The PCA was organized in December, 1973, with churches representing about 40,000 members across the southeast United States. At that time, eight foreign missionaries were commissioned.

In the years since, The PCA has grown to a reported membership of 342,041, with 1,666 churches (including mission churches) in seventy-six Presbyteries. Eighteen churches were added to the denomination in 2007. Over 10,200 professions of faith were reported. MTW has 594 long-term missionaries, 136 two-year missionaries, 342 interns, and sent out 6,006 people on short-term mission trips in 2007. MTW now works with 584 national partners. MNA reported that the PCA placed 53 church planters in 2007. There are now 172 PCA-endorsed chaplains, many of whom served in the Iraq-Afghanistan war zones in 2007. Reformed University Ministries (RUM) now works on 117 campuses in the USA. Seven new campus ministries were added in 2007; seven more are slated for 2008. Covenant College reported an enrollment of 1,343 students in 2007 with a new residence hall and a new academic building now being used. Covenant Theological Seminary also reported record enrollments with students coming from 46 states and 21 countries. CTS is on track to complete its $25 Million Capital Funds Campaign in December 2008. The Administrative Committee reported that byFaith magazine has won the First Place Award from the Evangelical Press Association for the Best Denominational Magazine in America for the second time in three years. CE&P reported that they conducted WIC Leadership, Directors of Women’s Ministries, Youth World Awareness, and Equip leadership training conferences over the past year. CE&P is developing alternative electronic training applications that will assist local churches. PCA Foundation reported asset growth to $51.7 million with ministry disbursements of $9,594,000. PCA Retirement & Benefits, Inc., reported asset growth to a record $318.6 million, with $301,934 disbursed in Ministerial Relief.

 In cooperation with another denomination (the Orthodox Presbyterian Church) the PCA operates Great Commission Publications, which produces Sunday School curriculum, the denominational's “Trinity Hymnal, and many resources for training, discipleship, and church growth.

The PCA has two educational institutions: Covenant College in Chattanooga, TN, and Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

 At the national and regional (presbytery) level, the PCA is actively involved in church planting, mercy ministry, ethnic outreach (Hispanic, Korean, Haitian, etc.).  Conservatives in the mainline Presbyterian body fought against liberal doctrinal and social trends throughout the 50s and 60s. By the 70s it was evident that the decline and decay in the church was not going to be reversed. One private survey discovered that in the official seminaries of the mainline denomination, there was not a single professor who believed in the inerrancy of the Bible. Key leaders began meeting together to plan ways to bring a new denomination into being that would return to those historic truths which Presbyterians had previously held dear.

The first General Assembly of the new denomination met in Birmingham, AL in 1973.  We are not to be confused with the liberal mainline body, the Presbyterian Church (USA), which is frequently in the news because of debates over ordaining homosexuals, approving gay marriages, funding abortions, and uncertainty over whether or not Jesus is the only Savior.

Stated Clerk Issues Report on General Assembly 2008