbytery
Grace Community Church New Plymouth[9] New Plymouth David Farr
Grace @ Wellington[10] Wellington Ian D Bayne
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Christchurch[11] Christchurch 1974 John McGimpsey
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ashburton Ashburton David Bayne
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Fairlie Fairlie David Bayne
Southern Presbytery
Grace Bible Church, Dunedin Dunedin Ben Hudson/Az Gray
Grace Presbyterian Church Waihola[12] Waihola Alf Bradfield
Catlins Evangelical Church Owaka Matthew Tarbotton
Grace Presbyterian Church, Gore Gore Sam Duthie
Wyndham Evangelical Church[13] Wyndham Geoff Lloyd
Grace Presbyterian Church[14] Invercargill John Van Rij
gollark: According to my IQ test, my IQ is about 800.
gollark: And humans don't really have one as much as vague fuzzy processes for guessing what they should do at the time.
gollark: You can't blame it on imperfect information. People just *do not do what their self-professed goals say they should*.
gollark: Have you *seen* people? Humans aren't rational beings.
gollark: In the perfect one they probably would.

See also

Presbyterian polity

References
  1. "Church Finder". Gracepresbyterianchurch.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2016-01-12. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  2. "About Us". Gracepresbyterianchurch.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  3. "History | Grace Presbyterian Church of Christchurch, NZ". Gracechristchurch.co.nz. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  4. "Links". Gracepresbyterianchurch.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  5. Archived July 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  6. Archived August 28, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Links". Gracepresbyterianchurch.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  8. Archived August 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Welcome to Grace Community Church New Plymouth". Gracenp.co.nz. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  10. "Grace @ Wellington | Every One reaching One to reach One more". Gracewellington.org.nz. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  11. Milton, Rusty. "Grace Presbyterian Church Christchurch". Journey.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  12. Archived September 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  13. "Wyndham Evangelical Church". Wyndhamevangelical.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2016-01-10. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.