Our beliefs define us as individuals and as a community seeking to follow Jesus. Although we believe a healthy church family is made up of people with a variety of spiritual opinions (Romans 14), we also believe a healthy church family is unified in issues that matter most (Acts 4, 2 Tim. 4). What unites us is greater than what divides us.

The Bible Story

God is the very definition of love. He loves each of us more than we could ever understand—regardless of the choices we have made. Unfortunately people aren’t always the sharpest tools in the shed, so when God offered us life, we chose sin and death.

Because of grace, God refused to let our poor choices define our future, so God himself came to earth in human form as Jesus to live a sinless life and to change eternity. After Jesus was murdered and raised to life from the dead to undo all of our mistakes, he returned to heaven. The good news is that God didn’t want us to be alone, so he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of those who choose to follow him.

Since God loves everyone, not just a select few, Jesus established the church to serve the poor, spread His love, and to turn the world upside down. The sad reality is that some of us still refuse to accept life, so instead we run from God and turn towards sin. The good news is that Jesus is alive, he will come again, and those that choose to accept his love and follow him will never taste death.

God

We believe there is one God (Deut. 6:4). Although it is so difficult for us to grasp, we believe God created everything (Gen. 1:1) and has revealed himself in three forms to humanity throughout the course of history. Although God has expressed himself in many ways, we believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:2) are co-equal. God did not simply create the universe and then step back and let nature take its course, but instead he continues to be active in the creation he loves so much.

Jesus

We believe Jesus is one of three expression of God. Before there was time as we know it, Jesus helped create everything (John 1:1-5 ; Gen. 1:1). Because God loved us so much, and man was so sinful, Jesus fulfilled the prophecies and was born of a virgin (Isa. 9:6 ; Matt. 1:18-25). Becoming fully man and fully God, he died on the cross and bore our sins so that we could be forgiven ( 1 Pet. 2:24 ; Eph. 1:7). On the third day, Jesus was resurrected from the dead (Lk 24:6) and forty days later ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9) where he serves as our intercessor and High Priest (Heb. 4:14ff). Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one will come to the Father except through him (John 14:6). We believe Jesus will return to earth in all of his glory to raise us up and to judge both the living and the dead (1 Cor. 15:13; 1 Pet. 4:5).

Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is co-equal with God and Jesus (2 Cor. 3:17). When Jesus returned to heaven, God did not leave us all alone. Instead, he sent the Holy Spirit that continues to guide humanity to the truth about God (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit is not distant, but actually dwells inside of those that have given their life to Christ through faith and baptism (Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:9-11). The Holy Spirit guides believers into the truth of who God is, equips believers with spiritual gifts for ministry, and empowers believers to be the visible presence of Jesus Christ in the world (2 Cor. 3:6; Acts 1:8).

Bible

Contrary to what many believe, God is not a God of burdensome rules. In fact, we believe that God has set things in place to help us live a life we could never live on our own (John 10:10). Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, God used human authors to write the Bible, the story of God working in, through, and for humanity. We believe the Bible is the authoritative word of God and is a vital element for understanding his will for our lives (2 Tim. 3:16).

Salvation

Although everyone has sinned and fallen short of what God created us to be (Rom. 3:23), it is by God’s grace and our faith in him that we can be forgiven and saved from the decisions we have made (Eph. 2:8, Romans 6:23). When we make the decision to turn from the lives we were living to follow Christ to the grave in baptism, we are given life once again (Acts 2:38). It is by God’s mercy (Titus 3:5) and through Jesus alone that we are able to have confidence in life and in death (John 14:6).

Church

Church is not a building and it is certainly not a product intended for humanity’s consumption. Church is people. It is a living, breathing organism empowered by the Holy Spirit to encourage believers through real community to follow Jesus, to serve the poor, and to spread the good news about what God has done, is doing, and will do. Although the local church is led by elders, deacons, and ministers, Jesus is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22), and the church is the body in which people serve various roles and needs within the church and the community (Eph. 1:23). Because Jesus loves the church and established it to carry out his work on earth (Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 5:25-27), we believe the church is a vital component to the human story and our growth in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:25).