Our Beliefs
At UPC, we consider ourselves to be an Evangelical, Reformed, and Presbyterian church.
Evangelical
We believe the Bible is the only true and perfect Word of God that directs how we are to live and reveals how we are to be saved. The Bible tells us everything we need to know about God – especially how we can be saved through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, who died to pay the penalty for our sin and rose victoriously from the grave to show His power over death and sin. We believe this good news, what we call the gospel, is the only hope for our world, and we seek to share it with everyone through our words and our actions.
Reformed
Many of our specific beliefs and traditions stem from the 16th and 17th century movement called ‘The Reformation’ in Europe, which was a time of recommitment to the Bible and a rediscovery of its central theology. Our Reformed beliefs emphasize God’s sovereign power over all things, our inability to draw near to God apart from the work of His Spirit, and His gracious initiative in calling us to himself and preserving us by His strength. Our denomination’s statement of belief, the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, comes from this period.
Presbyterian
One of the Reformed movements of the time, centralized especially in Scotland, England, and later America, was known as Presbyterianism. The name Presbyterian comes from the Greek word in the New Testament ‘presbyter’, which is the term given to the leaders of the church. Our church is thus led by a group of mature Christians we call elders. Presbyterian churches now exist all over the world, and are marked by the leadership of elders. Other distinctives include our view of God’s covenant with His people, which leads us to baptize both believing adults and their infant children. We are a part of the Presbyterian Church in America, a denomination of over 380,000 members throughout North America.
Our History
University Presbyterian Church was founded in 1959 by a group of local Christians desiring preaching and teaching that was faithful to God’s word, the fellowship of like-minded believers, and a church from which to impact the growing city of Las Cruces, things they believed were divisive in the churches of the day. The infant congregation broke ground that same year, building the iconic ‘A-frame’ sanctuary that would be the church’s home for many years. Over the next few decades, UPC would reach out to the community and the world, establishing a campus ministry at NMSU, planting new churches in Alamogordo and Las Cruces, supporting local efforts in Christian Education and civic service, and sending numerous mission teams to Europe, Mexico, and Africa. In 1981, UPC’s denomination joined with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), and we now enjoy rich fellowship as part of the Presbytery of the Southwest.
Following a fire in 1992 that destroyed many of the church’s facilities, UPC expanded in the subsequent decades to a new sanctuary that preserved the A-frame the church is known for, as well as a Family Ministry Center that serves as a home base for numerous ministries in the church and community. Today, that rich legacy continues under Lead Pastor Patrick Tebbano, as UPC continues to strive for the desires of its founders, to “present in Christian love a positive ministry of the Scriptures by preaching and teaching for the edification of the saints, and by evangelizing for the salvation of the lost at home and to the ends of the earth” (1959 UPC Covenant of Faith).