In Our World
Our global missions aim is simple: For the glory of Christ, in response to the Great Commission, we work to:
Help create national churches among unreached peoples
Strengthen existing national churches through alliances with them
Reach those living among us
We are committed to the church as God’s vehicle and means to extend the good news of the gospel to the ends of the earth by equipping and mobilizing Kirk members for short-term and career missions and partnering with church-planting ministries and movements around the world—especially those that strengthen churches, and those that reach towards those who are furthest from hearing the gospel.
Our desire is to participate in the spread of a passion for God among the nations, to see people from every tribe, language, people and nation come to worship him through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Our Global Outreach Fund supports more than 30 missionary partners. This money comes from financial commitments made by our congregation members outside their regular tithe. For a partial list of missionaries, click here.
In Our City
Greater St. Louis now makes up the 15th largest urban area in the United States. St. Louis's culture is a lively blend of historic Irish, German, African American, Italian, Eastern European, and African influences combined with successful professional sports franchises, elite universities, and some of the country's largest public and privately held corporations.
Although it would take you a half-hour to drive from the church building to the heart of downtown, there is no question that the people of the Kirk are proudly and thoroughly St. Louisan. The name “St. Louis” is shared by hundreds of thousands of people. We all feel a sense of ownership of the same famous landmarks, the same sports teams, the same popular restaurants, the same radio stations, the same local shops, and the same unique identity that comes with being a part of this great Midwestern city.
Nonetheless, in a very real way, we do not all live together. There are entirely distinct and separate regions and communities within the area called St. Louis. In one sense, we are truly neighbors. In another sense, we are as far removed from one another as the earth is from the moon – and in ways beyond simple geography. We recognize that the notions of compassion and reconciliation are at the heart of the gospel, and we also recognize that the socioeconomic, racial, and religious diversity of the city represents a great opportunity for us to engage in these things. Therefore, we are drawn into the city by more than a love for the Cardinals, the Soulard Farmers Market, and the Fox Theater. We are also drawn by a love for Christ, to show the love of Christ to a city filled with deep need.
The Kirk intentionally sets aside 10% of our entire general budget to give away to our local and national ministry partners (this allotment is usually referred to as the Benevolence Fund). For a list of the Benevolence agencies we currently support, click here.
In Our Neighborhood
The Kirk is located on Ladue Road, west of I-270 and immediately across from Bellerive Country Club. This location places us in the heart of West County, both geographically and symbolically. West County is part of the suburban fan that surrounds St. Louis City. St. Louis County overall is home to over one million people and is the most affluent county in Missouri.
People from more than 12 zip codes attend the Kirk, and we take our particular location on the map seriously. It is sometimes easy to believe that there is very little need in West County, but there are two primary realizations that drive our mission:
affluence cannot provide a person with a relationship with God;
outward appearances are all too often deceiving. In light of these factors, we feel strongly compelled to minister to our immediate surroundings in Word and in deed. As those who live, work, and play in West County, this "neighborhood" defines our mission both in our love for its people and culture and in our desire to care for it in its weaknesses.
At Our Seminary
One of the most remarkable things about the Kirk is that it is uniquely located to influence the future of our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Why? Because the official seminary of the PCA is just down the street. Covenant Theological Seminary, which produces many dozens of pastors and ministry leaders every year, sits in our own backyard! And one of the hallmarks of the Kirk has always been our desire to care for graduate-level students, particularly those at Covenant.
We confess that it is hard sometimes. Many in our congregation have experienced the curious, bittersweet phenomenon of befriending a seminary student or family. The relationships are often rich, and yet they are always accompanied by a pesky timer ticking in the background. The reality is that seminary students, by definition, come to this place in order to leave it again. Though it is hard for both sides to say goodbye, therein lays the great significance of caring for seminary students: sending them. The seminary student who has spent his or her time in St. Louis as a part of the body of the Kirk goes out into the world to live the very same mission that prompts Kirk families to receive and care for them deeply in the first place. And not only do they go to heed the mission – they go with the love and support of Kirk families who every year learn to love new students and disciple them in how the mission is to be lived.