Jesus focused through Word & Spirit.
We pursue God, Jesus, & the Holy Spirit.
Vision
To build a disciplined, giving, and like-minded community of Jesus followers who get fit for the kingdom, contend for our faith, serve others, and live Spirit-filled lives, unapologetically.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
THE BIBLE IS 100% TRUTH
WE BELIEVE that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the verbally inspired, infallible, inerrant, plenary word of the Living God. Both Testaments are uniquely authoritative in all matters with which they deal, scientific and historical, as well as moral and theological. The Bible is the sole and final authority in matters of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:21)
BIBLICAL CREATION
WE BELIEVE the Biblical account of a literal, six-day special creation of the existing space-time universe and all its basic systems and kinds of organisms, without any evolutionary process. (Gen. 1-2)
HISTORICITY
WE BELIEVE the full historicity and perspicuity of the Biblical record of primeval history, including the literal existence of Adam and Eve as the progenitors of all the human race, the literal fall of humanity, and resultant divine curse on the creation, the world-wide-universal cataclysmic flood, and the origin of nations and languages at the tower of Babel. (Gen. 1-10)
THE APOSTLE’S CREED
WE BELIEVE that there is only one God, who is eternal and immutable, and manifests Himself in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30) Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah (John 1:36-42), born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:34-35), totally without sin (Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:26), God in human flesh (John 1:1 & 14, John 20:28) the One Who died on the cross for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:9), was buried (John 19:40-42), descended into hell (hades) (Matt 12:39-40), rose again from the dead on the third day (John 2:19), and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, where He now intercedes for us who believe in Him. (Mark 16:19, Acts 7:56, 1 Timothy 2:5)
THE LAST THINGS
WE BELIEVE in the future rapture, the snatching away of the body of Christ, at which time the dead in Christ shall be resurrected and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together, to meet the Lord in the air, the coming seven literal years of tribulation through which the world shall pass during which the wrath of God shall be poured upon the unbelieving and God shall call Israel unto himself; The Second Coming-the future, personal, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ to the earth to judge, and to purge sin, and to establish His eternal kingdom, and to consummate and fulfill all His purposes in the works of creation and redemption with eternal rewards and punishments. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, Matthew 24:30, Revelation 19:13)
THE SINFUL NATURE OF HUMANS
WE BELIEVE that all humanity is lost and born with a sinful nature, and can only be saved by a personal faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not by any human merit or performance. (John 3:16-19, John 5:24, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5)
EVIL EXISTS
WE BELIEVE in a real/literal devil, called Satan, who, along with all his fallen angels, demons, and evil spirits, are destined to spend eternity in hell, and now seek to deceive the world, defeat the believers, and destroy the work of God, but can be resisted by believers, who are protected by God, the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Genesis 3:1, Job 1:6-12, Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 22:31-32, 1 John 4:4, Revelation 20:10)
HEAVEN AND HELL
WE BELIEVE that heaven is a real place where the saved will dwell forever, and that hell is a literal place of torment where unbelievers will suffer forever. (John 14:1-3, Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:5)
HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US
WE BELIEVE that genuine believers are born again by the Holy Spirit of God, and are indwelt, baptized into the body of Christ, the true church, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and thus, unable to be separated from the love of Jesus Christ. (John 3:1-6, Acts 1:4-5, Romans 8:35-39, Ephesians 1:13-14)
THE FOLLOWER’S LIFE
WE BELIEVE that it is God’s will for Christians to live a life of victory over sin and defeat, and to have a vital, vibrant part in the carrying out of the great commission. We believe this is possible as we are daily committed to Him and His care, as we are yielded to Him as Lord of our lives. This life of yielding and trusting will be expressed through daily prayer, and a continuous feeding on the Word, in faithful assembling together with fellow believers (Hebrews 10:25) and in giving according as God has prospered, in being a continuing witness to the unsaved, and in being separated from worldly practices or entangling alliances with unbelievers. (Acts 2:42)
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES
WE BELIEVE in developing consistent habits to further our knowledge, understanding, and likeness of Jesus Christ and to surrender to the Holy Spirit by practicing spiritual routines such as solitude with God (Mark 1:34), learning the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), denying ourselves (Mark 8:34), stepping out in faith when convicted, examining ourselves (1 Cor 11:17-34), and accountability with, to, and from other believers (Proverbs 27:17).
SALVATION
Salvation is being saved from the righteous judgment of God upon the sinner. Salvation is obtained by grace alone, through faith alone, in the work of Christ alone (John 3:16) and not by our good works (Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5; 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-4; Matt. 7:22-23). We are chosen for salvation by God (2 Thess. 2:13) and cannot lose our salvation.
JUSTIFICATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE
Justification is being declared legally righteous by God (Rom. 4:5; 5:1; Phil. 3:9). This justification is obtained by faith alone (Rom. 4:5) in Christ alone (Acts 4:12). It is based on the work of Christ, who fulfilled the Law in his earthly ministry (1 Pet. 2:22), where he bore our sins in his body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24). He canceled the sin debt by his sacrifice on the cross (Col. 2:14). This justification is received by faith without any ceremony, without baptism (Rom. 4:1-6), and without any works of the Law (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:21). Our justification is a gift from God (Rom. 3:24).
SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is the process by which the Holy Spirit makes us more like Christ in all that we do, think, and desire. Our sanctification increases our ability to repent from and resist sin, which is accomplished by God’s grace (1 Thess. 4:7; Eph. 2:10; 1 Tim. 4:4; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Tim. 2:25). This process continues all of the Christian’s life and is the result of salvation, not a cause of it, nor a contributing factor to it. Furthermore, the effort of sanctification does not maintain the believer’s salvation.
GIVING
WE BELIEVE we are called to give regularly, generously (Matt 6:19-21), and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). And regarding tithe, minimally 10% to the church. (Deuteronomy 26:12-13, Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:21-28)
COMMUNION
WE BELIEVE the church should observe the communion of the Lord’s Supper, as a token of His broken body and shed blood in a common union of believers. (1 Cor.10:16, 1 Cor.11:23-26) We believe we should participate in communion seriously and intentionally to confess, repent, and get our heart right with the Lord and others.
BAPTISM
WE BELIEVE that baptism illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (1 Cor 15:3-4). Baptism doesn’t make us a believer. It shows that we already believe. Even Jesus was baptized (Mark 1:9) and commanded us to be baptized and to baptize others (Matthew 28:19-20)
MARRIAGE
WE BELIEVE that marriage is a sacred covenantal union between man and woman, designed by God to be the union of one man and one woman for life. Therefore any sexual relationship outside this marriage is adultery. Furthermore; adultery, fornication, homosexuality and such are condemned by God. (Gen 2:24, Heb.13:4, Mark 10:6-9, Rom.1:24-28, 1 Cor.6:9&10)
GENDER
WE BELIEVE the human race was created as male and female by a direct act of God to fully reveal His image. (Genesis 1:26-28)
GOVERNING AUTHORITY
WE BELIEVE in following governing authority as long as doing so does not affect our followship of God. If following causes us to be bad Christians then we must obey God not man. (Acts 5:29) We still pray for our governing leaders (2 Timothy 2:1-4), respect them (Romans 13:1-7), and handle matters with grace while speaking the truth, and denouncing falsehoods, in love.
THE SANCTITY OF LIFE
WE BELIEVE that God has created life supernaturally (examples: Gen 2:7-from dust, Judges 13-a barren woman, Matthew 1:20-a virgin), in His image (Gen 1:27), before we were born He knew us (Jer 1:5), and He knitted us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16, Job 10:8). Since a fetus has a different chromosomal make-up, the capacity to replace its own dying cells, and needs food to survive, it is alive and a separate human from mother and father, which means life begins at conception. Furthermore, we shall not murder (Exodus 20:13) and hands that shed innocent blood are an abomination to the Lord (Prov 6:16-19, Prov 24:11-12).
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