Under Christ’s Authority
Every church has a way it is led. At Christ the King, we believe Christ Himself is the one true Head of the Church, and He leads His people through His Word and through the shepherding ministry of elders.
No elder leads alone, and no congregation stands alone. Presbyterian is the name for that shared accountability — each to the others, and all of them to Christ.
The Officers He Calls
Jesus Christ alone is the Head of His Church. He purchased His people with His own blood, and He rules His Church through His Word and Spirit. Every leader and every office within the church exists under His authority, serving not as an independent power, but as a steward of the care Christ has entrusted to them.
Christ has not left His Church without guidance or care. Though He reigns from heaven, He shepherds His people through the ministry of appointed leaders who teach His Word, pray for His people, and care for their souls. These leaders are called elders, and their role is to serve under Christ’s authority as shepherds of His flock.
From the earliest days of the Church, the apostles appointed elders to provide spiritual oversight and care for God’s people. As a Presbyterian church, we believe this biblical pattern continues today: Christ governs His Church through faithful elders who lead with humility, accountability, and love.
And he is the head of the body, the church... that in everything he might be preeminent. — Colossians 1:18
Why We Are Presbyterian
The word Presbyterian comes from the Greek word presbyteros, meaning “elder.” We are Presbyterian because we believe Christ has chosen to govern His Church through a plurality of elders who share in the work of shepherding and leading His people.
Each local Presbyterian church is led by a Session, a group of elders who serve under Christ’s authority. The Teaching Elder, or pastor, is called and trained to devote himself especially to the ministry of preaching, teaching, and prayer. Ruling Elders are men from within the congregation who are recognized for their character and wisdom and are called to share in the spiritual care and oversight of the church.
These offices differ in responsibility, not in rank.
Together, Teaching and Ruling Elders serve Christ’s flock as under-shepherds, accountable to Him and to His Word.
Christ also does not intend His churches to exist in isolation. Presbyterian churches are joined together through regional and broader assemblies for mutual accountability, pastoral care, the ordination of ministers, and a shared commitment to the faith we confess.
The Session is the local church governing body, made up of Teaching and Ruling Elders who shepherd and oversee their congregation.
Christ the King is overseen by a Provisional Session of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church.
The Presbytery is a regional body of Presbyterian churches and Elders that provides accountability, oversight, and care among congregations.
Christ the King is a Mission Church of the Central Florida Presbytery.
The General Assembly is the denomination-wide gathering of churches and Elders that provides broader unity, guidance, and oversight for Presbyterian churches.
Christ the King is part of the Presbyterian Church in America.
Our Provisional Session
Christ the King is currently led by a Provisional Session as we move toward becoming a particularized church. This Session consists of our planting pastor together with Elders from our mother church, who provide oversight, care, and guidance as this new congregation is established.
Connect With Our Elders
Whether you are exploring Christ the King, have questions about our church, or simply want to learn more, our Elders would be glad to hear from you.