Like most Christian churches, we hold to essential doctrines that Christians have united around for nearly 2,000 years. You’ll find examples of those listed below under Essential Beliefs. But also like most Christian churches, we have certain focuses that make us unique. You’ll find examples of those listed below under Distinctive Beliefs.
Essential Beliefs
About God:
We believe God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:1-2; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14
About Jesus Christ:
We believe Jesus Christ is the second member of the Trinity (the Son of God) who came to earth to show humanity what God was like and, through his physical death and resurrection, to reconnect a lost world back to God. He ascended to heaven and will return to earth again to reign in glory as King over all. In the meantime, we believe a Christian is someone who follows Jesus.
Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6-7; John 1:1-5; Hebrews 4:14-15; Romans 1:1-5; Colossians 1:13-20; Acts 1:9-11
About The Holy Spirit:
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity. He is present in the world to make humankind aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also dwells in all believers, equipping us with gifts for serving God & others while also producing the fruit of godliness in our lives as we follow Jesus.
John 14:16-17, 16:7-13; Acts 1:8, 2:38; Galatians 5:22-25; I Corinthians 12:4-11
About The Bible:
We believe the Bible is God’s inspired written Word, authored by humans but guided by the Holy Spirit. Though it’s library contains many books written over the course of many years, it tells a cohesive story that uniquely reveals who God is, who we are, and how we are to live in relationship with Him. As such, it is the authoritative source of truth and the guide for Christian beliefs and living.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:105, 160;
Proverbs 30:5
Proverbs 30:5
About Human Beings:
We believe that all people were created in the image of God but that, through sinful disobedience, we were made incapable of right relationship with Him apart from His grace. We believe God designed human beings as male & female and ordained the family to be built upon relational covenant between one man and one woman. As the supreme object of God’s creation, all human life is of utmost value and holds vast potential for good. When Jesus returns, we’ll trade our mortal bodies, corrupted by sin, for immortal bodies like His.
Genesis 1:27, 2:24; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23;
Isaiah 59:1-2
Isaiah 59:1-2
About Salvation:
We believe that anyone can be restored to a right relationship with God and others through faith in Jesus Christ. Only His freely given life, death, resurrection and ascension make it possible for us to receive forgiveness for our failings and grace for forever life in Him.
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; Titus 3.5
Distinctive Beliefs
About Holiness:
Although we are not Pentecostal/Charismatic in the modern sense of worship styles, we boldly affirm the Holy Spirit’s power to transform lives from the inside out! By our free will we entered sin but by God’s free gift we enter life, a whole new eternal way of life. Holiness, we believe, doesn’t begin with behavior modification but with a fundamental change taking place at the core of who we are.
What you may notice: We talk about formational habits a lot; not as a way to be saved but as a way to work out our salvation. These spiritual disciplines, modeled for us by Jesus, are helpful tools for partnering with the Holy Spirit in pursuit of who He desires us to be. That’s why we say, we are “Learning to live & love like Jesus.”
What you may notice: We talk about formational habits a lot; not as a way to be saved but as a way to work out our salvation. These spiritual disciplines, modeled for us by Jesus, are helpful tools for partnering with the Holy Spirit in pursuit of who He desires us to be. That’s why we say, we are “Learning to live & love like Jesus.”
Luke 6:40; John 15:4-5; Titus 2:11-5, 3:4-7; I Peter 1:1-2;
I John 2:6
I John 2:6
About Unity:
We believe the Church is the community to which anyone who follows Jesus Christ belongs, and to whom God has entrusted His message of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation to the human race. We echo Jesus’ own prayer that His followers would be one (John 17). We pursue unity in our own midst and in our community, believing that—in Christ—men and women and people of all races, statuses and backgrounds have equal standing in the church as they do before God.
What you may notice: We don’t make a lot of fuss about formal membership here since everyone following Jesus is our brother or sister in spirit. You’ll find people here from a wide range of churched and unchurched backgrounds, all gathering as one.
What you may notice: We don’t make a lot of fuss about formal membership here since everyone following Jesus is our brother or sister in spirit. You’ll find people here from a wide range of churched and unchurched backgrounds, all gathering as one.
John 17:22-23; Ephesians 4:1-6; Colossians 3:11-15
About Baptism & Communion:
We believe in water baptism by immersion for persons who have accepted Christ as their Savior. We practice regular observance of communion as a means of remembering Christ’s sacrifice and death on the cross.
We perform child dedications to acknowledge the parents’ desire to raise their child in the ways and instruction of the Lord.
We perform child dedications to acknowledge the parents’ desire to raise their child in the ways and instruction of the Lord.
Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Proverbs 22:6
Church Affiliation:
We are voluntarily affiliated with the Church of God (Anderson, IN). You can learn more about this global movement at JesusIsTheSubject.org.