We believe there are some doctrines that are “essentials” to the faith. Other beliefs are what we would call “important beliefs.” These too are essential to our faith, but godly people disagree on certain aspects of them.

Because of the value we place on collaborating with other church fellowships within the body of Christ, we believe in the old adage, “unity in the essentials, and in everything else, liberty.” Therefore, we will fellowship with, and work with anyone who holds to the essentials, and give liberty where we disagree.

The Essentials:

God

We believe in one God, who has always existed, and who rules supremely over the universe. God exists as “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” and yet is one God. We call this “the Trinity.” God is all-powerful; He’s present at all places at the same time, and He knows all things about everything. Many world religions speak of god and gods. These gods, upon closer examination, are gods that require “works” and good deeds by people in order for them to find their god. The true God seeks us first, and helps us turn from our sin and follow Him by His grace, and by His strength.

The Bible

God revealed Himself to man through the Holy Scriptures, called “the Bible,” and we believe this document, though written over centuries and by many human authors, to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…(2 Timothy 3:16).

Jesus

God revealed Himself most perfectly through Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Jesus was born of a virgin named Mary. He lived a sinless life even though he was tempted in every way that we are today. Though it escapes human understanding, Jesus was all man and all God. His life stands as our model of how we are to live. Jesus is the only way to God, and the only way to find true life. (Hebrews 1: 1, Hebrews 4).

Death and Resurrection

Jesus was crucified outside of Jerusalem like a common criminal, and was resurrected three days later. He now sits at the right hand of his Father in heaven reigning over all of creation. (See Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Ephesians 1, and Hebrews 1).

Salvation

God seeks after people to free them from their sinful and selfish existence, and changes them by His grace (His unmerited power and favor), so that they can lead fruitful, God-filled lives that glorify Him. He does not accept us by our good deeds, but rather, we must receive His forgiveness and grace given to us by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. Then we must turn away from our sin and selfishness, and welcome Him to be the loving ruler of our lives. At that time, He changes us from the inside out, and causes us to want to please Him. (Ephesians 2, Galatians).

The Holy Spirit

God sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to live for Him, and He empowers us to make disciples of Jesus. The Holy Spirit lives in every believer, making relationship with God possible and supremely fulfilling. The Holy Spirit leads God’s followers into the ways of God. (John 14: 16).

Communion

We believe in sharing “the Lords Supper” (“Communion”) with Him and with other believers on a regular basis. We believe it draws us closer in intimacy to God. It also continually places before us the dying of Jesus on our behalf. (Luke 22).

Creation

God created the universe from nothing by speaking it into being. He is the intelligent design behind all of life. Our worldview is based on the Biblical account of God and creation. (Genesis 1-11)

The Great Commandment

God is love, and He wishes for His followers to love as He loves. This includes loving our families, friends, neighbors, as well as our enemies. The life of a believer focuses around growing to be more like Jesus, and to love others as He loved us. (Matthew 5, I John 4: 7-8).

The Great Commission

We believe our primary purpose in life is to glorify God, and to reveal His goodness to the nations. God yearns for people from every family, culture, and nation to worship Him, and He chooses to communicate that love for the nations through us, His disciples. (2 Corinthians 5).

Important Beliefs:

These truths we find to be greatly important to our faith. However, we believe that others can hold a slightly different opinion about them and still be people with whom we can fellowship.

Gifts of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit empowers us to serve God in different ways. We call these unique empowerments, “the gifts of the Holy Spirit”. The gifts of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, 14, Ephesians 4) have never ceased in operation, and are available to every believer as the Holy Spirit chooses to give them.

Grace

We believe grace is not only God’s unmerited favor, but it is also the divine enablement of the Spirit to empower us to do His will (I Corinthians 9:8).

Saints

Many of us grew up believing that followers of Jesus are sinners just like everyone else. Some even say, “I”m just a sinner saved by grace.” We believe this is not a New Testament teaching. Paul, Peter, and John called followers of Jesus “saints.” This does not mean we no longer sin, but it does mean that God sees us as blameless and holy through what Jesus did on the cross for us. Our goal now is to walk out what Jesus has already done on our behalf. 

New Creations

Many churches teach the Old Testament view of man saying the heart is deceitfully wicked. However, the New Testament teaches that God replaced our “heart of stone” with a “heart of flesh.” The Holy Spirit has become one with our spirit (I Corinthians 6:17) and he has transformed us into New Creations who are “made in the image of God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). We do NOT believe the heart of a believer is “deceitfully wicked” because the Holy Spirit lives there and we can trust Him! See Romans 6. 

Marriage

We believe the marriage covenant is between one man and one woman as clearly laid out through scripture.

Homosexuality

We believe that simply having same sex attraction is NOT sin. However, when a person goes from just attraction to the practice of homosexual relationships, the New Testament teaches this is sin. However, we love everyone and welcome anyone to attend our church.

Predestination and Free Will

We do not adhere to the doctrines of grace (TULIP) espoused by John Calvin. We believe in the traditional view of man’s free will. God draws people to follow Him, and they can choose to follow Him by faith, but faith is not considered a work by which we earn favor with God (Romans 2-4). Long ago, God predestined that everyone who followed Jesus would be in Christ, and would be made spotless and blameless by His power. 

The Second Coming (End Times)

We do not get uptight about what your end times theology is. We just know Jesus is coming back someday! We believe that Jesus will come again to the earth, and we live each day in hope filled expectation of his return. (I and 2 Thessalonians, Revelation).

Baptism

We believe that once a person has become a follower of Jesus, they are invited to celebrate publicly their new relationship with Him. Our preference is that the new believer be immersed in water as a symbol of dying to an old way of life, being buried, and raised again to a new way of living. The New Testament speaks of baptism being a symbol of repentance, and not something that bestows saving grace. (Romans 6).