CORE BELIEFS

GOD
We believe there is only one, eternal God (Deuteronomy 6:4 ). He is the creator of heaven and earth, and of all living beings. He has revealed Himself to humanity as the Father , our Creator, as the Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, and as the Holy Ghost dwelling within us. 

THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, a divine revelation from God to man, written by faithful men chosen by God himself. While men were the vessels God used to write His Word, every part of the Bible is God breathed. While the different writers brought different perspectives, the Bible was wholly God inspired and reveals his identity, nature, and plan for all mankind. We believe the Scriptures are the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:16

SALVATION
We believe that all men have sinned and stand in need of redemption, which is obtained through the new birth by faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift from God where you are saved from eternal consequences of your sin and given eternal life through Christ Jesus.

How is one saved?

Ephesians 2:8 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." You have been saved by the grace of Jesus through faith; not because of anything you have done but rather, because of what he did for you when he died on the cross and rose again.‍

What do I need to do to be saved?

Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Salvation is when you turn away from sin, repent, and believe and confess that Jesus is Lord. Those repenting of sin and being born again of water and of the spirit become children of God and heirs with Christ.

(Scripture References: Romans 3:20, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:13, Acts 2:38)‍

Why is following Jesus the most important decision I’ll ever make?

Surrendering to Jesus is the greatest decision we can ever make. Through Jesus, we are given a living hope (1 Peter 1:3-6). Our sin is forgiven and we are put into right standing with Him.

Salvation is the catalyst for a process we call sanctification. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Simply, our former life has ends and a new life with Jesus begins. No longer are we bound to past mistakes and failures but we can now live in the freedom that Jesus brings.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of God’s plan, not just for your life, but for all of humanity, you must become a student of His Word.‍

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

The Bible is the living Word of God. It is divinely inspired and written. God speaks to us through His Word. It tells us His story, and it tells us our part in His story.

WATER BAPTISM

The Bible teaches that we should be baptized in water in Jesus name. Jesus himself modeled it for us. In the book of Luke it says, "When all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized too. As he was praying, heaven was opened." Luke 3:21

Baptism is an outward confession of an inward decision to follow Jesus. It is also a biblical command. The word baptism comes from the word “baptize” which means to immerse. It represents the burial of our old way of life and that we are raised to new life with Christ Jesus. ‍

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is the ongoing process of walking in obedience to God’s Word and walking in the Spirit to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is the Holy Spirit’s continued work in us so that we are made to become more like him.

God is the one who does the work of making us more like Christ. We participate in that work by continually turning away from sin and demonstrating our faith in Christ by obeying God’s commands.

Here are some spiritual disciplines for sanctification:

  • Reading the Bible

  • Praying to God

  • Connecting with Believers

‍Here are some tips to help you navigate and study God’s Word:

  • Schedule a daily time to read your Bible

  • Choose a Bible reading plan (You Version is an excellent Bible app resource.)

  • Have a reading goal

  • Find a quiet place and set aside distractions.

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the scripture.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

‍Here are some prayer tips:

  • Talk to God daily, and continuously throughout the day.

  • Be open and honest with Him.

  • Pray for yourself and for others.

  • Find a quiet place to pray.

  • Don’t be afraid to be still and listen for God’s promptings.

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13 ESV

‍Tips for being a part of the church:

  • Attend Fast Track.

  • Join a small group.

  • Serve on the Dream Team.

  • Connect with others so that you may sharpen one another.

“You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.” Acts 20:20

PRAYER

Prayer deepens our dependence on Him and sharpens our faith. When we pray, we choose to put everything in God’s hands knowing that His hand will show up in every aspect of our lives and in those around us.

The act of prayer creates intimacy with God. When we develop the spiritual habit of prayer - we know that we are communicating with the God that created the universe, and that our requests go to a God who hears us and who invites us to be intimately involved in His plan. For this reason, we pray in confidence knowing that the prayers of a person in right standing with God are powerful, and can bring about change in any circumstance. We can approach God boldly. We enter prayer with a posture of trust, openness, and faith, believing that God can do far more than we could even ask or imagine.

FASTING

Fasting is the ancient practice of choosing to abstain from food for a certain period of time. It is a spiritual discipline wherein the purpose is to rely less on physical resources in order that we can more fully rely on and become more like Jesus. The motivation of our fasting is to draw closer to the heart of God. Fasting breaks the power of the flesh in our life – our desires, sins, and cravings – and causes us to hunger more after the Holy Spirit.

There are different types of fasting, and we recommend prayerfully considering which practice is best for you at this time:

  • Liquid fast — Consuming only liquids for a specific period of time

  • Partial fast — Abstaining from specific kinds of food. For example: Daniel Fast

  • TV/Social Media — Abstaining from certain technologies and entertainment for a specific period of time.

COMMUNION

Mark 14:22-26

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Through taking communion, Jesus is inviting us to remember what he did for us. We remember that our freedom did not come without a cost. Rather, our freedom was bought by the blood of Jesus, the lamb of God. Jesus himself takes the place of the slain lamb and has not only given his life for us, but defeated death as well so that we can live eternally with Him. The wine and the bread are symbols of his sacrifice and willingness to be broken - to shed his own blood on our behalf. His death and resurrection rescued us from death itself and has given us the opportunity to experience a resurrected life through him. We take communion together, just as Jesus did with his disciples, to remind one another of the gift of salvation that we do not deserve, but accept, gratefully. May we always set aside moments to remember.

THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is active in the world today and that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to live with purpose, and to be witnesses.

THE CHURCH
We believe the Church has been “called out” of the world to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. As the body of Christ on earth, the church offers hope to mankind. The church is one body made up of many members, diverse in their gifts and calling of the Holy Spirit.

PURPOSE
We believe in the great commission and are endeavoring to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Good News) with love to all people. 

THE SECOND COMING
We believe that Jesus Christ will return to receive his bride, the church, unto Himself.

LIFE
We believe that is life is given by God and that all life is sacred, from conception to natural death. The life and dignity of every person must be respected and protected at every stage and in every condition.

MARRIAGE
We believe that marriage is between one man and one woman.

GENDER
We believe that God made us male and female.