Church and Community

The primary responsibility of the church to the community is that of evangelism and each local congregation is a centre from which the gospel is communicated to the surrounding neighbourhood. Missionary work outside the bounds of established congregations is being carried on in the Republic of Ireland and in France. A Christian bookshop and the Reformed Theological College also have a permanent base in Belfast. Residential accommodation is provided for the elderly in Ballymoney and for students and young people in Belfast. A monthly denominational magazine, The Covenanter Witness, is published for the benefit of the churches in Ireland and Scotland.

A distinctive witness to the nation is borne through an emphasis on the duty of recognising Christ as king, as was once done in the seventeenth century covenants. The church considers the repudiation of those covenants to be a sin, to be repented of and corrected, and Reformed Presbyterians will only support candidates for political office who promise to work for such a national recognition of the authority of Christ. They seek to be good citizens and to support policies and participate in initiatives aimed at the true well-being of the community.