Who is the Nobleford Presbyterian Church? We are a part of the body of Christ seeking to worship God in sincerity and simplicity, following the classical reformed position of the First and Second Reformation, using the Westminster Confession of Faith as our Statement of Belief.
Organized and instituted in early 2023, we started out small. A handful of families from reformed churches in Southern Alberta with a concern about the preaching in the churches to which they belonged, came together, united with a desire for the full Word of God to preached simply and clearly, without doctrinal bias or partiality. As the Word went forth, our group grew and in August of 2023 we submitted a petition to, and were received by, the Presbytery of the United States to become a Preaching Station(church plant) under their care within the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). In May of 2025 we were approved as a fully sanctioned charge (full congregation) by the General Assembly held in Glasgow.
So why did we start a new congregation when there are already so many Reformed Churches?
We greatly appreciate the work that our brethren within the Reformed tradition are doing, and welcome fellowship with the people of God, regardless of their denomination. Our denomination's Ecumenical Committee has established various types of relationships with a number of other denominations. However, while we have similarities with several churches in the area, we hold to several distinctives that collectively differentiate us in doctrine and practice:
- Scripture teaches the absolute sovereignty of God and the one-sided work of salvation (Romans 9). We wholehearted believe and teach this doctrine, but avoid preaching that is to the elect only, or that preaches the operations of grace without the offer of grace. Scripture teaches that we are created in the image of God in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. By our sin, we broke the Covenant of Works, and fell from this state of perfection into a state of death. However, the responsibility of man (Romans 10) remains the same: to serve God in knowledge, righteousness and holiness. This is now only possible through Jesus Christ who is the Mediator and Redeemer of the Covenant of Grace. As such, the well-meant offer of the Gospel is freely preached to all without exception (see Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap 7, Para 3; WLC Q32; WSC Q86; Canons of Dordt, Head 2, Article 5&6; Canons of Dordt Head 3&4, Articles 8-11; among others). We also fully reject the error of the Arminians who teach the appropriation of grace through the free will and decision of man.
- We hold to the Continuity of the Moral Law of God, teaching that it is "...our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ...", being a revelation of the holy character of God whereby the natural man is condemned (Gal 3:10); but that it is also the rule of life for the Christian in service of God (John 14:15). We disagree with those who hold an antinomian view of the law, who disregard the Christian Sabbath Day altogether or who treat it merely as a day for man's rest and recreation. We also hold to Christian Liberty, not binding man's conscience( 1 Cor. 10:29) to un-Biblical or extra-Biblical legalism, nor legal obedience to merit any favour with God for salvation, nor the neonomian view of maintaining salvation by the keeping of the law.
- We firmly believe that the true Christian has an experimental (experiential) faith, not merely an intellectual knowledge or assent. However, we reject the so called "checklist" theology where faith is based upon, or validated by, a checklist of experiences rather than on the Word of God.
- We firmly hold to the Regulative Principle of Worship, striving for obedience to the Word of God in how we worship. This means, among other things, that we only sing the Psalms without musical accompaniment, rejecting all man-made hymns and institutions that please man rather than God; the rejection of commonly called Christian holy days or feast days; office bearers and other leadership positions within the church only being filled by men; the requirement of the head-covering for women in worship.
More on who we are as a denomination can be found on our Presbytery's website under the Identity tab, or on our denominational website under the About Us tab. Also a short general topic about who we are available on SermonAudio. These distinctions are not listed to elevate ourselves over others, but rather an attempt to explain who we are and why we started a new church rather than stay in or join an existing Reformed Church. For a full understanding of what we believe, we encourage you to read through the Westminster Standards, as well as browse a number of other Resources that we have or our FAQ page. Still have questions or a desire to know more? Let us know through our Contact form or visit us in person!