What We Believe

The Bible is the inspired word of God. It is without error in its original manuscripts, and contains everything we need to know about having a right relationship with God and our fellow human beings. The Bible is the basis for all of our essential beliefs (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

God is one (Mark 12:29), yet mysteriously exists in three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), who are to be equally loved, honored, and surrendered to (Matthew 28:19).

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human. He is the sole Mediator able to restore the broken relationship, and the resulting alienation, between God and people (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. He is alive and active. He indwells followers of Christ, working in unison with the Word of God to guide them in all truth. He is the power that enables Christians to live as new creations in Christ and empowers believers for service (John 16:7-14; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 6:17).

People are created by God and in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). On this basis, all people must be treated with dignity, honor, love and respect (James 3:9-10). At the same time, in their quest for independence and the centrality of self, all people begin their lives alienated from God, and in this condition are without hope and under judgment, a condition that can only be cured through God’s loving, gracious, and saving intervention (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1). As the image of God, we are most alive when our trust, affections and allegiances center on Him.

Restoration between God and people (also called ‘salvation’) happens when the Holy Spirit gives people a new heart, leading and enabling them to trust in Jesus alone for salvation (John 1:12-13). Because God loves His creation, He will also restore the entire universe to a condition of beauty, rest, joy, perfection, and freedom (Romans 8:18-30). God’s world, which began as a promising Garden (Genesis 1:27-31), will find its fulfillment in a perfected, life-giving City in which there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:1-8).

Good works do not and cannot make us acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8-9), but are the natural outcome of authentic faith in Jesus (James 2:17). We become more fully human—the very best and most healthy version of ourselves—to the degree that we follow God’s loving commands. His commands, properly understood, are neither limiting nor oppressive but life-giving. Obedience to God’s commands is an essential prerequisite for true human flourishing.

The Church is the family of God and consists of those who place their functional trust (faith) in Jesus. God wants all members of His worldwide Church, together with their children, to be active in a local church which meets regularly to worship God, serve each other, and be a life-giving presence in their local community and world (Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:24-25).

We believe that God has created men (male) and women (female) equal in their essential dignity and human personhood, but different and complementary in their functions; He also created marriage to be exclusively the covenant union of one man (male) and one woman (female), and designed intimate sexual activity to occur exclusively within that covenant union.

Prayer of Surrender:

Heavenly Father, I am coming to You in the Name of Jesus, Your Son.

You are right when You judge me guilty of being a sinner. I have offended You by living my life in disobedience to You and to Your commandments. My thoughts, words and actions show that I am not following You. I have been the god of my own life. I am asking You to please forgive me for all that I have done against You.

I am convinced that Jesus is God in the flesh. I believe Jesus lived the perfect, sinless life You required of me to be holy as You are holy.

I could not do that because of my sin, but Jesus lived that life for me. I believe and trust that He took the punishment I deserved for my sin when He died on the cross.

I also believe that Jesus proved Himself to be God by giving Himself life after being dead for three days. He is the risen and living Savior and Lord.

I ask that You accept my confession of sin and my prayer for forgiveness and apply the work of Christ to my life.

I now, in faith, trust Your Word that if I call upon the Name of Your Son, Jesus, in faith, that You will forgive me and that You will send Your Holy Spirit to live in me and to make me Your child and a member of Your family. I am now surrendering my life to Your saving grace and to Your leadership of my life to be my God forever.

Thank You for receiving me into Your family and into Your kingdom. Amen.

Invitation:

If you prayed this prayer or you want to know more about the person, work, or teachings of Jesus, we invite you to talk to one of our worship response team members or the Pastors at the doors on your way out or with the friend who invited you.

We want to walk with you and assist you in growing in your relationship with Jesus Christ.