“WHAT DOES THIS CHURCH BELIEVE

“WHAT DOES THIS CHURCH BELIEVE?”

I am often asked “W= hat does this church believe?” or “Can I have a copy of the church’= ;s doctrine statements?” To both questions I usually just hold a copy of= the Bible out as an answer. But I realize that the questions are legitimate and deserve a more specific answer.

The difficulty in answeri= ng those questions is in the truth that no one can, or should, attempt to clarify wh= at the entire congregation believes. While faith and doctrines are clearly spe= lled out is some faith groups, under what I believe to be the doctrine of Priest= hood of the Believer, I can only share what “What I believe;” and challenge each of you to examine and clarify your own faith statement.

That’s what Simons = Peter meant when he wrote, “always = be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope = that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15<= /st1:time>).

This church is an autonom= ous body of individual believers with a consensus of basic doctrinal beliefs, with G= od as the author, the Bible as the source, the Holy Spirit as the guide and Je= sus as the substance.

MY CORE BELIEFS…

BIBLE: The Bible is the Word of God. It is His revelation of Himself to us and a clarification of what He desires our response to Him and one another to be. “All Scrip= ture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correct= ion, for training in righteousness; so that (each of us) may be adequate, equipp= ed for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are to “handle accurately the word of truth= 221; (2 Timothy 2:15). While “no Scripture is a matter on one’s own interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20<= /st1:time>), we are, none the less, encourag= ed to study the Bible, allowing the Holy Spirit and complimentary verses to aide = us in understanding it.

SALVATION: The Bible reveals that we “have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23<= /st1:time>). But it also reveals that “God is not wishing for any to p= erish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). “God, being r= ich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we we= re dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4). “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord&= #8221; (Romans 6:23). Salvation is a process, beginni= ng with spiritual birth -“unless= one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3) – continuing daily through sanctificat= ion, or spiritual growth – “= which is the will of God” (2 Thessalonians 4:3), progressing toward glorification, when “we shall= be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

JESUS: Jesus is the eternal, sinless Son of God, through whom a= ll Scripture is to be interpreted and by whom salvation is offered. He is, in = the life of every believer, the “= Hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

CHURCH: The church is both the universal redeemed of all the ag= es as well as the local congregation. In this local church, believers are associated by a covenant relationship of faith and fellowship. The Bible re= fers to the church as both the Body and Bride of Christ. Jesus builds His church= on the foundation statement of faith that He is “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16= -18). Jesus instructed us to ̶= 0;make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).= He commits to partner with us in the process of reaching people for Him and= to empower us to grow as disciples ourselves.

BAPTISM: Biblical baptism is the immersion of a believer in wat= er symbolizing the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, as well as the dea= th of the believer to sin and self, the believer’s union with Christ, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life with Him (Romans 6:3-4). While baptism is not essential for salvation, it= is a clear public testimony; an outward expression of an inner experience of faith.

LORD’S SUPPER: The Lord’s Supper, like baptism, is a symbolic expression of faith. It memorializes what Christ has done for us in salvation, is doing for us through sanctification and service, and what He promises to do for us in the future of His return. I believe that the Lord’s Supper should be open to all believers. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

PERSONAL and CORPORATE GROWTH: We are to strive to be “equipped for the work of minist= ry to the building up of the Body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). We are to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews= 10:24= ).

I believe that every part= icipant in this church should commit to the support of the ministry of the church through faithful stewardship of time, talents and treasures.

What do you believe?