We have one hope.
One Hope Presbyterian is a community learning how to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and how to love our neighbors as ourselves. We want to be anchored by God’s love as revealed in the gospel; to be enabled by the Holy Spirit’s power; to encourage one another by gathering regularly; to live lives marked by service and obedience. We pray for a shared life that honors God, shows His grace and love to all, and that brings peace, justice, cultural renewal, and flourishing to Longview and the world.
What does Presbyterian mean?
Our name, “Presbyterian,” comes from the Greek word for “elder.” This name is used because Presbyterian churches are governed by elders that are elected by the congregation—a representative form of church government. The Presbyterian denomination has its roots in Scotland, where the teachers of the European Reformation, particularly John Calvin, had gained substantial influence in the 16th century. These early protestant churches in Scotland and England referred to themselves as Presbyterians.
We are confessional
We affirm the historic, orthodox Christian faith as revealed in Scripture and summarized in the Nicene Creed. The historic protestant reformed confessions and catechisms of the church, (like the Westminster Confession of Faith and catechisms), while subordinate to the Bible in their authority, set forth our understanding of Biblical truth in a concise and reliable form.
We are liturgical
The term “liturgy” means “work of the people.” It is what God’s people do when they assemble to worship God as one body. At One Hope, our worship follows the historical patterns of Christian worship that connect believers through the ages and to those believers that are around the world. Because worship is where God meets his covenant people, not just individuals, we pray together, we sing together, we confess our aspirations and shortcomings together, and we share the Lord’s Table together. By following this pattern on Sunday, we seek to shape our affections the other six days of the week.
We are relational
Although Christian doctrine can be summarized in creeds and confessions, following Jesus is not data or information or beliefs. Fundamentally, Christianity is about being in relationship—relationship with God and relationship with other people. One Hope Presbyterian is a place where people connect to God through worship and teaching and connect to each other through fellowship, sharing of resources, and strengthening families. In this way, we are a reconstituted family (a community) seeking to orient ourselves to God and to each other, rather than to our individual selves.
We are missional
As a community of Jesus followers, we are called to join in God’s mission in Longview, Texas and the world. God’s mission (or Missio Dei) as revealed in scripture is to redeem and restore the world through the advancement of the gospel. When people encounter Jesus, alive and ruling as king, they catch a glimpse of His coming kingdom of heaven. This mission infuses the entire life of a believer. So every believer is to be an agent for the kingdom of God and to carry that mission into every sphere of life.