Mission Statement / Core Values
The people who are Trinity Presbyterian Church of Surfside Beach seek to embody the hands and feet, eyes and ears, and compassionate heart of Jesus by offering…
Wide Welcome
We welcome all. And All means ALL.[i]
Our whole selves are welcome in worship[ii]
Deep Discipleship
We follow Jesus, not dogma.[iii]
We approach scripture seriously, not literally.[iv]
We value relationships, not rhetoric.[v]
Lavish Love
God’s love is a lavish gift.[vi]
God’s love knows no boundaries.[vii]
As recipients of extravagant grace, we seek to live gracefully -
Loving our neighbors, whoever they are.[viii]
What We Believe and How We Seek to Live it Out
At Trinity Presbyterian Church of Surfside Beach, we believe faith is not about having all the answers—it's about living the questions with love, grace, and authentic community. Our beliefs are grounded in scripture, informed by our Reformed tradition, and expressed through how we treat one another and serve our world.
As Presbyterians, we draw wisdom from our Book of Confessions while recognizing that "God alone is Lord of the conscience" (Westminster Confession 20.2). We hold our confessions as faithful witnesses to scripture, not as final authorities, understanding that the church is always being reformed by the Word and Spirit of God.
We Believe in God's Extravagant Love
We believe that "God so loved the world" (John 3:16)—not just part of it, not just the people who look like us or think like us, but the whole, beautiful, complicated world. This love is lavish and unconditional, given freely as a gift we could never earn (Romans 5:8). As the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us, we belong "body and soul, in life and in death" not to ourselves but to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ (Q&A 1). A Declaration of Faith beautifully captures this: "God's love never changes. Nothing can separate us from God's love" (Chapter 3). God's love knows no boundaries, extending to every person, in every place, for all time (Matthew 28:20, John 13:1).
We Believe in a Wide Welcome
Following Jesus' promise to "draw all people" to himself (John 12:32), we believe the church should be a place where everyone belongs. The Confession of 1967 calls us to be "God's reconciling community," breaking down barriers that divide humanity. A Declaration of Faith proclaims that "Jesus calls all kinds of people to follow him" (Chapter 6), and we take this call seriously. Like the disciples who worshiped even while doubting (Matthew 28:17), we welcome people exactly as they are—questions, struggles, and all. God shows no favoritism (Acts 10:34), and neither do we.
We Believe in Following Jesus
We are called to take up our cross and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24), which means embodying his compassion, justice, and love in our daily lives. The Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches that our chief end is "to glorify God and enjoy God forever" (Q&A 1)—not through perfect doctrine, but through lives of faithful service. A Declaration of Faith reminds us that "Jesus shows us what human life should be like" and calls us to "resist evil and work for justice and peace" (Chapter 6). We believe in remaining connected to Jesus like branches to a vine (John 15:5), drawing our life and purpose from his example rather than from rigid doctrines or human traditions.
We Believe Scripture is the Living and Active Word of God
We approach the Bible seriously, not literally, understanding that scripture is "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (Romans 15:4). The Westminster Confession reminds us that scripture is "the supreme judge" for matters of faith and practice (WCF 1.10), while the Confession of 1967 emphasizes that God's word comes to us through human words in particular historical contexts. A Declaration of Faith teaches that "the Bible is the word of God for the people of God" while acknowledging it was "written by people moved by the Holy Spirit" in specific times and places (Chapter 4). Like God's word that "will not return empty" (Isaiah 55:11), we believe scripture speaks into our lives today, calling us to love, justice, and mercy. We study it thoughtfully, wrestle with it honestly, and let it transform how we live.
We Believe in Loving Our Neighbors
Jesus taught us that love of God and love of neighbor are inseparable (John 13:35). The Barmen Declaration reminds us that the church's message and order must conform to Jesus Christ alone, which means our actions must reflect his radical compassion. A Declaration of Faith calls us to "work for the day when God's justice and mercy will triumph" and to care for "the poor, the sick, the lonely, and the powerless" (Chapter 9). We believe this means caring for "the least of these"—the hungry, the stranger, the imprisoned, the forgotten (Matthew 25:31-46). Following the ancient call to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), we seek to live gracefully in a world that desperately needs grace.
We Believe in Community and Relationship
We believe that faith is not a solo journey but a communal one. A Declaration of Faith describes the church as "a community of believers" who are called to "share the good news" and "serve human need" together (Chapter 8). We are called to welcome the stranger, care for the vulnerable, and leave the edges of our fields unharvested so that those in need might find sustenance (Leviticus 19:9-18). True discipleship happens in relationship with one another, where we learn to love not just in word but in deed.
We Believe in Hope and Transformation
We believe that God is still speaking, still working, still transforming lives and communities. As A Brief Statement of Faith declares, "In a broken and fearful world, the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace." A Declaration of Faith promises that "God is always doing something new" and that "the Spirit makes all things new" (Chapter 10). We believe in the possibility of healing, reconciliation, and justice. We believe that another world is possible—a world where love wins, where all are welcomed, and where the reign of God breaks through in unexpected and beautiful ways.
These beliefs shape everything we do as a community—from how we worship on Sunday mornings to how we serve in our neighborhood throughout the week. We don't claim to have perfect understanding, but we trust that as we seek to follow Jesus together, God's love will continue to work through us and in us.
Wide Welcome
Deep Discipleship
Lavish Love
[i] John 3:16, John 12:32
