We have come to believe that God is our only hope of making any sense of this world. Specifically, we rely on the truth that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ and showed us by example what it's all about. He has also designed a corporate life that includes great blessing for those who embrace Jesus, His purpose, His values and His teaching. God desires to be intimately related with us -- to be the very center of our lives and of our community.
We are committed to certain beliefs that help us stay focused on what is really important. We are minimalists, meaning that we’ve chosen to stick close to the things that are very clear from Scripture and are non-negotiable, while being open to discussion on the things that are not so obvious. We are very committed to these truths and have tried to avoid fighting over issues that many really smart people in the church have argued about and divided over for centuries. We figure that if God’s Word can go either way on a certain subject or is silent about another subject, and if really smart people don’t even agree, then we should stick with the unquestionable core doctrines of the Bible. We think this is a good start:
• The Bible
The Bible is our charter for authority, being fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, who breathed out this God-message through His chosen human servants. The truths contained therein will not lead one into error if followed as intended. We believe in God's Word over man's word. We believe that the whole Bible, in the original languages, was inspired by God and without error. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible centers upon the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work, and was designed for our practical instruction. (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 17:2-3; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21.)
The Bible is our charter for authority, being fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, who breathed out this God-message through His chosen human servants. The truths contained therein will not lead one into error if followed as intended. We believe in God's Word over man's word. We believe that the whole Bible, in the original languages, was inspired by God and without error. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible centers upon the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work, and was designed for our practical instruction. (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 17:2-3; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21.)
• The Trinity
The one God is infinitely perfect and eternal and exists in three persons, showing forth as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The one God is infinitely perfect and eternal and exists in three persons, showing forth as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
• GOD: We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections, and worthy of precisely the same worship, confidence, and obedience. (Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6.)
• JESUS CHRIST: Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is the complete fulfillment of everything promised in the Bible. Jesus put a face on the one true God who reaches out to us. His love for mankind was so great that He died for us on the cross and rose from the dead so that we may begin a reverent, eternal friendship with God. We believe that as provided and purposed by God and announced in the Bible, the eternal Son of God came into this world to manifest God to mankind, fulfill prophecy and become the Redeemer of a lost world. To this end, He was born of a virgin, and received a human body and a sinless human nature. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will someday return again to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. We believe that Christ became and remained a perfect man, sinless throughout His life, yet retained His absolute deity, being at the same time very God and very man. (Luke 1:30-35; 2:40; John 1:1-2; 1:18; 3:16; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 4:15.)
• THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit was sent to dwell within and fill each person who believes in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Jesus receive the Holy Spirit. Those who voluntarily and consistently obey the words of Jesus are filled with the Holy Spirit. His mission is to exalt Jesus and everyone who believes, by bringing to mind the significance of the words and works of Jesus, by pouring out the love of God in our hearts, by giving each believer gifts for service, by bringing light upon the true meaning of the Word of God, and by assisting us in prayer to the Father through the perfect mediation of Jesus. We believe that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of the need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer spiritual gifts when they are saved, for the building up of the Church. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. (John 16:7-13; 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13; 5:18.)
• The Sinfulness of Man
Every person is born with a sinful nature and is thus alienated from a Holy God. We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God. We believe that man fell through sin and, as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life and is alienated from God. We believe that apart from divine grace, man cannot know God.
Every person is born with a sinful nature and is thus alienated from a Holy God. We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God. We believe that man fell through sin and, as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life and is alienated from God. We believe that apart from divine grace, man cannot know God.
• Salvation by Grace
God graciously and freely grants forgiveness and declares righteous anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ by faith and in the complete payment He made for our debt of sin by the sacrifice of His perfect life. We believe that God's free gift of salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ. Our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and that no degree of morality, ordinance, culture, church attendance or good behavior can help man take one step toward heaven. We believe that God gives and will not take back eternal life for those who have trusted in Christ as Savior. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 1:12; 10:29,30; 14:6; Titus 3:5; 1 John 5:11-13.)
God graciously and freely grants forgiveness and declares righteous anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ by faith and in the complete payment He made for our debt of sin by the sacrifice of His perfect life. We believe that God's free gift of salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ. Our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and that no degree of morality, ordinance, culture, church attendance or good behavior can help man take one step toward heaven. We believe that God gives and will not take back eternal life for those who have trusted in Christ as Savior. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 1:12; 10:29,30; 14:6; Titus 3:5; 1 John 5:11-13.)
• Eternity
We believe people were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. (John 3:16; 14:17; Romans 6:23; 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9.)
We believe people were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. (John 3:16; 14:17; Romans 6:23; 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9.)
• Marriage
We believe the Scriptures teach that God established the marriage covenant between one man and one woman in Genesis 2:23-24. A man and woman when married become "one flesh." The New Testament adds a warning to this oneness. "So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Matthew 19:6). There are several epistles written by the Apostle Paul that speak to the issues that govern a biblical view of marriage and how Christ-followers are to operate within their marriage relationships. We find one such passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 and another in Ephesians 5:22-33. When studied together these two passages provide the believer with biblical principles that can be used to form a framework for a God-pleasing marriage relationship. Though we affirm the love of God for all men and women, we believe His standards to be our pattern. Therefore, we agree with passages like 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Leviticus 18:22 and others that clearly state marriage between same-sex individuals is not supported by Scripture.
We believe the Scriptures teach that God established the marriage covenant between one man and one woman in Genesis 2:23-24. A man and woman when married become "one flesh." The New Testament adds a warning to this oneness. "So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Matthew 19:6). There are several epistles written by the Apostle Paul that speak to the issues that govern a biblical view of marriage and how Christ-followers are to operate within their marriage relationships. We find one such passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 and another in Ephesians 5:22-33. When studied together these two passages provide the believer with biblical principles that can be used to form a framework for a God-pleasing marriage relationship. Though we affirm the love of God for all men and women, we believe His standards to be our pattern. Therefore, we agree with passages like 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Leviticus 18:22 and others that clearly state marriage between same-sex individuals is not supported by Scripture.
