The following ten statements represent what we understand to be the essentials of the Christian faith. These basic beliefs are what we unite around as a church, even as we welcome a wide range of beliefs on secondary issues.

God We believe there is one true God, eternally existing as three equally divine persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This triune God is the sovereign creator and sustainer of all things, who lovingly cares for his creation.

(Deut 6:4; Matt 28:19; 1 Cor 8:5-6; Gen 1:1; Ps 145:9; Matt 6:26-30)

Revelation We believe God makes himself known through creation, the Bible, and ultimately through Jesus Christ. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are divinely inspired and entirely truthful in all that they teach, all of it pointing us to Jesus Christ. As such, the Bible is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

(Rom 1:20; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Heb 1:1-2)

Jesus We believe the second member of the Trinity, God the Son, became human as Jesus Christ of Nazareth to accomplish our salvation. Truly God and truly man, he was born of the virgin Mary, sinless in life, crucified under Pontius Pilate, and raised from the dead three days later victorious over Satan, sin, and death. Jesus is alive today, ruling and reigning from heaven, offering forgiveness and newness of life to all who would trust in him.

(Phil 2:5-11; Lk 1:26-38; Heb 4:15; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Col 2:15; Rev 1:17-18; Eph 1:20-21)

Humanity We believe God created human beings, male and female, in his own image. Therefore all human life is sacred and must be protected. God designed marriage as a harmonious union between one man and one woman as one way of displaying his goodness in the world. Whether married or single, all people can display God’s goodness as we trust Jesus with our sexuality. 

(Gen 1:26-28; Gen 9:6; Prov 31:8-9; Gen 2:18-25; Eph 5:31-32; Matt 19:11-12; 1 Cor 6:18-20)

Sin We believe all people are sinners by both nature and choice, daily rejecting God’s good design for life. Because sin separates us from God, the giver of life, sin results in death (spiritually, psychologically, relationally, physically). Since we bear God’s image to the rest of creation, our sin has brought death into the whole creation.

(Rom 5:12; Rom 1:18-21; Rom 3:23; Rom 6:23; Gen 3:16-19; Rom 8:19-21)

The Gospel We believe the gospel is the good news of what God, in his great love, has done to redeem his broken creation through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. The gospel is both personal, leading to personal renewal as individuals are restored to a relationship with God, and cosmic in scope, leading to the renewal of the whole creation as God once again reigns as King over this world.

(Rom 1:1-5; 1 Cor 15:1-4; 2 Cor 5:17-21; Col 1:19-20; Mk 1:14-15)

Salvation We believe we are justified (made right with God) by grace alone through faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone. Through this declaration, all believers are welcomed into the renewed people of God and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who indwells, empowers, and sanctifies us.

(Eph 2:8-9; Gal 3:7-9; Eph 1:13-14; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 3:18; Phil 2:12-13)

The Church We believe that all who trust in Jesus are a part of his Church, which is an outpost of his kingdom in this world. This universal Church is expressed in local churches, particular communities of regenerated believers united by the Spirit in a specific time and place for worship, teaching, prayer, mutual love and care, and spreading the good news of the gospel to the world.

(Matt 16:13-18; Eph 4:1-16; Acts 2:42; Jn 13:35; Matt 5:13-16)

Sacraments We believe that Jesus has given his Church two sacraments: baptism and communion. Baptism is the outward sign of a person’s faith in Jesus, symbolizing union with him in his death, burial, and resurrection. In Communion, believers remember Jesus’ sacrifice and share in his gracious presence together. Together, these sacraments are a very real means of grace by which the Holy Spirit works to strengthen and nourish our faith.

(Matt 28:19; Rom 6:3-11; 1 Cor 11:23-26; 1 Cor 10:16)

Last Things We believe in the personal, glorious, and bodily return of our Lord Jesus to this world when he will destroy evil once and for all and fully reunite heaven and earth. On this day, he will judge all humanity in perfect righteousness, casting out all who have rejected him to eternal punishment and glorifying all believers to reign with him forever in an ever-increasing fullness of Life.

(1 Thess 4:13-18; Matt 25:31-46; 1 Cor 15:24-26; Rev 21:1-8; Jn 3:16-18)