Statement of Faith

Introduction

What is a statement of faith?

1. A statement of faith summarizes the essential Christian beliefs. Who is God? Who is man? Who is Christ? What is the Bible? These questions can be answered differently by people who all claim to believe the message of the Bible, so it is helpful to have a short summary of how we interpret the Bible’s message.

2. A statement of faith clarifies distinctives of our local congregation. As members of a local church, we profess the essential tenets of the Christian faith as well as a couple of distinctives that differentiate our beliefs from other disciples of Christ.

3. A statement of faith helps guard the church from error. A statement of faith lays out our understanding of doctrine clearly and can be used as a tool to ensure solid teaching.

What a statement of faith is not:

1. A statement of faith is not a tool to coerce people into agreeing with us. The Bible, the conscience, and patient discipleship are what form our convictions.

2. A statement of faith is not infallible, inspired, or unchangeable. The church of every generation finds themselves in need of addressing current cultural issues in their statements of faith.

3. A statement of faith is not comprehensive. Life and doctrine can be complex. Our statement of faith is intentionally limited and simplistic.

4. A statement of faith is not what unifies us. In some ways it describes our common beliefs, but our unity is ultimately in a person - Jesus.

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Together with the church of all ages…

Apostle’s Creed

We believe in God, the Father almighty,     

creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,     

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit     

and born of the virgin Mary.     

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,     

was crucified, died, and was buried.

The third day he rose again from the dead.     

He ascended to heaven     

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.     

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,     

the holy catholic* church,     

the communion of saints,     

the forgiveness of sins,     

the resurrection of the body,     

and the life everlasting. Amen.

*that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places

The Scriptures

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings. The Bible is the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of man and the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and life. The Scriptures are a unified whole. The Old and New Testaments must each be understood in light of the other.

God

There is one living and true God who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in all His attributes. He is eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, these three being coequal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections.

God the Father

God the Father rules over the universe with full control and providential care according to the purposes of his grace, without diminishing human responsibility. He concerns himself mercifully in the affairs of men, and saves from sin and death all who come to him through Jesus Christ.

God the Son

Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of His people. He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven where, at the right hand of the Father, He is now interceding for His church and ruling all things for her good.

God the Spirit

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and regenerates, indwells, and sanctifies all who believe in Jesus. As our helper, He glorifies Jesus by equipping us for service, guiding us into all truth, and sealing us until the day of our final redemption.

Sin

By Adam’s willful sin all mankind came under God’s wrath and condemnation and were separated from God. They therefore became unable to please and enjoy God as they were created to do, nor merit salvation apart from Christ.

Salvation

Jesus Christ became the representative of His people, taking their sins upon Himself, having offered Himself as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and reconcile them to God. All who trust in Christ through repentance and faith are commanded to be water baptized. Through the shed blood of Christ they are justified and born again, and are in-dwelt, sanctified, and sealed by the Holy Spirit until they are glorified at Christ’s return.

The Church

There is one universal church of which Christ is the Head, made up of true believers in all places and in all times. The visible local church is the ordinary means of the spread of God’s kingdom and the building up of God’s people in Christ. The primary means by which God extends His grace are the Word, the sacraments, and prayer. The marks of a biblical church are the proclamation of the whole revelation of God in Scripture, the biblical administration of the sacraments, the exercise of biblical government and discipline, the edifying use of the spiritual gifts given to the members of the body, and a manifestation of unity and love among the members.

Humanity

God created Adam and Eve male and female in His own image as the crowning jewel of his creation, equal before God as persons and distinct as male and female. In so doing, he ordained an unchangeable creation design for the reflection of his image and for human flourishing.

God wonderfully and unchangeably creates each person as biologically male or female, and these two unique, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God.

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. A husband and a wife have equal value before God, while at the same time possessing distinct, complementary roles in marriage and in the church.

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing from the Lord. Since humans are made in the image of God, human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, we are called to protect and value all human life.

Civil Government

Civil government is appointed by God for the interests and good order of human society. Officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of conscience and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. 

The Future

Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly at the end of the age. The righteous and the unrighteous will be resurrected to face final judgment. The righteous will enjoy eternal blessedness in heaven, and the unrighteous will suffer eternal punishment in hell.