Briarwood Presbyterian Church
| Briarwood Presbyterian Church | |
|---|---|
 Briarwood Church Building | |
| 33°25′00″N 86°45′36″W / 33.416742°N 86.760106°WCoordinates: 33°25′00″N 86°45′36″W / 33.416742°N 86.760106°W | |
| Location | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Presbyterian Church in America |
| Previous denomination | Presbyterian Church in the United States |
| Membership | 4,100 |
| Website | briarwood.org |
| History | |
| Founded | September 25, 1960 |
| Founder(s) | Frank M. Barker, Jr. |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Evangel Presbytery |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Harry L. Reeder III |
Briarwood Presbyterian Church is a flagship congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America located in suburban Birmingham, Alabama.
History
It was formed in 1960 by the Rev. Frank M. Barker, Jr. and has been a conservative evangelical Protestant congregation since its inception. In September 25, 1960 the church was officially organised, and in 1972 the Briarwood Theological Seminary was chartered. The first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America was held in Briarwood church building in December 4, 1973. In 1988 the church moved to the Acton road property. In 1999, Barker retired after serving as the senior pastor for 40 years, and was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. Harry L. Reeder III, the current minister. [1] Founded in a storefront, it later grew to have what was reported to be the largest church budget in Alabama, and opened a $32 million campus in 1988.[2] In 2011 the expansion of youth project was begun. In 2013 the Childrens Auditorium was completed, to allow more space to the even growing childrens ministries. [3]
Originally a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (a predecessor to the present Presbyterian Church (USA)), Briarwood was among some 250 PCUS congregations that became charter members of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in December 1973; the organizational meeting was conducted in Briarwood's sanctuary.[1] In addition to Briarwood, the Birmingham area is a strong pocket of influence for the PCA, with some 15 congregations located in Jefferson and Shelby counties.
Recent status
Briarwood has a membership of approximately 4,100 and has been responsible for helping form ministries such as Campus Outreach, Birmingham Theological Seminary, and Young Business Leaders, as well as planting numerous churches around the world. In 2006, it was listed as being the 35th most influential non-catholic church in America by "The Church Report".[4]
The church organized the Briarwood Christian School in 1965.[1]
The sanctuary and the worship location is off I-459 Acton Road.[5]
Beliefs
Briarwood adheres to the historic Presbyterian confessions:
Partners
The Christian Reformed Church in South Africa has national contact with the Briarwood Church.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Our Heritage". Briarwood Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
- ↑ Greg Garrison, "The Church's Bottom Line", The Washington Post, November 11, 2006.
- ↑ http://briarwood.org/visitors/about-briarwood/our-heritage/
- ↑ The Church Report’s 50 Most Influential Churches for 2006
- ↑ http://briarwood.org/visitors/visitor-faqs/
- ↑ http://briarwood.org/visitors/about-briarwood/our-doctrine/
- ↑ www.crcsa.co.za/affil.htm