The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster will advance united under its founding principles and continue to "reject the false teachings of Ecumenism, Roman Catholicism, Modernism and the Charismatic Movement", the new moderator has said.
Speaking after succeeding the Rev Ian Paisley as the first new head of the church in nearly 57 years, the Rev Ron Johnstone described himself as "humbled and honoured" to have been chosen.
The Armagh preacher was elected unanimously by a meeting of nearly 250 ministers and elders of the church at a meeting of its presbytery in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, on Friday night.
He told The Irish Times that he had vowed to adhere to "the traditional position of the church as outlined in the unanimous statement" agreed at the presbytery meeting. The statement said: "We have as a presbytery rededicated ourselves to the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Faith and the distinctive principles and practice of the Free Presbyterian Church. We are unashamedly Protestant. We follow in the footsteps of the reformers."
It continued: "The free in our name refers to our total disassociation from those major Presbyterian denominations of the world which have repudiated the historic Christian faith. We reject the false teachings of Ecumenism, Roman Catholicism, Modernism and the Charismatic Movement."
"As a denomination we are determined to remain standing without compromise for Christ and to vigorously oppose any betrayal of His Gospel and departure from the Biblical Faith," it added.
Asked for his thoughts on following Dr Paisley as moderator, Mr Johnstone said: "Dr Paisley will still be in the presbytery and I will be looking to him for advice.
"We have recorded our deep gratitude to God for the leadership, the unique leadership, of Dr Paisley over the years."
The decision by Dr Paisley to step down from the leadership of the church he founded in Crossgar, Co Down, on St Patrick's Day 1951 followed reports of unease felt by some Free Presbyterians.
They were said to be unhappy at Dr Paisley's roles of moderator and of First Minister at Stormont alongside Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness.
The Rev Johnstone, however, declined to make any political comment.
"I don't get involved in politics in my position," he said.
"My work is simply in the spiritual aspect of the church. What came out of the meeting was this unanimous statement, we are rededicating ourselves united to stand for the principles of our church."
Ministers and elders, he said "are united on the principles no matter who the moderator is. It is not because of me that they are united".
Dr Paisley has already gone on the record claiming that his first loyalty was preaching and that he was a reluctant politician, drawn into politics out of necessity.
The presbytery statement admitted the church was in a "time of transition" and recorded a lengthy tribute to the outgoing moderator.
"His evangelistic zeal, his passion for souls, his vision to establish a Presbyterian Church that would stand for the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in a day of departure from Biblical Faith, and his dedication to the glory of God have been an inspiration to us all," it said.