Beliefs

We believe that the Bible (both the New & Old Testaments):

•  is divinely inspired, and therefore – infallible.  
• really is from God (it was written by humans, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit).& that 
• although it wasn’t originally written to us, it is intended by God –  for us. 

 It  is to be believed, practiced, trusted, and hoped in by anyone who wants to know God.  Because parts of the Bible can be confusing, and because it is so important – we believe that it deserves and demands spirit-guided, genuine effort to really understand the transcendent truth of what God, and the original authors are really trying to say.  

(Is 55.11, 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:21)

We believe that there is One true God, the eternally self-existing “I AM”, who has revealed himself to us in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that the persons of the Trinity are co-eternal, co-equal, and yet with unique function

(Ex. 3:14; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10, 11; Matt. 28; Jn. 8:58; 2 Cor. 13:14)

We believe Jesus is God – a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Spirit, yet of the same substance.  He lived as two natures in One person (divine- the son of God, and human- the son of man). We believe that Jesus Christ is the messiah, promised in the Old Testament who came to announce and reestablish the kingdom of God; and to birth a new humanity – instructed by his word, inspired by his model, and empowered by his spirit to overcome satan, sin and death.  We believe Jesus is the Son of God, who really, literally was incarnated as a human, born of a virgin, crucified,  buried,  resurrected, and is seated at the right hand of God.  We believe that the Christian life is actually Christ expressing himself through us, and not just Christians striving to satisfy his requirements.

(Mt. 1:20; Mk. 16:19; Jn. 1:1, 14; 3:16; 20:1-2; Jn 14.6, 1 Cor. 15::3-5; Hebrews 2:17; Gal. 4:4 Phil. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:22, Jn 14.6, 15:5, 18.36; Mark 1.15, Matt 4.17, Rom 8.11, Php 1.6.)

We believe that humanity was created in the image of God but voluntarily sinned when tempted by Satan to separate from God and instead trust their own version of good & evil. This choice led to physical death and spiritual death, which is separation from God.  Humans, since the fall have received Adam’s sinful nature and continually followed his decision to separate from God by choosing their own version of good & evil. Sin has alienated humanity from God and subjected it to his wrath

(Gen 1:26, 27; 2:17; 3:6; Rom. 5:12-19)

Fallen humanity’s only hope of redemption is through the blood of Jesus Christ and his work on the cross. We accept that redemption when we fully believe in Jesus’ power over sin, satan, and death; and make him Lord – accepting his forgiveness, his authority over our lives, and the gift of his spirit living in and through us.  Those who receive God’s offer of grace by faith are born again, justified, regenerated, adopted into the family of God, made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, and will live forever in his kingdom.  From the moment of salvation, God begins the work of sanctification – which is God, through his spirit making Christians more like Jesus everyday. 

(John 3:3; Acts 4:12; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:10;  8:14-17; 10:9-10; Titus 3:5-6, Rom 8.23-24,  Php 1.6)

We believe that the Church is the Body of Jesus Christ, who is its Head. The Church is made up of all those who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. The Church is manifest in local churches like HomeChurch.  The Church is being built up & transformed into the Bride of Christ, fully matured and presentable at Jesus’s Second Coming – by the model of Jesus, the instruction of scripture, and the power of the Holy Spirit.  We believe that as members of this body – every believer is called, and empowered to do important work for the kingdom

(Mt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12; Rom. 5:1, 5; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11-17; 5:27; Rev. 2-3)

We believe in the personal, bodily, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ to fully reinstate, and rule God’s kingdom.  At the moment of his coming, which time is unknown, we will be caught up in the air, our transformation completed, and brought back to the earth.  Christ will sit in judgment, renew everything, and reign as King forever. We believe that God is creating a New Heavens and a New Earth where humans will dwell forever with God to rule over his creation as He originally intended.

(Isa. 65:17; Mt. 24:30; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 19:11-22:21, Gen 1.28)

We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are real,and alive today. The purpose of the gifts is to equip the Church to carry out its mission until Christ returns, to help each other, and to give a foretaste of God’s coming kingdom.  1 Cor 12.11 teaches that “the Holy Spirit alone decides which gift each person should have” (NLT) – so we avoid an “all must” or “none can” view of the gifts of the spirit. 

(Rom. 1:11,  1 Cor 12, 1 Cor. 14,  2 Tim. 1:6-7; Heb. 6:5)

We work for unity in essential beliefs, and enjoy liberty in non-essentials. We believe it is more God-honoring, Christ-like and attractive to the world to build bridges when it comes to peripheral doctrinal matters (i.e., eschatological interpretations, Calvinism/Arminianism, Egalitarianism/complementarianism, worship styles, etc.) versus drawing lines of division. 

Because of the calling of Jesus to love one another – we strive to respect and love believers with whom we differ on non-essential beliefs; and because of his model, we strive to love everyone, including those with whom we completely disagree.

 (Ps. 133:1; Acts 15:1-21; Eph. 4:3; Phi. 2:2; 2 Cor. 13:11, John 13.34, 17.20-23;  2 Tim 2.14, 2.23-24; Titus 3.1-2, 3,9-11; Gal 5.15)