While there are many fascinating aspects of Christian belief to explore, we focus on the foundational truths that unite us. At our core, we hold certain convictions to be non-negotiable:
1. Jesus Christ
Jesus, the Son of God, died for humanity's sins and rose from the dead. He now intercedes for us and will one day return in power.
2. Humanity’s Sinfulness
Born in God's image, but tainted by sin, we're saved by sheer grace, not our own merit, through Jesus' sacrifice and the Holy Spirit's power. All who repent and trust Jesus find new life, while those who reject him face judgment both now and in eternity.
3. The Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, eternally divine and inseparable from the Father and Son. We see active faith expressed through love as the ultimate goal for every Christian, guided by the Holy Spirit's sanctifying power.
4. The Mission of the Church
United under Christ, the Church serves as the community of believers, nurturing faith through preaching, sacraments, and mutual love. Baptized by the Spirit into this body, we strive for unity and work together to worship, grow, and redeem the world.
While these represent the core of our beliefs, we encourage further exploration. A full list of our statement of faith is available, offering a deeper dive into the richness of our faith tradition. Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have about these core beliefs or any other aspect of our faith journey!
The things we believe about our God, ourselves, & all of life:
We believe there is one true and living God, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things; one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, truly God and truly man, born of the virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit. He suffered, was crucified, dead and buried as an atoning sacrifice for the sin of humankind. He rose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, intercedes for us, and shall return in power and triumph.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father, of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
We believe the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments to contain all things necessary to salvation; to be infallible and inerrant; received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for belief and practice.
We believe that all human beings have been created in the image of God, but our nature has been corrupted by sin so that we are very far gone from original righteousness, and of our own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.
We believe that we are saved from the wrath of God due our sin by the grace of God and not by any merit of our own. He sought us when we did not seek Him (Prevenient Grace). He reconciled us to Himself by the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Justifying Grace). He sanctifies us by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit (Sanctifying Grace). All who repent of sin and put faith in Jesus Christ shall be saved, born anew by the Spirit of God.
We believe that "faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead" (James 2:17); that, in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, faith working through love is the goal and aim of every child of God.
We believe the Church is the Body of Christ, the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Jesus Christ where the Word of God is preached and the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are administered. All believers are baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, and thus, having become members one of another, are responsible to keep the unity of Spirit in the bond of peace. The Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, and the redemption of the world.
We believe all persons stand under the righteous judgment of Jesus Christ, both now and in the last day. We believe in the resurrection of the dead; the just to life eternal and the unjust to everlasting punishment.
