Presbyterian & Reformed

PCA

108 listed in North Carolina. What they believe, and what a service is actually like.

The Presbyterian Church in America is a conservative, confessional Reformed denomination. Churches are governed by elders, grouped into regional presbyteries. The PCA formed in 1973, separating from the mainline Presbyterian body over theological direction — which is why North Carolina towns often have both a PCA and a PCUSA church, sometimes a few blocks apart, with genuinely different convictions.

What to expect if you’ve never been

A structured Sunday service, usually 70 to 80 minutes, following a printed order of worship.
A mix of traditional hymns and modern hymnody; some congregations use a full band, others a piano only.
An expository sermon of 35 to 45 minutes working through a book of the Bible.
Corporate confession of sin, a reading of assurance, and often a recited creed or catechism question.
Communion monthly or weekly depending on the congregation, open to any baptised Christian who professes faith.
Smart-casual to dressy. Children frequently stay in the service rather than leaving for programming.

What PCA churches believe

Scripture is inerrant and the sole final authority.
The Westminster Confession of Faith and its catechisms summarise what the church teaches.
God's sovereignty in salvation — the doctrines historically called Reformed or Calvinist.
Infants of believing parents are baptised, as members of the covenant community.
Elders lead the church; only men are ordained as pastors and elders.

Commonly confused with

PCA vs. PCUSA

This is the most common Presbyterian mix-up. The PCUSA is the older mainline denomination: it ordains women and LGBTQ people as pastors, holds a broader range of theological views, and is generally more progressive. The PCA is confessional and conservative, ordains only men, and requires officers to affirm the Westminster Standards. They share a name, a governance structure, and very little else in the way of current direction.

PCA vs. OPC, ARP, and EPC

All four are conservative Presbyterian bodies. The OPC is smaller and older, dating to 1936. The ARP is a distinct Southern denomination with deep roots in the Carolinas. The EPC sits somewhat broader than the PCA and permits congregations to ordain women. The differences are real but far narrower than the PCA–PCUSA gap.

Common questions

Is the PCA the same as PCUSA?

No. They are separate denominations with different convictions on Scripture, ordination, and doctrine. Check the sign and the website — the abbreviation is usually the fastest way to tell.