We are first and foremost Bible believers. Every part of the inspired and infallible word of God is the only foundation for all that we believe and teach. The word of God is to govern all that we confess doctrinally and how we conduct ourselves practically even when it is ridiculed by the world as unpopular or unacceptable. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 4:4 quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." 

We are what has been historically and generally termed reformed or Calvinistic in our theology. Simply put, that means we believe the Bible teaches that God is absolutely sovereign in salvation and that salvation has always been by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, and to the glory of the triune God alone. Our full statement of faith is a slightly amended version of the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. We believe that Protestant and historic confession of faith accurately reflects what the Bible teaches. A summary of what we believe can be found elsewhere on this site.

We are a small community of believers who seek to live for God through Christ (Rom. 12:1; 1 Pet. 2:5). With the Scriptures as our guide (Ps. 119:105) and by the grace and power of God the Holy Spirit we seek to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this way we seek to advance His kingdom on earth together (Matt. 28:18-20). We seek, as individuals and as a congregation, to conform every part of our lives to the word of God. While seeking to do this, we uphold one another in prayer and provoke one another unto love and to good works (Heb. 10:24). We are a congregation who seek to love one another and support one another as a spiritual family in Christ and as soldiers for Christ. 

We were established as Orlando Free Presbyterian Church in January of 1989 and, though it has not always been easy, the Lord has graciously sustained the work since then.

The work had its beginning in a hotel room in October 1988. On that occasion, Dr. Alan Cairns, who, at the time, was the Pastor of Faith Free Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina, and Rev. John Wagner, traveled to Orlando to explore the possibility of starting an extension work in the area. 

There were approximately five families who had expressed an interest in starting a Free Presbyterian congregation in the area. On the Lord's Day evening, Dr. Cairns preached to the families on 1 Samuel 17:29, "Is there not a cause?" And it was that very text the Lord used to call Rev. Wagner to Orlando to take up his first ministry, which he did in January of 1989. 

A vacant storefront was the congregation's first official meeting place. Several months passed, but the Lord eventually provided the opportunity to purchase a church building and a house on the same property in the summer of 1990. This is the same property where the church remains today. Rev. John Wagner continued as the pastor of Orlando FPC from 1989 until 2002 when he received a call to plant another Free Presbyterian Church in Lexington, South Carolina. 

The congregation then called the Rev. Derrick Erwin to be its new pastor. Rev. Erwin had been active in pastoral ministry for several years in Ulster, Northern Ireland before coming to the United States. He came with his wife in 2003 and faithfully served as the congregation's pastor until 2017. 

Orlando FPC was without a pastor for several years after the Erwins left but eventually called Rev. Logan Elder in October 2022 to be the new pastor. Rev. Elder and his family came in January of 2023 and he has been serving as the pastor since that time. 

A significant aspect of the history of Orlando FPC is its membership in the Free Presbyterian Church of North America, which is a sister denomination of The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. That is where the history of our local church and denomination began. If you would like to know more then please visit FPCNA.org. Below is a documentary that highlights some of the key aspects of the history of our denomination.