Fifth Street Presbyterian Church is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a conservative, evangelical, Bible-believing denomination. The PCA has a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work at home and abroad, and to Christian Education. From its inception, the PCA has determined its purpose to be “faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission.
The PCA was formed in 1973, having separated from the Presbyterian Church of the United States (PCUS) in opposition to the long-developing theological liberalism which denied the deity of Jesus Christ and the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. In 1982, the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, joined the PCA.
The PCA holds to the Reformational tradition of the 5 Solas (or "Alones"): “Sola Scriptura” (Scripture Alone); “Sola Gratia” (Grace Alone); “Sola Fide” (Faith Alone); “Solus Christus” (Christ Alone); and “Soli Deo Gloria” (To God Alone Be Glory). The denomination also is committed to the doctrines of grace, which describe what God has done for the salvation of His people. Finally, the PCA is a Confessional denomination, reflected in its commitment to the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms.
The PCA maintains the historic polity of Presbyterian governance set forth in The Book of Church Order, namely rule by presbyters (or elders) and the graded assemblies or courts. These courts are the session, governing the local church; the presbytery, for regional matters; and the general assembly, at the national level.