About St. Peter Presbyterian

Saint Peter Presbyterian Church is a body of Christian believers who are united for the chief purpose of glorifying the Triune God by striving to proclaim and obey His revelation as found in the Holy Bible.

Why the ‘St. Peter’ Name?

It’s Saint Peter (without an ’s)

Yes, we call the church Saint Peter rather than Saint Peter’s. It isn’t that we don’t want to be confused with a certain place in Rome. And it isn’t an issue of style either.

It has to do with the Apostle Peter’s teaching on the nature of the church (see the 1 Peter passage here). No worries if you get it wrong. We just thought you might like to know.

I Peter 2:9–10

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

Our Mission

The general objectives of St. Peter Presbyterian Church (SPPC) are to make disciples of all nations; promote submission to God’s Word in all areas of human life and endeavor; nurture and educate believers and their households in the Christian faith; administer the sacraments and moral discipline within the church; and lead the congregation in united worship, encouragement, fellowship, and charitable service.

Community

The Church is a sacred community of families and individuals dedicated to the Lord and to one another. If you are looking for a group of people trying to accomplish this, for themselves and their children, then this is the place for you.

Our Beliefs

View of Scripture

The Primary Standard

As the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and comprehensive rule of faith and life for the Christian, the 66 books of the Bible are recognized by Saint Peter Presbyterian Church as the unchallengeable authority and supreme judge to which all religious controversies or creeds, as well as all opinions and regulations of men, must be subordinate.

Commitments

In the tradition of the Protestant Reformers, we hold to the:

  • Five “solas” of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solo Christo, and Soli Deo Gloria
  • Westminster Standards
  • Preaching of the Word, the exercise of church discipline, and the right celebration of the sacraments.

I Corinthians 8:6

“Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

Our Leadership

Our church is shepherded by a group of men who have been examined on their understanding of the Bible and have also proved themselves in faithfully living out the scriptures. These men are called elders.

Pastor Laurence Windham

Rev. Laurence Windham

Pastor Windham moved to Bristol, Virginia and became the pastor of the church in 2000. Prior to that, he attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida while working at Ligonier Ministries and serving as a college minister for Reformed University Fellowship at the University of Central Florida. Laurence maintains that his greatest credentials are the smiles of his wife and the laughter of his children.

Pastor Windham’s Blog

Rev. Steve Murphy

Husband to Kara, father to twelve, and “Pop-pop” to his grandchildren, Pastor Murphy has served as pastor of Saint Peter Presbyterian Church’s Abingdon parish since 2009. Previously Steve served as an interim pastor and spent some time on the mission field. More recently the Murphys published Homeschooling Today magazine. Steve received his degree in Bible with a minor in Greek from Cedarville University in 1991. The Murphy family lives in the shadow of Little Mountain, and enjoys the rich community life of believers to which God has led them.

Our Affiliation: CREC

SPPC is a member of Augustine Presbytery of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC). As the CREC website states, our conferation is “a vibrant community of evangelical believers shaped by the Reformation.” We are “focused on building communities of believers that begin each week with God-honoring worship and then joyfully extend that worship into every day of the week through our families, our friendships and our vocations. The church is the body of Christ, and from this central truth flow all the issues of life.”