We welcome students from all backgrounds, and we want to be upfront about what we’re welcoming you into. Our beliefs can be summarized simply:
1) God is real.
2) God has revealed Himself in Jesus.
3) The Bible is God’s word.
4) God still does stuff.
5) God ought to be the most important thing in every person’s life.
These beliefs can be described as orthodox, evangelical, and Pentecostal.
By orthodox, we mean that we affirm the historic declarations of the Christian faith: specifically the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
By evangelical, we mean that we believe the Bible is trustworthy and we believe that faith requires personal commitment – no one is born a Christian. There’s a Wikipedia article that explains the nuances.
By Pentecostal, we mean that we believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit includes miracles and that this is an important part of the life of the church. We’re sponsored by the Assemblies of God, the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination. Our pastor is ordained by them and fully subscribes to their statement of faith: the full text is called the Statement of Fundamental Truths.
This is a plain-English version of them:
1. WE BELIEVE… the Bible is God’s message to us.
SO WE SEEK… to understand and obey its truth.
2. WE BELIEVE… there is one God who is three persons.
SO WE YEARN… to know Him in all of His complexity and beauty.
3. WE BELIEVE… Jesus is fully God and fully human.
SO WE REJOICE… that Christ can be a bridge between us and God.
4. WE BELIEVE… people, throughout history, have sinned against God.
SO WE ARE… deeply aware that we too are marked by willful disobedience.
5. WE BELIEVE… God extends forgiveness to us through Christ.
SO WE REPENT…. and rejoice in our forgiveness.
6. WE BELIEVE… God offers freedom from sin’s grasp.
SO WE LIVE… lives that are pleasing to God.
7. WE BELIEVE… followers of Jesus must be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
SO WE EXPECT… supernatural power in our daily lives.
8. WE BELIEVE… that God can heal both the body and the heart.
SO WE PRAY… with faith and hope.
9. WE BELIEVE… the outer mark of inner surrender to the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.
SO WE PRAY… that God would grant us this supernatural gift.
10. WE BELIEVE… in the Church.
SO WE LIVE… in this community of faith, inviting others to join us.
11. WE BELIEVE… God gives leaders as gifts to His Church.
SO WE WELCOME… the service we receive from those God calls.
12. WE BELIEVE… God commands his followers to celebrate communion and baptism.
SO WE PRACTICE… these symbolic actions, reflecting on their significance.
13. WE BELIEVE… Jesus will return to claim His Church.
SO WE LIVE… in expectancy of his coming.
14. WE BELIEVE… Christ will one day be seen clearly as King on earth.
SO WE LIVE… as citizens of His Kingdom now.
15. WE BELIEVE… God is the ultimate Judge.
SO WE LIVE… knowing that our choices will echo through eternity.
16. WE BELIEVE… we will live with God forever.
SO WE LIVE… with hope regardless of our circumstances.