The mission of Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church is to establish a network of churches in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in the Salt Lake Valley, so as to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ, so as to help Salt Lake discover what it means to live by Grace. In order to reach the lost people of Salt Lake City for Jesus Christ, it is the goal of Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church to work for the establishment of a Utah Presbytery to be established by the year 2015, with 15 PCA churches as members.

Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church exists to proclaim the truth of the Bible, so that people might come to believe in Jesus Christ, and find eternal life by God’s grace received through faith. Relying on John 20:31, Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church proclaims that the Bible is “written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” It is the ministry of Hidden Valley to not only make more and better disciples for Jesus Christ within the bounds of this particular congregation, but also to be a part of the multiplication of Christian churches in the Salt Lake Valley. To this end, Hidden Valley is committed to bringing in Christian groups from all over the United States, to do mission projects in Salt Lake, that the work of evangelism might be multiplied, and that future leaders and workers might be developed for the continuation of ministry in the State of Utah. In connection with this, it is part of the mission of Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church to help Christians nation-wide to experience the unique religious culture of Salt Lake City.

Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church was an official church plant of the Presbyterian Church in America General Assembly (PCA), as a joint venture with the Mission to North America Committee of the Presbytery of Northern California. The Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church is a non-profit corporation registered in the State of Utah.

Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church was granted permission to begin ministry by the Presbytery of Northern California (PCA) in March of 2000. Rev. and Mrs. Lee Mashburn were called as church planters, and moved to Utah in the summer of 2000. On November 19, 2000, the first worship service was held, at the building which was on loan to Hidden Valley at the time from the Episcopal diocese of Utah. Over 100 people attended that first worship service. Although a number of those people are regulars at other churches in Salt Lake, and came as encouragement for opening day, the attendance at Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church continues to grow, and numbers between 75 and 130 each week. Three years after the start, HVPC was able to purchase the building by the provision of the Lord through His people.

Dr. Mashburn is a graduate of Wheaton College in Chicago, received the Master’s degree from Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, and did doctorate work at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. Originally from Miami, Florida, he has served pastorates in Florida, Iowa, and South Carolina. Prior to moving to Utah, he served as the Senior Pastor of the Shannon Forest Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Greenville, South Carolina.

As a part of the Presbyterian Church in America, the theological statement of Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church is that of the parent denomination, a conservative evangelical denomination with headquarters in Atlanta. The PCA’s theological statement identifies the Bible as the sole inerrant authority for the teachings of the Church, and recognizes the Westminster Confession of Faith as a helpful summary of Biblical teaching. Hidden Valley Presbyterian Church can therefore be described as Reformed, evangelical, and conservative in its understanding of the Bible, and reflects this in its ministry. Hidden Valley is governed by a group of elders, men recognized by the congregation for their spiritual gifts, and who have been examined and approved by the Presbytery of Northern California (PCA).

The cost of starting this new PCA church was been covered by the collected contributions of over 30 PCA congregations nation-wide. The congregation has an annual budget of just over $140,000, of which, nearly two-thirds comes from the Utah congregation itself. The finances of Hidden Valley presbyterian are reviewed by the Presbytery of Northern California (PCA) annually.