Our shared beliefs, rooted in Scripture, shaping how we follow the way of Jesus.

Rule of Faith

St. Augustine offers a simple, steady guide for what a church should hold in common: “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In everything, love.”

In a few words, he names a reality the Church has always needed. Scripture contains core teachings we must share if we’re going to live the life of God together in the family of God. These essentials are not optional accessories. They are the anchors that keep us from drifting.

And yet, the Church has also splintered again and again over smaller disputes. In these non-essentials, we need liberty. Not because they do not matter, but because discipleship is a long obedience, and belief often matures over time as we keep walking with Jesus. The most loving and dignifying way to hold many secondary teachings is to make room for people to come as far as they can, with humility, patience, and honesty.

And over it all is the final word: love. We are not simply a collection of correct opinions. We are a family held together by love. Right belief carried with pride is not love. Wrong belief excused without care is not love. But right belief expressed through love, steady, truthful, and compassionate, is what Jesus embodied. And we, the Body of Christ, are called to make that same love visible in the way we hold truth and one another.

The Essentials

We hold to the historic teachings of Christian orthodoxy as articulated in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. We also subscribe to recent summaries of Christian doctrine as formulated in the Lausanne Covenant & Cape Town Commitment.

  • God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are equal and are one God.

    Genesis 1:1,26,27; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

  • Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. After three days, he rose from the dead to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return someday to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

    Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-15; 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13

  • The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. This immersion into Spirit-led living gives the Christian the power to live a fruitful, victorious life, an understanding of spiritual truth, and boldness in sharing the good news with others. He also gives us spiritual gifts. As Christians, we seek to live under His daily control.

    2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13; 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25

  • The Bible is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.

    2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 12:6; 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5

  • People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God's creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called sin.

    Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; 59; Romans 3:23

  • Salvation is God's free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by accepting Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

    Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; 14:6; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

  • We believe in sanctification, the on-going process of yielding to God’s Word and the Holy Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

    Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Hebrews 2:11

  • We believe the church is the worldwide body of Christ. It is comprised of all believers who have been united through Jesus's sacrifice. God has also called these believers to be part of a local church family.

    Matthew 16:18; Hebrews 12:22-24

  • People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in relationship with Him is eternal life.

    John 3:16; 12:25; 14:2-3; 17:3; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15