What We Believe

 

We believe in the Trinity

One true and living God existing in the perfect unity of love as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

 

We believe in God

Known through scripture as Almighty Father, the Creator of all things.  

 

We believe in Jesus Christ

The only Son of the Father, known to us through scripture as Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the only One who ever was, or ever will be, completely God while walking the earth in human flesh.  Jesus Christ...

-    Was born of a Virgin named Mary in Bethlehem of Judea.

-    Lived a perfect life, proclaimed that God’s perfect vision for all of creation was now becoming reality (the Kingdom of God), called people to repent (change their point of view and way of life) in light of this new reality, and demonstrated this reality through His teaching and miracles of healing and bringing freedom to the oppressed.

-    Although innocent, suffered greatly under the Roman ruler known as Pontius Pilate.

-    Was executed by crucifixion, a common form of capital punishment used in His day.

-    Died and was buried in a tomb.

-    Rose from the grave, three days later, completely alive in a transformed physical body.

-    Ascended into heaven (God’s dimension), where He now is seated in a place of total authority (the right hand of God the Father).

-    Will come again from that place finally judging those who are alive and those who have died, putting an end to evil and injustice, and making right what is wrong.    

 

We believe in the Holy Spirit

Known to us through scripture as completely God, invisible like the wind, but Whose effects of unity, reconciliation, and love are evident in...

-    The one holy and catholic (universal) church, which by God’s Spirit is “the Body of Christ” made up of God’s people on earth who are each given “gifts” to do the work of Christ.

-    The unity (communion) that is shared by all followers of Christ; those who are living and those who have died in the faith and now enjoy face to face fellowship with Him.

-    The forgiveness of sins, a gift made available through faith in Jesus Christ, and the continual work of transformation into His likeness.

-    A future resurrection, very much like Christ’s own, of all who have died in the faith.

-    A life without end in a fully transformed and perfect new creation (a new heaven and earth).    

 

We believe the Bible

These beliefs come from the Bible, which we believe was inspired by God’s Spirit to be the best means that He uses to communicate with people all of the truth that we need to know to come into a life giving, loving relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, Who IS the living communication of truth, and the way to real life without end.  

 

This is not a blind faith, but rather one that stands the tests of:

-    The big tradition of our faith, or that upon which Christians of all times have come to agree.

-    Our God given ability to use reason.

-    The experience of putting what we believe into practice in the “laboratory” of life.