* HOW MANY CONGREGATIONS DO THE FPC HAVE?

World-wide, there are over 80 congregations in N. Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, USA, Canada, Australia along with missionary activity in Spain and Kenya. Some of our members serve God under other missionary societies in other parts of the world. We have 3 congregations in the Irish Republic: Coragarry (Co. Monaghan) Convoy (Co. Donegal) and here in Cork City. 

* ARE YOU THE SAME CHURCH OR ASSOCIATED IN ANY WAY WITH TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CORK CITY?
No...we have absolutely no connections. The Free Presbyterian Church is totally separated from any ecumenical or Charismatic churches.  

* ARE YOU SAME FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WHERE DR. IAN PAISLEY IS MODERATOR?

Yes.

* IS YOUR CHURCH POLITICAL?

No more so than any other denomination. The membership of the FPC is made up of people who have differing political views and those who have none. 

* IS YOUR CHURCH ANTI CATHOLIC?

Certainly not. As a Standard Protestant church, faithful to its Confession of Faith we are certainly anti Catholicism. We oppose those doctrines of Rome which are perceived to be anti scriptural, but we do not hate or wish harm on any individual Roman Catholic on account of what they believe. Several years ago, Mr Paisley compiled a booklet outlining the differences between the teaching of Rome and the word of God. In catechism form, he asks and answers the following question:

Q. 239 What attitude should we adopt to individual Roman Catholics and ecumenists?
Ans:- We should act as Christ has commanded us, as good neighbours. We should look upon them as souls for whom Christ died and we should love them, pray for them and seek their salvation. We should evangelise them presenting Christ as the only Saviour by lip and life and we should always remember that we debtors to bring them the Saving Truth of Christ.

This is hardly the language of a man or church who "hates Catholics" Often times, the charge of bigotry is hurled because the accuser cannot honestly debate or answer the issues. If it is bigotry to oppose supposed error, then (by definition) the one who cries "Bigot" is guilty of the same crime. A bigot is someone who hates people on account of what they believe. This charge cannot be honestly laid at the door of the FPC. There are a number of ex RC's in membership of our churches, including one minister who was born here in the Irish Republic.

* WHY DOES YOUR CHURCH OPPOSE THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT?

We believe that the unity proposed is not the unity for which Christ prayed in John 17. The Bible nowhere sanctions the unity of truth and error. The purity of the Bible is to be defended, not compromised. Instead of seeking unity with such serious error, we are rather to reprove it (Ephesians 5:11) We believe it is totally immoral for men who have sworn before God to uphold their churches confession of faith to actively engage in fellowship with those whose teaching is diametrically opposed. If nothing else, it should be granted that we are being consistent. Such opposition does not, as seen above, prevent us from witnessing in evangelism to those who are involved in the ecumenical movement.
We are not isolationists. We enjoy the unity spoken of in Ephesians 4:3 (where Christ's prayer in John 17 is answered) with all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and in truth 

* WHAT VERSION OF THE BIBLE DOES YOUR CHURCH USE AND WHY?

As a denomination and as an individual congregation, we use only the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible. We believe it to be a faithful translation of the original Hebrew and Greek scriptures. We do not claim perfection for it as a translation and believe that there are parts which could be better translated. We reject the compromised texts and translating principles (dynamic equivalence as opposed to formal equivalence) of the modern versions including the NIV. 

 If you have any other questions, please e-mail them to: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org