What We Believe
1. The Holy Bible.
The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority for determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, the Bible is authoritative, accurate, inspired, infallible and applicable to our lives.
Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25,26; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:21
2. The Trinity.
We believe there is one eternal God, who is the creator of all things, eternally existent in three co-equal persons: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal He has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. God is totally loving and completely holy.
Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 3:16,17; 28:19; Luke1:35; Hebrews 3:7-11;
1 John 5:7; John 1:14, 14:28, 16:28; John 15:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 61:1
3. The Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in love, holiness, justice, and grace. We believe that He is all-knowing and all-powerful. We believe that He mindfully and mercifully concerns himself with the lives of humankind, that He hears and answers our prayers, and that He offers salvation from sin and death through Jesus Christ.
Luke10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16, 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6
4. Jesus Christ.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only One who can restore us to God. Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100 percent God and 100 percent man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the Cross for humankind and , thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. We believe the unconscionable beating and violent crucifixion of Jesus was in our place–the full, fitting payment for our sin. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory.
Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1,14; 20:28; Philippians 2:5,6; 1 Timothy 2:5, 3:16
1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23; 5:9; John 1:29
5. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal with Jesus and the Father in the Godhead. We believe the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son, convicts the world of sin and promotes righteousness and judgment. The Holy Spirit is our omnipresent, omnipotent helper, comforter, and guide to all who believe in Jesus.
John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26
6. Man
We believe that mankind was made in the image of God. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Genesis 1:26-30, 2:7, 18-22; 3:1-24; Psalm 8:3-6, 51:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; Ephesians 2
7. Sin
We believe our sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort.
Genesis 3; Psalm 32:1-5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Romans 3:10, 3:23, 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22
8. The Redemption of Man
We believe Humanity was created good and upright for God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” But man, by voluntary transgression, fell, and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Genesis 1:26-31; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21
9. Salvation.
We believe that in order to receive forgiveness from God and new birth, we must repent of our sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and submit to His will for our lives. We believe we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human effort.
Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Galatians 2:16; 3:8, 3:18; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:22
10. Water Baptism
Baptism in water by immersion is a direct commandment of Jesus and is for believers only. Baptism is an ordinance symbolic of the Christian’s identification with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48, Colossians 2:12
11. Baptism In The Holy Spirit
The baptism in the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus to all believers, is a gift received subsequent to new birth (salvation). The baptism in the Holy Spirit enables Christ followers to fully utilize public and private spiritual gifts for the furtherance of the Church and for personal spiritual growth. Acts 19:2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” The primary purpose is to “receive power to become witnesses”
Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5, 1:8, 2:1-4, 17, 38-39; 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47; 11:15-17, 19:1-6; 1 Corinthians 14
12. Sanctification
Salvation makes us righteous before God. Sanctification is the development of Christ’s character in us through an ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
Romans 8:29; 12:1,2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 6:14-18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Hebrews 2:11
13. Jesus’ Blood
We believe the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100 percent sufficient to cleanse humankind from all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death.
John 1:29; Romans 3:10-12,23; 5:9; Colossians 1:20; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9.
14. Jesus Christ Indwells All Believers
We believe Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to Him, thus making Jesus the Lord of their lives as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried and rose again from the dead.
John 1:12, 14:17,23; 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelation 3:20
15. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the Church,
demonstrate the validity of the Resurrection and confirm the power of the Gospel. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of biblical parameters. It’s important to follow the biblical command of 1 Corinthians 14:40: “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
Romans 1:11; 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 14:1-40; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:5-16; Hebrews 2:4; 1 Peter 4:10
16. The Ongoing Work Of The Holy Spirit In Our Lives
We believe in the ongoing present work of the Holy Spirit in our lives today. He answers prayers and impacts lives via the miraculous and supernatural in demonstrations of His love and power displaying His compassion and glory. The power of the Holy Spirit displayed in the New Testament continues to our present day. “He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
John 14:12, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:17-18
17. Christian Social Responsibility
We believe that God is both the Creator and the Judge of all men. We therefore should share his concern for justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men and women from every kind of oppression. Because men and women are made in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, colour, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic dignity because of which he or she should be respected and served, not exploited. We believe that life is valuable and should be protected from womb to tomb. Although reconciliation with other people is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nevertheless we affirm that evangelism and social involvement are both part of our Christian duty. For both are necessary expressions of our doctrines of God and Man, our love for our neighbour and our obedience to Jesus Christ. The message of salvation implies also a message of judgment upon every form of alienation, oppression and discrimination, and we should not be afraid to denounce evil and injustice wherever they exist. When people receive Christ they are born again into his kingdom and must seek not only to exhibit but also to spread its righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous world. The salvation we claim should be transforming us in the totality of our personal and social responsibilities. Faith without works is dead.
Acts 17:26,31; Genesis 18:25; Isaiah 1:17; Psalm 45:7; Genesis 1:26,27; James 3:9; Leviticus 19:18; Luke 6:27,35; James 2:14-26; John 3:3,5; Matthew 5:20; 6:33; 2 Corinthians 3:18; James 2:20
18. The Church
We believe in the power and significance of the Church and the necessity of believers to meet regularly together for fellowship, prayer, and the “breaking of bread.” We believe the Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission. We believe every person born of the Spirit is an integral part of the Church as a member of the Body of believers. We believe there is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ
John 17:11,20-23; Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23. Matthew 16:18-19, 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47, 5:11-14, 13:1-3, 14:23, 16:5, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22,
3:10-12, 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18, 3:15; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3
19. The Lord’s Supper
We believe in a unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (a representation of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12,36-38; 10:47, 48; 1 Corinthians 10;16; 11:23-26
20. Resurrection
We believe Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. As a result, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected-they that are saved to the resurrection of life, and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation.
Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21; 20:26-28; 21:4; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:42;44; Phil. 1:21-23; 3:21
21. Heaven
We believe Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:3,12,20; 6:20; 19:21; 25:34; John 17:24; 2 Corinthians 5:1 Hebrews 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4
22. Hell
We believe that after living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God. Scripture uses words like “everlasting fire,” “torment,” and “wrath” to describe Hell. While no one can be certain of exactly what Hell is, we can be certain that it includes eternal separation from God.
Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8
23. The Second Coming.
We believe Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures.
Matthew 24:30; 26:63, 64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7,8;
Revelation 1:7
THE LIFE OF A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST
The central themes of Jesus’ 14 teachings in the sermon on the mount, address the issues of money, sexuality, and power. We desire to experience the deliverance of the Kingdom of God in these areas and to put on display tangibly what it looks like to walk in the way of Jesus. It is important for our tone, that we seek to define what we are pursuing rather than simply what we are avoiding and therefore we have framed these three categories as a pursuit of:
GENEROSITY – Stewarding our resources
God is a generous God who gives generously to all without finding fault. God demonstrates generosity in not sparing the Son, but freely giving him to us (Rom. 8). Paul says of Christ, “He who was rich became poor that by his poverty we might become rich.” Generosity is at the heart of who God is and it is at the heart of the kind of people he invites us to become. Generosity is about more than money. It is about time and abilities as well.
We are stewards, meant to see life as a gift that is stewarded for the glory of God. In the bible, this fundamentally means we take on a vision of abundance over scarcity. We believe that church staff, who live off the tithes of the people of our church family, should give back to the church.
FAITHFULNESS – Stewarding our sexuality
We believe that God created marriage to be a lifelong covenant between one natural born man and one natural born woman. How we relate sexually is a critical arena for Christian proclamation and instruction, but one that is often neglected due to fear of giving offense or simply embarrassment and shame. We hope the following offers some clarity in this important issue.
We believe that God’s design in creation is that marriage is constituted by the committed, faithful relationship between one natural born man and one natural born woman, in which they become one flesh in a new social unity that is distinct from their birth families, and that sexual intercourse as the expression of that ‘one flesh’ is to be enjoyed exclusively within the bond of marriage. Marriage points back to and is a reclamation of how it was in Eden before the Fall of Man. This loving sexual union, in which ‘two become one’, reflects both Christ’s relationship with the Church and also the unity of Jew and Gentile in the new humanity.
We recognize our need for deep humility and consciousness of failure in this area. We long to see Christians challenging our surrounding cultures by living according to the standards to which the Bible calls us. Our church will always be a place where the dignity of all people is respected with love, kindness and empathy.
SERVANTHOOD – Stewarding authority
In our corruption by sin, power is often exercised to abuse and exploit others. We exalt ourselves, claiming superiority of gender, race, or social status. Paul counters all these marks of power abuse with his requirement that those who are filled by God’s Spirit should submit to one another for Christ’s sake. Such mutual submission and reciprocal love is to be expressed in marriage, family, and socio-economic relations.
Jesus teaching on power is crucial here. There arose a reasoning among the disciples, which would be the greatest. Jesus rebuked this mentality calling them to humble service. He said of himself, “The Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” This is the pattern of Jesus for power..