What to expect at a PCA church

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.

• 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.

Read the full PCA guide — beliefs, worship, and common questions →