What We Believe
Why Bonhomme?
Bonhomme Presbyterian Church has a long history, founded in 1816! During that time, the French had a strong influence in our area, hence our name Bonhomme, which means Good Man. But we are followers of Jesus Christ, and we know that no one is good but God alone. We have discovered God’s gift of grace, a gift that we do not deserve, and cannot ever repay. We know that we discovered that gift because God called us, loved us, pursued us, and made it possible for us to know and follow Jesus Christ.
Our Core Beliefs
We stand with other followers of Jesus Christ throughout centuries, affirming with them the core beliefs of the Christian faith, found in classic formulations of faith like the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed.
We Are Not Here For Ourselves
We are not here for ourselves, but to be a blessing to our community of Chesterfield, the West County, the larger St. Louis area, and the world. We want to be known for the blessing from God that we have received, but more importantly for the blessing we share with others. We want to be known for our service to our community and for sharing the Good News of God’s love through Jesus Christ.
Our Goals
Our goal is to be a teaching church, a parenting church, and a healing church. We long to be known for growth that is rooted, flourishing, and patient; for connection that is embodied, interwoven, and healing; for clarity that is wise, mission-focused, and open; for vibrancy that is beautiful, energetic, and generous; and for integrity that is authentic, mature, and thoughtful.
We are Also Part of the Reformed, Presbyterian, and Evangelical Streams of the Christian Faith
As part of the Reformed movement, we affirm that God’s wisdom and authority are expressed in Jesus Christ, God incarnate, and in the words of the Scriptures of Old and New Testament, our authority for faith and life. As Presbyterians we are elder-centered (Presbuteros in Greek means, “elder”) and we live out a life of shared leadership in the church. We remember Titus 1:5, where Paul the Apostle told Titus to “appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” Shared leadership within the congregation provides a healthy check and balance. Shared community among leaders in the congregation seeks to listen for the voice of God and to discern that voice together. We are also evangelical, not in the political sense in which the term is sometimes used. We are evangelical because we believe that God has spoken through God’s Word and through Jesus Christ; because we believe each person needs to discover a relationship with Jesus that is personal for them; and because we want to share that Good News with the world.
