What We Believe
As a congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, we hold to the Essentials of our Faith, and we hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger & Shorter Catechisms.
The Essentials of Our Faith
All Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks. On this sure foundation we affirm these additional Essentials of our faith:
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We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever!
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Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.
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The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, thereby justifies them in His sight. Only those born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
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The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.
Jesus Christ will come again to the earth-personally, visibly, and bodily-to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20)
The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)
Our Mission
First Presbyterian Church of Opelika exists to
multiply & grow disciples of Jesus through
Gospel-centered Worship, Gospel-saturated Community, Gospel-shaped Service, & Gospel-motivated Mission.
Our Beliefs
Our Denomination
Our Constitution
Our Values
Gospel
The grace we’ve received in Jesus shapes everything we are and everything we do.
Ephesians 2:8-10 | 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 | 1 Timothy 1:15 Romans 5:8 | John 3:16-17
Family
The gospel makes us a family that loves one another and is for one another.
Ephesians 2:19-22 | Romans 12:10-13 | Matthew 12:49-50 Galatians 6:1-2,10 | 1 John 3:1-2 | 1 John 4:19-21
Tapestry
The gospel makes us a family that seeks to reflect the beauty and complexity of our neighborhoods.
Galatians 3:28 | Revelation 7:9-10 | Colossians 3:11 | James 2:1-4
Partnership
The gospel makes us a family committed to displaying Jesus powerfully through kingdom partnership.
3 John 5-8 | 1 Corinthians 1:10 | John 17:20-23 | Philippians 1:3-5
Multiplication
The gospel makes us a family that is passionate about leveraging ourselves so that the lost are reached and churches are planted.
Matthew 28:18-20 | Acts 1:8 | Matthew 9:37-38
Our Worship Style
Corporate Worship
FPO services are first and foremost centered on God—specifically on the person and work of Jesus. Our desire at FPO during our Sunday morning worship service is to glorify God and exalt Christ by worshiping in Spirit and in Truth. We do this through songs of praise, hymns of tradition, confessions, the reading of Scripture, traditional creeds, and prayers passed down by faithful fathers of the reformed faith and most importantly – the preached Word of God. The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are a vital part of worship here at FPO; we celebrate the Lord’s Supper once a month and baptism as needed.
Our Style of Worship
The musical style of FPO is what some might consider “folk” or “acoustic” but, we long to have a broad world vision in our worship that weaves a variety of musical forms and expressions. We incorporate the rich resources of past and present—songs, readings, prayers, liturgies, etc.—while looking with joy toward the day of Jesus’ return. We use contemporary texts and melodies but are also very driven with traditional hymnody because we cherish the richness and depth of traditional hymns that have stood the test of time. Our services are usually described as “refreshingly liturgical” and we think you will find both order and spontaneity to the flow and rhythm of any given service at FPO.
Our Belief About Worship
God calls us to a lifestyle of worship. We should live each moment of every day unto our Lord.
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-2
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1
The Sunday Morning Service is a vital element of worship for FPO. We seek to devote ourselves “to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
"not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Hebrews 10:25