What We Believe

Mission: To glorify God and advance His kingdom by loving others to Christ

Vision: To make multiplying disciples and launch new River Ridge campuses

We believe that the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God and without error in the original writings. They are the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men and the final authority for all Christian faith and life.

The Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all who read it with a willingness to obey (See Psalm 119:130; John 8:31-32; 1 Corinthians 2:14).
With regard to everything about which it speaks, the Bible tells the truth (See Psalm 12:6; 119:30; John 17:17), and therefore, is without error.
All the words in the Bible are God’s words. To disbelieve or disobey them is to disbelieve or
disobey God (See 2 Timothy 3:14-17).
The Bible is necessary for knowing the Gospel and God’s will, as well as developing one’s spiritual life (See Matthew 4:4; Romans 10:17; 2 Peter 1:3,4).

We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Scriptures teach that there is one and only one God (See Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 45:5-6; James 2:19). He is the creator and sustainer of all things (See Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:17) and perfect in all His ways (See Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 32:1; Ephesians 3:9).
God exists eternally (See Malachi 3:6; James 1:17) in three distinct persons, Father, Son and Spirit (See Genesis 1:26-27; John 1:1-2; John 17:24; Hebrews 7:25; Matthew 28:19).
Each person of the Godhead is fully God (See 2 Kings 19:15; Hebrews 1:3-6; John 20:28; Acts 5:3-4).

We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father and offered Himself on the cross as a sacrifice in payment for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead as witnessed by many, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the God the Father, He now is our High Priest and Advocate.

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man (See John 1:1; Philippians 2:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; I John 4:2-3).
He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (See Matthew 1:20-25; Luke 1:34,35; Galatians 4:4-5). The virgin birth made the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person possible.
Christ established His righteousness by living a life of perfect obedience (See Romans 5:19) and offered Himself on the cross as a sacrifice in payment for our sins (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:16; 1 John 2:2).
Jesus arose from the dead (See Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5-6) in a physical body (See Matthew 28:9; John 20:27; Luke 24:39) as attested to by many (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
He ascended to heaven (See Acts 1:9-11) where He sits at the right hand of God functioning as our High Priest and Advocate (See Hebrews 9:11; 1 John 2:1) before the Father.

We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict mankind, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, fill, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service.

The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ (See John 16:14) and, during this age, convicts mankind (See John 16:7-11) of guilt with regard to sin, righteousness and judgment.
He is responsible for the work of regenerating the believing sinner (See John 6:63: Titus 3:3-7).
The Holy Spirit indwells (See 1 Corinthians 6:19), fills (See Ephesians 5:18), guides (See Romans 8:14), instructs (See 1 Thessalonians 4:8), and empowers (See Acts 1:8) the believer for godly living (See Galatians 5:16-23) and service (See 1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin through disobedience and is, therefore, separated from God. It is only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit that salvation and spiritual life can be obtained.

Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, were created in the image of God (See Genesis 1:27, 9:6). As a result we bear likeness to God in that we are relational, rational, emotional and volitional (See Genesis 1-3).
Sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam (See Romans 5:19). As a result mankind is separated from God (See Genesis 1:22,23; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23).
We must be born again by the Holy Spirit (See John 3:3-8) in order to experience salvation and new life in Christ (See 2 Timothy 1:9).

We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe. Only such as receive Jesus Christ by faith are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin (See Hebrews 9:22). The wage of sin is death (See Romans 6:23) and so involves the shedding of blood, without which life cannot continue (See Leviticus 17:11).
It is through the shed blood of Christ (See 1 Peter 1:18,19) that our sin is atoned for. In His resurrection, Christ insures our regeneration (See 1 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 2:5-6) in order that we might walk in newness of life (See Romans 6:4). In addition Jesus was raised for our justification (See Romans 4:25). When Christ was raised from the dead, it was God’s declaration of approval of Christ’s work in dying for our sins.
Only those that receive Jesus Christ by faith (See Ephesians 2:8,9) are born again and become children of God (See John 1:11,12).

We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as the means of salvation.

Baptism is an act whereby a believer identifies with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (See Romans 6:2-5; Colossians 2:12). All believers are commanded by Christ to be baptized (See Matthew 28:19).
The Lord’s Supper is a sharing in the body and blood of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 10:16). We are to participate in this ordinance to remember and proclaim what Christ has accomplished in His suffering and death (See 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper is meant to be a means of grace within the church. Salvation is a free gift of God, not based on our merits (See Ephesians 1:5,6).

We believe that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the Head.

The Church, the community of true believers for all time, is composed of those who exercise saving faith in Jesus Christ (See Galatians 3:26; Romans 3:28).
Those who do so are born again (regenerated) by the Holy Spirit and united together in the body of Christ of which He is the Head (See Ephesians 5:23-30; Colossians 1:18).

We believe that the church is the continuation of the Lord’s presence and ministry in the
world. Just as Christ walked in obedience to the Father, so we are to do the same in the power of the Holy Spirit. Ultimately the church will be presented as Christ’ bride, pure and righteous, at the wedding supper of the Lamb.

Because we are the continuation of the Lord’s presence and ministry in the world, we are to be holy, just as Christ is holy (See 1 Peter 1:15,16).
God has given us His Spirit to empower us to live in obedience to His will and produce fruit in keeping with His character (See Galatians 5:16-23).
We look forward to the wedding supper of the Lamb when the church will be presented to Christ as a pure and holy bride (See Revelation 19:6-9).

We believe in the personal, pre-millennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This blessed hope has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. Christ will return personally (See John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16) and at an hour that we do not expect (See Matthew 24:44; 1 Thessalonians 5:2). Certain signs will precede His coming (See Mark 13:5-10; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10). When He returns He will conquer those who oppose His rule (See Revelation 19:19-21).
He will return to collect the church (See Matthew 24:30,31) prior to His millennial reign and bind Satan for a thousand years. Those saints who have been martyred for their testimony during the great tribulation will be resurrected and reign with Christ (Revelation 20:1-10).
Satan will then be released to deceive the world before the final triumph of Christ followed by the judgment of all men (See Revelation 20:11-15) and the introduction of the new heavens and new earth (See Revelation 21:1-8).
Because we have fixed our minds on this hope we are responsible to live righteous lives (See 1 Corinthians 15:58) and share the hope of the Gospel at every opportunity (See 2 Peter 3:9).

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord; of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.

There awaits a bodily resurrection of the dead (See Romans 8:23). Those who are believers will receive a glorified body (See 1 Corinthians 15:42-44; Philippians 3:21).
Those who have practiced evil will be resurrected to judgment and everlasting punishment (See John 5:28-29; Revelation 21:8).