Doctrine
What We Believe: Our Doctrine
What do we believe? The short answer is that we are first Christians, second Evangelicals, third Missional, and fourth Reformed. As Christians we distinguish ourselves from other world religions and cults by adhering to the historic, orthodox doctrine contained in the Apostles and Nicene Creeds. As Evangelicals we are in agreement with the doctrinal statement of the National Association of Evangelicals:
· We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible,
authoritative Word of God.
· We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in
three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
· We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in
His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and
atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His
ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power
and glory.
· We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful
people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
· We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit
by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
· We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and
the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are
lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
· We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our
Lord Jesus Christ.
As a Missional church, we believe that our local churches must be faithful to the content of unchanging Biblical doctrine (Jude 3), while also faithful to the continually changing context of the culture(s) in which they minister (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). We believe that our mission is to redemptively engage the peoples and cultures of the world with the Gospel of Christ so they can join the worldwide mission of the church.
As a Reformed church:
· We believe that God created the heavens and the earth.
· We believe that God created man and woman in a state of
sinless perfection with particular dignity as His image bearers on the earth.
· We believe that our first parents sinned against God
and that everyone since is a sinner by nature and choice. Sin has totally
affected all of creation including marring human image and likeness so that all
of our being is stained by sin (e.g. reasoning, desires, and emotions).
· We believe that because all people have sinned and
separated themselves from the Holy God that he is obligated to save no one from
the just deserved punishments of hell. We also believe that God in His
unparalleled love and mercy has chosen to elect some people for salvation.
· We believe the salvation of the elect was predestined
by God in eternity past.
· We believe that the salvation of the elect was
accomplished by the sinless life, substitutionary atoning death, and literal
physical resurrection of Jesus Christ in place of His people for their sins.
· We believe that the salvation of the elect, by God's
grace alone, shows forth in the ongoing repentance of sin and faith in Jesus
Christ that leads to good works.
· We believe that God's saving grace is ultimately
irresistible and that God does soften even the hardest heart and save the worst
of sinners according to His will.
· We believe that the gospel should be passionately and
urgently proclaimed to all people so that all who believe may be saved through
the preaching of God's Word by the power of God's Spirit.
· We believe that true Christians born again of God's
Spirit will be kept by God throughout their life, as evidenced by personal
transformation that includes an ever-growing love of God the Father through God
the Son by God the Spirit, love of brothers and sisters in the church, and love
of lost neighbors in the culture.
· We believe that God is Lord over all of life and that
there is nothing in life that is to be separated from God.
· We believe that the worship of God is the end for which
people were created and that abiding joy is only to be found by delighting in
God through all of life, including hardship and death which is gain.
Because it’s often helpful to view doctrine in a topical format we’ve included a copy of our more formal statement. Below you’ll find topics and verses for beliefs that we deem essential.
The Bible -- The Bible, Old and New Testament, is the inspired, perfect Word of God and our unchangeable source of truth, teaching what to believe concerning God, Salvation, and godly living. (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:9-11; Proverbs 30:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
God -- There is one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three are equal in essence, power and glory and are worthy of our worship and obedience. God is sovereign as creator and ruler over all creation, loving, righteous, just and perfect in all his actions. (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:1-7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 6:1-3; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
Mankind’s Condition -- Mankind was created in the image and likeness of God, however through Adam’s sin mankind inherited a sinful nature and became separated from God. Mankind is totally depraved having no power to deal with the sinful condition or to bridge the gap of separation and alienation between mankind and God. The punishment for sin is eternal, spiritual and physical death. (Psalm 51:5, Isaiah 53:6, 59:12; Romans 3:23, 5:12-19, 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Eph 2:1-3)
The Person and Work of Christ -- The Lord Jesus Christ, while being completely God, humbled himself and became man, being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus was born without sin, lived without sin and became the perfect offering for our sin. Jesus, as our substitute, took our sin upon himself while on the cross, experienced the wrath of God in our place, and died the death we deserved, paying the penalty for sin once and for all. He was laid in a tomb but on the third day rose, showing sin and death conquered. Jesus ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf. (Isaiah 53: Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-5; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 8:34; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Titus 3:3-7)
The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit -- The Holy Spirit, while being completely equal with God, convinces people of their sin and calls them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in the Christian from the moment of salvation and gives understanding and guidance for the Christian life. (John 16:8-13; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:12-14, Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18)
Salvation -- Salvation is a gift of God, by grace alone, for his people whom he chose before the creation of the world. Salvation can not be earned by good works but only by grace through faith. Salvation is received by all who believe and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who through his life, death and resurrection provides forgiveness for our sin. (John 1:12; Romans 5:1-2, 6:23, 8:28-39; Eph 2:8-9; Gal 3:26; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 5:11-12)
Eternal Security -- Salvation begins when the believer trusts in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Because salvation is a gift of God based on grace and faith, not on works, we believe that the true believer is eternally secure in their salvation. This salvation is preserved by the grace and power of God. The believer upon death will reside with God for all eternity. (John 5:24, 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8; 1 Cor 1:4-8; Gal 5:13, Heb 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:5)
The Church Universal and Local -- The church is the body and the bride of Christ made up of all Christians everywhere. On a local level Christians are joined together, with the purpose of glorifying God, living in authentic, loving community and impacting their culture with the Gospel. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-47, 6:1-6; 1 Cor 11:23-26, 12:12-14, Eph 1:22-23; 4:11-16)
The Second Coming of Christ -- We believe in the personal, imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for his redeemed ones. We do not know when Jesus will return, but we know he is coming again. So while we hope and long for that day, we seek to be about the Father’s business. (Zechariah 14:4-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:9, Revelation 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6)
Baptism -- Baptism is an act of obedience and a symbol of identification with Christ for those who evidence saving faith in Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, baptism occurred by the immersing of a person completely under water and then raising them up, showing that the believer is united with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection and that their sins have been “washed” away. While baptism is commanded, the act of baptism does not save anyone. We are justified by God’s grace and through faith alone. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:5-11; John 2:23; Acts 2:38-41, 16:25-34; Romans 6:1-7; Col 2:11-12)
Communion -- Jesus instituted Communion at the Last Supper so that God’s people would continually remember and celebrate his body (symbolized in the bread) broken and his blood (symbolized in the wine) shed for the forgiveness of sins. The church is to celebrate communion with a sober confession of sin and recognition of why Jesus died and rose. We should remember Christ’s love for his people, that our sins have been completely paid for through his life, death and resurrection, and that he alone offers us new life in him. It’s for these reasons we believe communion is intended to be observed by Christians. (Deuteronomy 14:22-26; Matthew 26:26-29; John 6:53-57; 1 Cor 10:16-17, 11:17-34; Rev 19:9)