What Does it Mean to be Reformed?

Harvest Church is a reformed church. This means we are committed to the five solas of the Reformation, and are Calvinistic, covenantal, and confessional.

Commitment to the Five Solas.

The five solas are five Latin phrases popularized during the Protestant Reformation that emphasized the distinctions between the early Reformers and the Roman Catholic Church. The word sola, Latin for “only,” is used in relation to five key teachings that define the biblical pleas of Reformation Protestants. Each sola remains relevant to this day. The five solas are

1. Sola scriptura: “Scripture alone” - emphasizes that the Bible, God's holy Word, is the Christian's sole source of authority.
2. Sola fide: “Faith alone” - emphasizes salvation as God's free gift to all who accept it by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and is never based on any human effort or good deeds.
3. Sola gratia: “Grace alone” - emphasizes God's grace as the reason for our salvation. Salvation comes from what God has done rather than what we do.
4. Solo Christo: “Christ alone” - (sometimes listed as Solus Christus, “through Christ alone”) emphasizes the role of Jesus Christ in our salvation. Jesus Christ is the only One Who offers access to God.
5. Soli Deo gloria: “To the glory of God alone” - emphasizes that the goal of life is to bring glory to God.

Calvinistic.

Harvest Church holds a Calvinistic view of salvation, believing it is God's miraculous work that transforms a person's heart from complete rebellion against Him to trusting in Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, for salvation.

Covenental.

Harvest Church teaches covenantal theology, meaning God has always related to His people according to a covenant, from the beginning of time to the present day.

Confessional.

As a "confessional church," Harvest Church holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith, an historical confession of the Christian faith written as a summary of the doctrines taught in Scripture. Theologically sound, this Confession does not replace the Bible's absolute authority, but instead provides standards of doctrine, church government and worship that largely define Presbyterianism.