OUR BELIEFS
“In the essentials we need unity, in the non-essentials we need freedom; but in all things we need love."
-Rupertus Meldenius
There will always be peripheral doctrines upon which Biblically rooted and committed Christ followers disagree, and we welcome dialogue on many issues related to Christian doctrine. However, we recognize the importance of having a framework around which we grow in maturity and relate to one another as a community of believers, and we hold the following essentials to be at the core of who we are and what we believe:
The Bible is the Inspired Word of God
The Bible, comprised of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is inspired by God and is the only authoritative written revelation from God to humanity. The Bible is infallible and the trustworthy and reliable rule of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).
There is One True God
In the Bible, God is called by many different names because there are different dimensions of His personality, but there is still only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is super-dimensional and eternally self-existent (John 8:54-59). God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is the creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1 and 2). While God is one, He has revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
Jesus Christ is the Son of God
Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God. He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-23), lived a sinless life (Heb. 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; John 3:4-5), worked miracles (Acts 2:22, 10:37-38), died on the cross in our place (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Cor. 15:4), rose from the dead (Matt. 28:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:4), and was exalted to the right hand of God where He intercedes for us (Acts 1:9, 11; Phil. 2:9-11).
The Fall of Humankind
Humanity was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). However, by a voluntary act of the will, Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Gen. 3:6). That first sin had several repercussions. Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:23), a curse was pronounced (Gen. 3:14-19), the process of physical death began (Gen. 2:17), and men and women died spiritually (Rom. 5:12-19). Sin separated humanity from God (Eph. 2:11-18) and left humanity in a fallen, or sinful, condition (Rom. 3:23).
The Salvation of Humankind
The only means of salvation is Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). He lived the perfect life on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21), died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins (1 Peter 2:24), and rose from the grave so that we can walk in the newness of life and be raised up on the last day to be with Him forever (John 11:25-26; Rom. 6:4).
When we put our faith in Christ, we are born again (John 3:3), become the dwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), are adopted into the family of God (Gal 4:4-7), and are given eternal life (John 3:16). Our sins are forgiven and forgotten (Heb. 8:12) and we are credited with the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 4:4-5).
The evidence of salvation is two-fold. The internal evidence is the direct witness of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16). The external evidence is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). We become a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and are transformed into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is given to every follower of Christ to help us obey Jesus, teach us, give us peace and comfort, and convict us. The nine fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) are by-products of a Spirit-filled life and evidence of spiritual maturity.
The gifts of the Spirit are different manifestations of the Spirit to build up the body (1 Cor. 12:1- 11). We are instructed to diligently seek the gifts (1 Cor. 14:26-33) in the context of love (1 Cor. 13:1- 13).
The baptism in the Spirit is a special experience following salvation that empowers believers for witnessing and effective service just as it did in the New Testament times. This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of salvation. (Luke 3:16; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-18; Acts 8:14-19; Acts 9:17-18; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 19:1-6)
The Ordinances of the Church
Baptism in Water
The Scripture teaches that all who repent and believe in Christ are to be baptized by immersion in water (Matt. 28:19). Baptism is a public profession of faith in Christ. It is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is a declaration to the world that we have died to sin and have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).
Communion
The Lord’s table consists of two elements: the bread and cup. Those elements are symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. Communion is a memorial of Christ’s sufferings on the cross and a celebration of our salvation. It is an opportunity for a believer to examine oneself and remember the forgiveness available in Jesus. (Luke 22:19-20)
The Church and It’s Mission
The Church is the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:12-27) and consists of the people who, throughout time, have accepted God's offer of redemption (regardless of religious denomination) through the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:22-33; Eph. 2:22; Heb. 12:23). The church has a four-fold purpose: to evangelize the world (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15-16), worship God (1 Cor. 12:13), make disciples and equip believers for ministry (Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 2:2; Eph. 4:11-16), and demonstrate God’s love and compassion to the world (Psalm 112:9; Gal. 2:10; 6:10; James 1:27).
Final Judgment and Future Hope
There will be a final judgment in which the dead will be resurrected and judged (Matt. 25:31-46; Rom. 2:1-9). Those who have not trusted in Christ for salvation, along with the Devil and his angels, will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15). Those who have trusted in Christ for salvation will be resurrected, stand at the judgment seat of Christ to be rewarded for their good deeds (1 Cor. 4:5), and enjoy God’s presence forever.