Our Story

Redeeming Grace PCA has a rich history in the Lake Wylie area of South Carolina. In one sense you could say it begins the history of the area. The church is the oldest institution in the area called "the Point," which makes up the current community of Lake Wylie, SC.

The church's beginnings go back to 1884 when families began meeting for worship on the current site. The picture to the left is the original step used to enter the sanctuary.  The meeting place was called Bethel Chapel, as the people were members of Bethel Presbyterian Church (PCA) which is located about six miles east toward Clover, SC. In 1884, the rough roads made the six-mile trip to Bethel Church difficult so the people sought out an area on the Point to meet. Mr. Robert Harper donated an acre of land, which is part of the church's seven acres today.

From today's perspective one can see that God intended to have an active evangelical church in the area to serve the thousands of new people he was going to send into the area in the next few years.

A small white-boarded building served as the meeting place for the Chapel members until 1930, when it was destroyed by fire. A brick building was erected as a replacement, and over the years additions were made to this building. In 1989, the congregation voted to begin a two-phase building project. The first phase was a new larger sanctuary. This was constructed in 1990, and followed in 1994 by the addition of a multi-purpose building with education space and a gym-fellowship area.


The old sanctuary building was given to Friendly Hill Baptist Church of Lake Wylie and moved to their site. The old fellowship building was given to Good Samaritan Methodist Church and moved to their property. Both buildings are still in use today. God enabled the congregation to become debt free in 1999.

In 1959, the 64 members of Bethel Chapel decided to organize into their own particular church. The new church was named Scherer Memorial Presbyterian Church in honor of Dr. Tilden Scherer who served Bethel Church and Bethel Chapel from 1934-1950. Many years later, on June 4th, 2017 the church decided to change the name again to reach an fast growing and diverse community with the gospel. The name was chosen to emphasize and communicate that there is only one way in which man can be redeemed... by grace alone. The name was officially changed to Redeeming Grace PCA.


In 1973, the church members voted to leave the Southern Presbyterian Church denomination and become a charter member in the New Presbyterian Church In America (PCA). The PCA was founded to establish a denomination that was a scriptural, evangelical and reformed witness to Christ. The Word of God (the Bible) was to be the rule of faith and practice.


From 1959 until 1980 Scherer Memorial Presbyterian Church shared a pastor with Bethel Presbyterian Church. In 1980 the church called its first full time pastor, the Rev. James Simoneau. Mr. Simoneau served the church until the spring of 1988. In August 1988 the Rev. Rick Lindsay was called as pastor and served mightily until he was called home on April 7, 2015.  

In September of 2015, the Pulpit Committee presented Rev. Aaron Morgan as their chosen candidate.  On October 20, 2015 the Rev. Aaron Morgan was voted as Senior Pastor of Scherer Memorial PCA.

Today the church has a range of activities for all ages. Emphasis is placed on vibrant worship where the presence of the almighty God is celebrated. Members are challenged through the preaching of God's truth and educational opportunities to have their minds transformed and renewed by the word of God. Opportunities for fellowship and prayer are offered to build strong bonds between members. Members are encouraged to be involved in various ministry opportunities in the area.

By God's promise of covenantal faithfulness to His church, the members of Redeeming Grace PCA are seeking to proclaim that sinners can be saved by a merciful God who longs and delights in giving His redeeming grace.

Our Beliefs

Redeeming Grace is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America. The PCA is the largest conservative Presbyterian denomination in the USA. To learn of our rich history, visit http://www.pcanet.org/history/

Our beliefs are articulated in the Westminster Confession of Faith which can be found here.

A good summary of our beliefs can be found below which is taken from our Book of Church Order:


I. THE KING AND HEAD OF THE CHURCH


Jesus Christ, upon whose shoulders the government rests, whose name is called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no end; who sits upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth, even forever (Isaiah 9:6-7); having all power given unto Him in heaven and in earth by the Father, who raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1:20-23); He, being ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things, received gifts for His Church, and gave all offices necessary for the edification of His Church and the perfecting of His saints (Ephesians 4:10-13).


Jesus, the Mediator, the sole Priest, Prophet, King, Saviour, and Head of the Church, contains in Himself, by way of eminency, all the offices in His Church, and has many of their names attributed to Him in the Scriptures. He is Apostle, Teacher, Pastor, Minister, Bishop and the only Lawgiver in Zion.

It belongs to His Majesty from His throne of glory to rule and teach the Church through His Word and Spirit by the ministry of men; thus mediately exercising His own authority and enforcing His own laws, unto the edification and establishment of His Kingdom.


Christ, as King, has given to His Church officers, oracles and ordinances; and especially has He ordained therein His system of doctrine, government, discipline and worship, all of which are either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary inference may be deduced therefrom; and to which things He commands that nothing be added, and that from them naught be taken away.


Since the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven, He is present with the Church by His Word and Spirit, and the benefits of all His offices are effectually applied by the Holy Ghost.


 

II. PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES


The Presbyterian Church in America, in setting forth the form of government founded upon and agreeable to the Word of God, reiterates the following great principles which have governed the formation of the plan:


1. God alone is Lord of the conscience and has left it free from any doctrines or commandments of men (a) which are in any respect contrary to the Word of God, or (b) which, in regard to matters of faith and worship, are not governed by the Word of God. Therefore, the rights of private judgment in all matters that respect religion are universal and inalienable. No religious constitution should be supported by the civil power further than may be necessary for protection and security equal and common to all others.


2. In perfect consistency with the above principle, every Christian Church, or union or association of particular churches, is entitled to declare the terms of admission into its communion and the qualifications of its ministers and members, as well as the whole system of its internal government which Christ has appointed. In the exercise of this right it may, notwithstanding, err in making the terms of communion either too lax or too narrow; yet even in this case, it does not infringe upon the liberty or the rights of others, but only makes an improper use of its own.


3. Our blessed Saviour, for the edification of the visible Church, which is His body, has appointed officers not only to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments, but also to exercise discipline for the preservation both of truth and duty. It is incumbent upon these officers and upon the whole Church in whose name they act, to censure or cast out the erroneous and scandalous, observing in all cases the rules contained in the Word of God.


4. Godliness is founded on truth. A test of truth is its power to promote holiness according to our Saviour’s rule, “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). No opinion can be more pernicious or more absurd than that which brings truth and falsehood upon the same level.

On the contrary, there is an inseparable connection between faith and practice, truth and duty. Otherwise it would be of no consequence either to discover truth or to embrace it.


5. While, under the conviction of the above principle, it is necessary to make effective provision that all who are admitted as teachers be sound in the faith, there are truths and forms with respect to which men of good character and principles may differ. In all these it is the duty both of private Christians and societies to exercise mutual forbearance toward each other.


6. Though the character, qualifications and authority of church officers are laid down in the Holy Scriptures, as well as the proper method of officer investiture, the power to elect persons to the exercise of authority in any particular society resides in that society.


7. All church power, whether exercised by the body in general, or by repre-sentation, is only ministerial and declarative since the Holy Scriptures are the only rule of faith and practice. No church judicatory may make laws to bind the conscience. All church courts may err through human frailty, yet it rests upon them to uphold the laws of Scripture though this obligation be lodged with fallible men.


8. Since ecclesiastical discipline must be purely moral or spiritual in its object, and not attended with any civil effects, it can derive no force whatever, but from its own justice, the approbation of an impartial public, and the countenance and blessing of the great Head of the Church.

If the preceding scriptural principles be steadfastly adhered to, the vigor and strictness of government and discipline, applied with pastoral prudence and Christian love, will contribute to the glory and well-being of the Church.



III. THE CONSTITUTION DEFINED


The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America, which is subject to and subordinate to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the inerrant Word Of God, consists of its doctrinal standards set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith, together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Book of Church Order, comprising the Form of Government, the Rules of Discipline and the Directory for Worship; all as adopted by the Church.