Reformed
Presbyterian Church
of Ephrata, PCA

Vision for Ministry

Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPC) exists to be a stream of God’s refreshing grace for people from all walks of life.

RPC’s purpose is to allow this stream to penetrate our lives and empower our ministries so that we might be a changed people in whom God’s grace prospers and abounds (John 15, Galatians 3:3). We desire for God’s grace to flow out of our lives and ministry into all our relationships so that our friends and community might see, taste, and experience the Father’s healing grace (Psalms 36:8-9, John 7:38).

The Hurting

Historically, Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPC) has served as a haven for those struggling with the futility of works-based religion or the confusion of modern theology. Here they have found genuine grace and truth in the person of Christ and the people of God. It is our goal to provide both refuge and new beginnings for all of these as well in those who have been overcome by the difficulties of life.

The Seeker

RPC desires to provide a safe place where people can ask any question in their search for truth and God. We freely confess our belief in the historical Christ and in revealed truth. It is our goal not only to provide truthful answers but also to encourage questions about the profound issues concerning God and life.

Transformation

We encourage each other to continually pursue the truth regarding God, ourselves, and our community. Only the Truth found in Jesus Christ is capable of freeing us from sinful and destructive behavior. As God’s light exposes the darkness of our hearts, his Grace enables genuine transformation to begin.

Change Through God’s People

We believe God uses ordinary people to bring about change in our lives. Therefore, we affirm the value of accountability through small groups, support groups, counseling, discipleship, and friendships. These kinds of connections within the church family provide hope through which growth and healed relationships can take place.

Spiritual Gifts and Service

RPC believes that God has provided each person, male and female, with spiritual gifts. When properly put to use, these gifts serve as tangible expressions of God’s grace which edify his people. Our goal is to help God’s people to recognize their gifts, nurture them as individuals, and entrust them with ministries.

Small Group Ministry

We believe that small group ministry is a strategic setting in which to fulfill God’s directive to present each member complete in Christ (Col. 1:28). Small groups provide a primary location for the care of the flock and the fulfillment of Scripture’s “one-another” commands. Here such things as spiritual gifts, relationships, prayer, mercy ministry, accountability and genuine transformation can blossom and flourish.

Worship

RPC is committed to worship that is God-centered, Christ-exalting, and Word-focused. Thus we strive for worship that encourages awe, reverence, joy, and intimacy. Reverence and awe do not exclude the expression of joy and emotion. True worship will engage the whole person, mind and emotions, resulting in renewed passion for Christ. We express our connection to the past and our relation to the present through musical diversity and through the use of historic creeds and confessions.

Family, Children, and Youth

From infancy, our children and youth must be considered a part of the church and our first mission field. By word and example, we lovingly seek to enfold them into the knowledge of God so that they might personally know his grace and forgiveness. Our youth are valued as an essential part of the church and are nurtured and challenged to be an effective part of our ministry.

Larger Christian Community

We are connected, regionally and nationally, to a larger body of churches, called the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), for the purposes of accountability and support. It is our goal to cooperate locally in meaningful ways with other churches and organizations to further God’s kingdom in our communities.

Culture and Society

As the body of Christ, we are called to be both prophets and priests to our culture. As prophets, we are called to graciously speak the truth to our culture. As priests we are called to minister the truth to our culture with love and mercy.

Mercy Ministry

We are called to represent nothing less than the love of Christ to our community. Just as Jesus consistently ministered to the whole person, spiritually and physically, we seek to minister Christ’s love to neighbors. We do this through tangible deeds of mercy with the hope of building bridges to Christ.

Mission to the World

God commands us to make disciples of all peoples of the world and to proclaim the good news of his grace. RPC seeks to accomplish this by prayerfully and financially supporting strategic mission works and by sending out from our local body individuals and teams for short and long-term missions.