What We Believe

The God revealed to us in creation and through Holy Scripture is a God to hold in awe and reverence. He is a God worthy of our worship and adoration [Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Chronicles 16:35, Revelation 4:11]. It is important that we worship together [Acts 2: 42], and that we live lives that honor him [Romans 12:1].

The God who creates all things exists in perfect community and created us in his image, to be in perfect community with him and with each other [Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:18 Romans 12:16]. Though imperfect through our sinful nature, we strive to live in harmony with him through following his plan for our lives. We also strive to live in harmony with humanity, honoring the image of God that each person carries and the diversity present in his creation.

We strive to be life-long learners of God and recognize there are multiple ways for Christians to learn about him [John 17:3, Romans 1:19-20, 1 Corinthians 2:10-12].
• Study of the Bible
• Learning through others
• Personal encounter
We value each of these paths and incorporate them into our family life. Each week in worship, we hear Bible taught in sermons and classes. We encourage personal time spent in reading and reflecting on God's Word. In Life Groups and study groups, we have opportunities to engage with other Christians around God's Word. The Spirit works in community and we learn about God through what he is doing in the lives of our fellow Christians. We affirm the working and indwelling of the Holy Spirit [1 Corinthians 3:16]. Through prayer, mediation, time spend with God, fasting and other spiritual disciplines, the Holy Spirit continues to reinforce and reveal the nature of God to us, encouraging our growth and equipping our journey [Ephesians 4:11-13]. .

We all need salvation, and the grace of God expressed through Jesus Christ is the only means by which we may be saved [Ephesians 2: 8-9]. We proclaim Christs victory over both sin and the grave with a verbal confession and by our commitment to follow Jesus [Matthew 10:32, 1 John 2:23]. We have the honor of sharing this news with those we come into contact with by living lives that honor Christ and by sharing our faith. We have been invited into the work of redemption by sharing Jesus with others and the work of making disciples [Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 2:18-20].

As recipients of God's grace, we should be a people who offer grace. We strive to be gracious to one another and to all we encounter. Though we often differ in many ways, the gracious gift of God through Jesus unifies us.

We believe the earliest disciples of Jesus followed his example of immersion baptism [Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21]. Therefore, we teach and practice immersion baptism as the beginning of our journey with Jesus. We believe that baptism and salvation go hand-in-hand. In the water of baptism, we participate sacramentally in the good news of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection [Colossians 2:12]. Our movement through the water of baptism also symbolizes the move from oppression and death into a new life of freedom in Christ [2 Corinthians 5:17].

We believe that we are all called to follow Jesus as his disciples. This calling will vary in the particulars but will reflect the moral teaching and life that Jesus teaches and that the Holy Spirit guides us in [John 16:13]. We live transformed lives not to earn his love and grace, but in response to his love and grace [1 John 4:13-19]. We live transformed lives not out of obligation, but in trust that as our creator, God knows and desires what is best for us. We live in the hope that Jesus is returning and that his judgment and reign do not hold fear for those who are in him [Acts 1: 9-11, Hebrews 9:38, Revelation 1:7].