Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Church

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The Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Church is a Christian denomination of the Reformed tradition founded in late 2004. The first member churches were received in September 2005. According to information on its webite, the ERPC's formation was in response to a perceived acceptance by churches such as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Presbyterian Church in America of departures from Biblical doctrine in a number of areas, including:

the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone, apart from works
the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy
the teaching of baptismal regeneration
failure to discipline ministers, elders, and seminary professors who hold such views
the development of un-Presbyterian bureaucractic structures that impede discipline and undermine spiritual vitality in the churches.

The ERPC is to be governed by a General Synod, presbyteries, and elders (sessions) elected by the local congregations. Under the denomination's Form of Government, local congregations delegate specific and limited powers to presbyteries and synods, designed to promote orthodoxy, evangelism, and the spiritual well-being of the membership while strongly limiting denominational bureaucracy. As of November 2006, there are five recognized congregations of the ERPC and a number of mission works.

[edit] Doctrinal distinctives

The ERPC website lists several distinctives, including:

Belief in the inerrancy of the Bible
Rejection of the Federal Vision and New Perspective on Paul
Creation of the universe in six literal, contiguous days at a relatively recent time
Belief in the Regulative Principle of Worship (but does not require Exclusive Psalmody; this decision is left to the local congregation)
Pastors are members of the local congregations as well as their presbyteries
Elders are ordained for life, but active service is term-limited
Annual renewal of vows by its elders
Licensing of elders and deacons to preach (but not to perform other ministerial functions), after examination by presbytery and under supervision of the local pastor
No permanent committees