Beliefs

We believe God is three persons in one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19, Luke 3:21-22, Col. 1:15-17, John 14:9-17, 2 Cor. 3:17). We believe that God is good (Psalm 145:9, James 1:17, Ex. 34:5-7, Gen. 1:31, Ps. 33:5, Matt. 7:11, Matt. 8:3) and he reveals his goodness through Jesus (Titus 3:4-7). Jesus is the Son of God who accurately represents the Father in every way (Col. 1:15-17, John 14:9-11, Matt. 3:17, John 1:14, John 5:26, 1 John 5:9), and whose death, burial, and resurrection makes those who choose Him as Lord resurrected sons and daughters of the Father and his co-heirs (John 1:12-13, Gal. 4:4-5, Rom. 8:17, Rom 6:5-6). We believe in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-5, Titus 3:6, 2 Sam. 23:2) and that his gifts are for today, effective in tearing down the works of the enemy and establishing the peaceful rule and reign of God on earth (1 Cor. 12:1-11, 2 Cor. 10:5, Matt. 10:8, Luke 10:9, Acts 2:17, Mark 16:17). We believe that God's character is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, faithful, and just (Ex. 34:6).

We believe that the Holy Scriptures (Genesis - Revelation) is authoritative over our lives and trustworthy. We believe that the scriptures tell the us truth about God and the world (2 Tim. 3:17-17, James 1:22, Matt. 5:18).

We believe that the church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27, Rev. 21:2, John 3:29) and has been commissioned to see heaven invade earth,
 to testify to the hope of Jesus Christ's return, and to testify to the
 resurrection of the saints (John 17:18, Acts 1:8, Eph. 3:10-11, Acts 4:33).

There are two positions one can occupy in life: In Christ, or outside of Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). To be outside of Christ is to not be truly alive with the life that is truly life. It is to a life that is death in the present and death for the future. The reality of Adam is the reality of every human outside of Christ (Romans 6). But, for those who receive the gift of Grace they die to Sin, and through baptism enter the tomb with Christ, to also receive his resurrected life in the present and future and to reign in life for the time being (Romans 5:17, Romans 6:4-5, John 1:12). This reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:19) means that we are part of God’s family, and do not need to work for his attention or affection (John 1:12)

While a life based in sin keeps humans far from God, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord, believes in Jesus, and receives his spirit is no longer able to be punished, or condemned for sin (Rom. 8:1, 2 Cor. 5:17). Sin is no longer their inheritance and they have a new inheritance (Eph. 1:11-14) instead of a debt to God (Col. 2:14). We now live in the fullness of being surrounded by the trinity (John 17, Col. 2:9-10).

We believe that the gospel is simple good news and intended to be shared. God became a man and died for every sin and every shame so that we could see his Kingdom now and walk in step with him again. That it is good news for all people. (Rom. 10:9-13, Rom. 10:14, Eph. 2:8-9, Eph. 1:13-14) We believe that his sacrifice did what Old Covenant sacrifices couldn’t do, and make perfect those who want his sacrifice to count for them (Hebrews 10). The sacrifice of Jesus, when received (Romans 5:17) will produce a reconciliation that empowers the person with the same authority Jesus carried while on earth (2 Cor. 5:17-19). We also believe that God does not force someone to love him but to those who choose him, they get to become co-heirs with his son Jesus (Romans 8), and no longer need to feel guilt or worry because Jesus sacrifice was enough to cover them completely for all of life, and into eternity (Hebrews 10:1b-10, Romans 6:5-8). We believe that when the gospel is received it causes humans to reign in life (Romans 5:17) in the way they were intended from the beginning (Gen. 1:26).

We believe that Jesus will return (Heb. 9:28, 1 Thess. 5:2 ) we do not know when (Matt. 24:44, Mark 13:32) but that he will make the world new when he does (Rev. 21). We believe that Hell is a real place (Rev. 21:8, Matt 25:46), and that because of free will, Hell is not a place where God sends anyone, but a place where people choose to go because they would rather have their identity based in something other than God forever. While the exact physical condition of Hell is debated, the primary characteristic of Hell is the absence of union with the presence of God (Mark 15:34). We believe that the life you live in this life reflects the life you get in the next. If you want his presence in this life, then the age to come will be full of His presence, but if you spend your life fleeing his presence in this life, then you will get the absence of his presence in the age to come.

We believe Heaven is the space where God’s will is done completely (Matt. 6:10), we believe Heaven is breaking into our world starting with Jesus and continuing through us (Matt. 28:18-19). At the End of the Age heaven will completely and fully come down and the earth will be made new (Rev. 21).