Beliefs

There is only one, true, holy, and eternal God, who is Creator and Preserver of all things. God reveals himself as the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God, which means God is wholly present in Jesus Christ.  Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on the cross. He physically rose from the dead after three days, demonstrating God’s power over sin and death. He ascended into heaven and will come again to the earth. We confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. It is with every Christian who confesses Jesus Christ as their Savior from the very moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit lives within Christians, providing them with divine guidance to teach the truth, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit empowers Christians to live by faith and to overcome evil from the world.

Human beings are the supreme object of God’s creation, made in the image of God to be like God in character. Although we have tremendous potential for good, everyone is marred by an attitude of rebellion toward God called sin, which separates people from God.

Salvation is a gift from God to all people.  In the Bible, it is expressed as, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  Receiving this gift offers us forgiveness and restores a personal relationship with God.

The Bible, comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s Word to all.  Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. It is also unique testimony to God’s self-disclosure to human beings.

The church is the Body of Christ present in the world today, comprised of all believers in Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.  The Church exists to glorify God, edify believers, declare and demonstrate God’s justice and mercy for all, and to share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ to the world.

We believe in two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion (the Lord’s Supper), which are both signs and means of God’s grace.  Baptism is a symbol of public repentance from old to new life and a sign of God’s love and forgiveness of our sins. Baptism is the sacrament a believer receives once during his or her life.  Baptism connects us with God’s mighty acts of salvation and His Church.  Since baptism is a means of grace it is available to persons of all ages.  Holy Communion is the sacrament we practice regularly.  Communion reminds us of the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples in the Upper Room as He prepared them for His death on the cross. The bread and fruit of the vine (we use grape juice out of respect for those in recovery) are symbols of Jesus’ body and blood, which were broken and shed for our sin. In Holy Communion, the Holy Spirit meets us where we are and administers grace—forgiveness, mercy, and the power to be God’s people in the world. Holy Communion is open to anyone, regardless of church membership, with these two guidelines: (1) a personal confession of sin in the name of Jesus (in private, silent prayer) and (2) the desire to take one step closer to Jesus Christ, wherever you are on your spiritual journey.