It’s a common expression in our culture to refer to a religious person as a “person of faith”. That can refer to a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Roman Catholic, or a Baptist. But beyond religious “people of faith” , according to a recent Oprah article, you don’t even have to be religious to be a “person of faith “ (“faith doesn’t have to be a God thing. You don’t have to be religious. Many people have discovered the mysteries of faith—and how “it” gets them through.”) That statement is significant because it describes the prevailing concept of “faith”. Did you notice that “it” isn’t defined!
The bottom line is: everyone is a person of faith… but faith in WHAT? On what, or in whom does your faith rest?
On our site you’ll find several documents that state where our faith rests. The basic beliefs we’ve listed below specify the Biblical truth we hold to and live by. Ultimately our faith rests in the Lord Jesus Christ, His Person, His Words, and His Works. So, in reality, a doctrinal statement alone is NOT what we rest upon. We rest completely and solely on the Word of God and the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our faith does not rest in a creed, or system of religious statements, but on WHO made those statements.
Why then bother with a written “doctrinal statement”?
(Haven’t you heard someone say: “Doctrine divides people”, or, “what matters is how you live, not your doctrine”?) Before you read the statements below, you might be interested in reading WHY statements of belief are even necessary ! (read more)
We hold to seven core beliefs as essential to Christianity. These beliefs relate to God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, humanity, salvation, and the end of time. (Click on “Core Beliefs” above to view them)
Our Doctrinal Statement is a more detailed outline of our core beliefs. (Click on “Doctrinal Statement” above to view)
We believe that how we accomplish our purpose is as important as the purpose itself. So, we focus on these core values as essential to ministry. Core values are standards that greatly influence our attitude and character. They are deeply etched into our lives. (Click on “Core Values” to read)
Whereas the doctrinal statement focuses on what we believe, our philosophy of ministry focuses on how we approach ministry. This is only an overview and not intended to be a detailed explanation.(Click on “Philosophy of Ministry” to read)
A miscellaneous compilation of our perspectives in response to questions people have asked regarding discipleship, leadership development, accountability, philosophy of counseling, preaching style, etc. (Click on “Ministry Perspectives” to read)
