What We Believe
Our Theology
Bible

We believe Scripture is God’s unique revelation to people. It is the inspired Word of God (God-breathed), and is the final authority on all matters upon which it teaches.

Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:105-106

God

We believe there is only one God, creator of heaven and earth, who exists eternally as three persons- Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each fully God yet each personally distinct from the other. We believe God is gracious, loving, benevolent, and merciful.

Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:19-20; John 14:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 4:8; John 3:16; Psalm 57:10

Creation

We believe that all of physical creation is the result of God’s loving and imaginative work. It was created good, has been marred through disobedience, and it is God’s intention to restore, reconcile, and redeem all of creation.

Genesis 1; Genesis 3; Matthew 19; Colossians 3, Acts 1

Humanity

We believe all people are created in God’s image and are exceedingly valuable to Him. People have a dual-nature, both the desire to follow God’s way and a sinful nature, which rejects God’s way. Central to the message of the Bible is that God loves people, and invites them to live in communion with Himself, each other, and all of creation.

Genesis 1:26-27; John 3:16, 17; Colossians 3; Acts 2:42-47 

Jesus

We believe Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully human, and lived a sinless human life. Jesus is the visible expression of the invisible God. He willingly took upon Himself all of our sins, died and rose again bodily, and is at the right hand of the Father as our advocate and mediator. Some day, He will return to fulfill the eternal plan of God.

Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:1; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 7:25 Col 1

Salvation

We believe that all people have fallen short of the glory of God and will stand before God’s judgment. However, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God offers both salvation and reconciliation to those who trust Him. This salvation cannot be earned through personal goodness or human effort. It is a gift that must be received, and is secured by humble repentance and faith in Christ.

Romans 3:21-26; Romans 5:1-11; Ephesians 2:8-9

Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and draws them to Christ. He also indwells all believers and empowers them to lead Christ-like lives, giving spiritual gifts with which to serve the church and the world.

2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18

Church - Universal

We believe all who follow Jesus are members of the body of Christ. Spiritual unity is to be expressed among Christians by acceptance and love of one another across ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, national, generational, gender, and denominational lines.

Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15; Colossians 1:18, 3:11; Ephesians 3:17-19, 4:13-16; Galatians 3:28

Church - Local

We believe the local church is a community of believers who gather for worship, prayer, instruction, encouragement, mutual accountability, and fellowship. Through it, believers invest time, energy, spiritual gifts, and resources to continue Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world. Baptism and Communion are practiced by the church as key identifying symbols of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Acts 2:38, 42-27; Matthew 28:16-20; Romans 6; Hebrews 10:25; 2 Timothy 2:2; 1Corinthians 11:23-36, 12:7; Acts 1:8