Statement of Faith

God

We believe in one God, eternally existing in a loving, joyful unity of three equally divine

Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The triune God is holy and perfect–the creator

and sustainer of all things. To show forth who He is, God has graciously purposed from eternity

to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new.

The Bible

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through

the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in

the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority

by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. We seek to trust all that He promises, believe all that He teaches, and obey all that He asks in His written Word.

The Human Condition

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by

Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from

God, and under His wrath. Only through union with Christ and His saving work can we be

rescued, reconciled and renewed.

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, truly God and truly man, one Person in two

natures. As Israel’s promised Messiah, Jesus was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

The Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, lived righteously on our

behalf and shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His

atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of sin. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

The Church

We believe that the true church is composed of all who have been justified by God’s grace

through faith alone in Christ alone across lands and history. Although manifested as local

churches, they are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The

Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

Christian Living

Through union with Christ, we are justified and sanctified both completely and continuously.

He inflames our affections for Him, which motivates us to love Him supremely and others

sacrificially, to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and

justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s

Name, we combat the spiritual forces of evil. We joyfully take up Christ’s commission to make

disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

Christ’s Return

We believe in the personal and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We expectantly look for the coming of Christ, at a time known only to God. The blessed hope of seeing our Savior

motivates us to affectionate godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

Response and Eternal Destiny

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to

Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead

bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious

punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven

and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.

*Adapted from the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) statement of faith.