As important as church programming is, the theology of a church is even more important. Well aware that there are details that could be explained further, the doctrinal statement below clarifies our shared faith as a church family.
GODHEAD (FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT)
We believe that there is only one living and true God, who exists in three distinct, eternal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three, commonly referred to as the Trinity, are equal in essence and distinct in function.
God the Father directs all things according to His sovereign purpose and pleasure. He has created all that exists, and claims loving authority over His creation – including us as human beings.
While He is transcendent, and beyond our full comprehension, we believe that God is actively involved in the world – making Himself known through His orderly creation, the Bible, and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is both the eternal Son of God and virgin-born Son of man. His sacrificial, substitutionary death on the cross is the means of our salvation.
We believe in His sinless life, His bodily resurrection, His physical ascension, and his impending, visible return when He will defeat all of God’s foes.
As the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit executes the will of God in this world. At conversion, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in believers as a, “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance in Christ”.
The Spirit plays an active role in leading us to faith in Christ – as well as sustaining that faith by helping us live as faithful followers of Christ.
HUMANITY
As the crowning achievement in His creative work, God created human beings (as male and female) for a unique relationship with Him. In light of this, all human beings – regardless of race, gender, age, etc. – have intrinsic value and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Through Adam and Eve’s willful rebellion against God, sin now impacts every part of God’s good creation, including mankind – leaving us separated from God and desperately in need of salvation.
SALVATION
Throughout the Bible we read about God’s commitment to redeem humanity – setting us free from the power of Satan, sin and death and bringing us into a right relationship with Him through His mercy and grace alone.
In going to the cross, Jesus paid the full ransom that our salvation required. In resurrecting Jesus from the dead, God was accepting Jesus’ atoning work.
God’s offer of salvation means that we have been justified, we are being sanctified and we will be glorified. By faith, we respond to God’s free gift of salvation through repentance, being immersed into Christ and surrendering to Jesus as our new Lord and Savior.
THE BIBLE
We believe that every word in the original writings was inspired by God and is without error. The Bible reveals God’s nature and His will for all of humanity – serving as the foundation of our faith and practice.
While the Bible has authority over our lives, it was not given as an end in itself but rather as a means to a relationship with God. Because of this, the teaching of the Bible plays a significant role in the church.
THE CHURCH
The church is who we are as God’s people. Through our faith in Christ, we are welcomed into God’s family as his adopted children and co-heirs with Jesus – citizens of God’s Kingdom.
Our commitment is to faithfully proclaim the gospel, calling people to faith in Christ and leading them to spiritual maturity. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we love and care for one another – entrusting ourselves to the elders of the church who serve as our spiritual shepherds.
We believe that the denominational division within the universal church, while helpful and necessary in some ways, ultimately violates God’s desire for us to be united in Christ.
THE FUTURE
We believe that the next great event in human history will be the return of Jesus Christ – the blessed, unfulfilled hope we hope as Christians. While we eagerly anticipate Christ’s return, we want to labor with all of our might, in the power of the Spirit, to fulfill His will in our lives.
After the return of Christ those who have accepted God’s gracious gift of salvation will worship Him forever in the new heaven and new earth. While those who did not will spend an eternity separated from Him in hell.
NON-ESSENTIALS
While affirming the essential doctrines above, we also acknowledge that there are secondary/non-essential doctrines, which are important, but not critical to our salvation.
Some of these doctrines include: the role of women in ministry, tithing, the timing and nature of Christ’s return, charismatic gifts, political involvement, communion, divine election and free-will, eternal security, creation, etc.
In dealing with these non-essentials, our goal is to find a balance between biblical truth and Christian unity. We will diligently clarify our position as a church – while also making sure that these secondary doctrines do not create unnecessary division.
To that end, we ask that those with different opinions, share their views with humility, wisdom, love and grace.