Beliefs

Truth is important. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but the Bible does speak with great clarity on the most foundational issues.

Harvest is the young adult community of McLean Presbyterian Church, a member of the Presbyterian Church in America. As such, we’re joyfully committed to the teaching of the Bible, as outlined in the Westminster Confession of Faith. Here are some of our core beliefs:

The Bible - God loves to communicate with us; and the Bible is the book he wrote to do just that. In its perfect pages He tells us all we need to know for this life and the life to come. The Bible has authority over all we do.

God - God had no beginning and will have no end. He is infinitely powerful, beautiful, and perfect in every conceivable way. He exists in relationship with Himself, as one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Humanity - Humanity was created by God, in His image, to be in relationship with Him. As such, every person on the face of the earth is of great value, possesses great dignity, and is worthy of great respect.

Eternity - There is more to life than what we see: God made every person who has ever lived with a soul that will never die. We will all live on forever: either in relationship with God (heaven) or in separation from him (hell).

Sin - Sin is the rejection of relationship with God. Every person ever created has done this by doing things we shouldn’t do and by not doing the things we should. Such actions destroy our relationship with God, are offensive to Him, and are counter-productive to our own joy.

Jesus Christ - Jesus came to restore our relationship with God. Being fully God and fully human He did so by becoming our substitute: living the perfect life we couldn’t live, dying on the cross to pay the punishment our sin deserves, then rising again to conquer death.

Salvation - There is absolutely nothing we can do to restore our relationship with God. No amount of work, effort, or good intentions can mend the mess we’ve made. Salvation, then, can only come through Jesus. Consequently, it’s a free gift; God reaches out in sovereign grace and draws us back into relationship through his Son. Why? Simply because He loves us.

The Holy Spirit - God does not leave believers to make it through life on their own. Instead, He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. The Holy Spirit leads us into truth and gives us strength to follow Jesus.

The Church - Community is at the very heart of who God is and so He gave us the church. We walk, not only with God, but also with other believers, loving one another well and working together to see God’s purposes for humanity fulfilled here on earth.