We are: 

Nashville’s First Church.

Since 1814, First Presbyterian has sought to be faithful in service to Jesus Christ and the common good. We are rooted in the Reformed, orthodox and evangelical traditions of the larger church. 

Not our own.

Our lives have been interrupted by the disconcerting and promising grace of God. We have come to see that we are both loved and flawed. We recognize our sin and gratefully accept God’s grace. We trust in God’s promise of transforming forgiveness and renewal through the Holy Spirit. 

Christians. 

Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, the measure of all things. Our call is to know Him, love Him, and follow Him. Together. 

Reformed.

We are shaped by a theological tradition that emphasizes the unique authority of Scripture, the sovereign grace of God, and the recognition of the Lordship of Christ over all. In Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, we have been redeemed and claimed as God's beloved.

Evangelistic.

By this we mean that we are committed to the centrality of the atoning death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, who is alive today to be encountered by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is good news to the world, and we believe the Church is called to share so that all may taste and see. (We resist the current attempt to co-opt the term as a descriptor of some allegiance within the framework of US politics.) 

Orthodox. 

If being Reformed identifies what is particular about us, then being orthodox identifies what is universal about us. We joyfully confess the faith of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church that exists throughout time and place.  

Presbyterian.

The Presbyterian tradition has its roots in the Scottish Reformation. In 563, St. Columba brought the Christian faith from Ireland to Scotland, where it took root and flourished. In 1547, nearly one thousand years later, John Knox brought the Protestant Reformation to Scotland from Geneva, Switzerland, exclaiming from the depth of his evangelical zeal, “Give me Scotland, or I die.” The Reformed faith spread across Scotland, and it went on to greatly influence Christianity in America as waves of Scots immigrated to the New World. The Presbyterian church structure is governed by elected elders (presbyters) and connected to other churches in our local presbytery. 

Thoughtful.

We enjoy thinking deeply about what we believe. We recognize questions and doubt as a part of faith.  Our creeds and confessions are an indication to our commitment to the life of the mind. Some of our guiding confessions are the ecumenical creeds of the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, along with the reformed confessions of the Westminster Catechism, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Scots Confession.

A Playful Community.

We celebrate a risen Savior, Jesus Christ, through whom we have become a new creation. Re-creating and playing together on our 60+ acre campus is a way our community of faith expresses the delight we have found in the triune life of God.  

Neighbors. 

We pursue partnerships with churches and other organizations that share the concerns of the Kingdom of God. As the prophet Jeremiah tells us, we recognize that to serve the Lord is to seek the welfare of the city.  

Mission-oriented.

Led by the Holy Spirit, we have a long history of sending missionaries abroad and supporting local missions. We are extensively and personally involved in a wide range of ministries in the city, on campus, and across the globe.