Everything we do, we do to help people discover and take their next step of faith.
• There’s always a next step.
• Life change is an invitation away.
• Saved people serve people.
• Life is better together.
• It all belongs to God.
We declare that Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God1 as revealed in the Bible, the written Word of God,2 is the only Savior and Lord.3 He is the center of our shared experience of true biblical unity.
The Evangelical Core
We affirm our commitment to the following core truths of the Bible which we share with other genuine believers in Jesus Christ:
The One True God – There is one, and only one, true God,4 the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.5 He is the Creator and Lord of all,6 existing eternally in three persons, never less and never more – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.7
The Lord Jesus Christ – Jesus Christ is fully God, existing eternally.8 Everything was created by Him and for Him.9 His incarnation took place in the womb of a virgin.10 He became man,11 but never sinned.12 He died a substitutionary death to atone for sin,13 resurrected bodily,14 and ascended into heaven where He remains fully God and fully man,15 and is presently ministering16 until He comes again.17
The Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit is fully God, existing eternally.18 He is a person,19 and was involved in Creation20 and the inspiration of Scripture.21 His works of convicting22 and regenerating23 are essential to the believer’s salvation. Believers are entitled to the benefit and joy of being filled24 and walking in the Spirit25 for empowerment in Christian life, service, and mission.26
The Bible – The sixty-six books, and only these, known as the Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God.27 God’s inspiration and superintendence of the writing of every word of the Bible28 guarantees that what was written is His Word and therefore authoritative, true, and without error in the original manuscripts.29 God preserves His Word,30 which is powerful and effective to accomplish His purpose of salvation among all nations.31 God’s Spirit illumines the minds of believers in every culture to understand and apply the unchanging truth of Scripture in fresh and relevant ways for the benefit of the whole Body of Christ.32
Humanity – God created man and woman in His image.33 As a result, all people are bearers of that image.34 However, Adam’s subsequent sin resulted in a condition of spiritual death,35 which all people since Adam have experienced,36 marring the beauty of God’s image in them in every facet of life. This condition of spiritual death37 has rendered all people unable to save themselves38 and leads to physical death.39 Therefore, new birth is necessary for salvation.40
Salvation – The salvation brought by God is a complete and eternal salvation by His grace alone, received as the free gift of God through personal faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work, as He declares believers righteous in Him.41
Church – There exists one true Church, which is called the Household of God,42 the Body of Christ,43 and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.44 It is comprised of all true disciples of Jesus Christ and is created by the action of the Holy Spirit.45 Tangible expressions of this true Church are found in local churches.46
Christian Life – The believer is saved by faith alone.47 The faith that saves is expected to produce obedience48 and good works,49 which are the products of the indwelling Holy Spirit.50 The dimensions of biblical ethics are both individual and social, and extend to every facet of life.51 God faithfully continues to finish the work of sanctification, which He initiated in the life of each believer52 with the goal of Christlikeness.53
Angels, Satan, Demons – God created a multitude of spiritual beings called “angels.”54 Righteous angels continue to serve God and work both in the heavenly sphere and on earth.55 By his disobedience, Satan, a fallen angel, became the adversary of God and God’s people,56 carrying with him a procession of demons.57 Jesus Christ has overcome Satan58 so that the final judgment and doom of Satan and his demons are certain.59
Future Life – The dead will have a conscious existence in eternity60 and their bodies will be resurrected.61 Unbelievers, already under condemnation, will be sentenced to suffer eternal separation from God.62 Believers, already having been granted eternal life,63 will be judged and rewarded according to their works,64 and will experience a glorified, eternal existence in the presence of the Lord.65
1 – John 1:1-14, 2 – Matthew 5:17-18; 2Timothy 3:16; 2Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 19:7-11, 3 – John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1Corinthians 12:3; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:9-11, 4 – Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10; 1Corinthians 8:4-6; 1Timothy 2:5, 5 – Matthew 22:32; Acts 3:13, 6 – Genesis 1:1; Psalm 146:6; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17, 7 – Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22; 2Corinthians 13-14, 8 – John 1:1-3; John 8:58; Titus 2:13, 9 – Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16, 10 – John 1:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:29-35, 11 – Luke 2:52; John 19:28; Philippians 2:6-8, 12 – Hebrews 4:15; 1Peter 2:22, 13 – Romans 5:8; 2Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 2:24-25, 14 – Luke 24:36-43; Romans 1:4; 1Corinthians 15:3-8, 15 – Acts 1:9; Hebrews 4:14, 16 – Ephesians 1:19-23; Hebrews 4:15-16, 17 – Acts 1:11, 18 – Acts 5:3-4, 19 – John 16:7-15, 20 – Genesis 1:2, 21 – 2Peter 1:21, 22 – John 16:8-11, 23 – Titus 3:5, 24 – Ephesians 5:18, 25 – Galatians 5:16, 26 – Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 3:16-21; Acts 1:8, 27 – Luke 24:25-27; 1Peter 1:23-25, 28 – 2Timothy 3:16; 2Peter 1:20-21, 29 – Psalm 19:7-11, 30 – Psalm 119:89; Psalm 119:160, 31 – Romans 1:16; Romans 10:8-17; Romans 16:25-27, 32 – 1Corinthians 2:9-16; Ephesians 1:17-23, 33 – Genesis 1:26-28, 34 – James 3:9, 35 – Genesis 3:1-24, 36 – Romans 5:12-19, 37 – Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3, 38 – Romans 8:6-8, 39 – Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12, 40 – John 1:12; John 3:3-5, 41 – Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:4-9; Titus 3:5-7; 1Peter 1:18-21; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:14, 42 – 1Peter 4:17; Ephesians 2:19-20; 1Timothy 3:14-15, 43 – 1Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:22-23, 44 – 1Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:21-22, 45 – 1Corinthians 12:13, 46 – Hebrews 10:25; Galatians 1:2; Romans 16:4-5; Revelation 2:1-8,12,18; Revelation 3:1, 7,14, 47 – Romans 4:5, 48 – Romans 1:5, 49 – James 2:14-17; Titus 3:8, 50 – Galatians 5:22-23, 51 – Matthew 22:37-40; Colossians 3:17, 52 – Philippians 1:6; Philippians 2:12-13, 53 – Romans 8:29; 2Corinthians 3:18, 54 – Daniel 7:10; Hebrews 12:22, 55 – Hebrews 1:14; Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 3:10, 56 – 1Peter 5:8-9; Revelation 12:1-10, 57 – Ephesians 6:12, 58 – 1John 3:8, 59 – John 12:31; Romans 16:20; Revelation 2:10, 60 – Philippians 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31, 61 – John 5:28-29, 62 – Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15, 63 – John 3:16; John 6:47, 64 – Romans 14:10-12; 1Corinthians 3:10-15; 2Corinthians 5:10, 65 – 1Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 21:3-5; Psalm 16:11
Commitments & Practices
We seek to understand the intent of each biblical writer by using grammatical, historical, and contextual principles of interpretation,66 focused on Christ, led by the Holy Spirit,67 and oriented by grace. We accept the absolute authority of the Bible rather than that of creeds, traditions, or leaders.68
1. We commit to an ongoing study, understanding and application of God’s unchanging truth in our constantly changing world, whether personal, social or cultural.69
2. We affirm that true believers put their trust in Jesus Christ and are kept forever in the saving grace of God through His promises and His power.70 Every believer has been eternally justified,71blessed with all spiritual blessings,72 and set free from all condemnation.73
3. We affirm that the Holy Spirit’s works of baptizing,74sealing,75 and indwelling76 occur simultaneously with regeneration and are the possession of every true believer. The Holy Spirit gives each believer a unique combination of spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving God and people.77
4. We affirm that Jesus Christ gave ordinances to the church: Baptism testifies to the reality of our salvation and identifies us as disciples of the Triune God. We therefore encourage the practice of triune immersion.78 Communion testifies to our justification, sanctification and glorification, which are accomplished through Jesus Christ. We, therefore, encourage the practice of these symbols: the bread and cup, the washing of feet, and the sharing of a meal.79
5. We encourage the practice of additional biblical symbolic actions, such as anointing with oil and prayer for the sick,80laying on of hands for ministry,81
6. We affirm that the Church began on a particular day of Pentecost when our ascended Lord sent His Spirit to the waiting disciples.82The present Church age will come to an end when our Lord comes in the air to remove His Church from the earth83 and fulfill His promises to Israel.84 The second coming of Christ is the personal, physical, and visible return from heaven of Christ to earth85 with His Church,86 to establish His thousand-year reign87 before instituting His eternal kingdom.88
7. We affirm the local church is God’s primary means for the fulfillment of the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.89
Positions & Practices
Additional positions and practices of this church can be found in the Grace Church Position Statements document approved by the Board which are incorporated herein by reference.
66 – Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:25-27, 67 – 1Corinthians 2:14, 68 – 1Corinthians 4:6, 69 – Acts 17:11; 2Timothy 2:15; 1Chronicles 12:32, 70 – John 10:28-29; 1Peter 1:3-5, 71 – Romans 3:24, Romans 4:25, 72 – Ephesians 1:3, 73 – Romans 8:1, 74 – 1Corinthians 12:13, 75 – Ephesians 1:13, 76 – Romans 8:11, 77 – Romans 12:6; 1Corinthians 12:7, 11, 78 – Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-38, 10:47, 79 – 1Corinthians 11:20, 23-26; Luke 22:14-20; John 13:14; Jude 12, 80 – James 5:13-16, 81 – 1Timothy 4:14, 82 – Acts 2:1, 37-47, 83 – 1Thessalonians 4:16-17; John 14:3, 84 – Zechariah 12; Romans 11:26-29, 85 – Acts 1:11; Zechariah 14:4, 86 – Revelation 19:11-16; Colossians 3:4, 87 – Revelation 20:4, 88 – 1Corinthians 15:24-25; 89 – Acts 2:42-47, 5:14, 9:31, 11:24-26, 14:21-28, 16
If you’ve made the decision to follow Jesus, or if you still have questions, we’d love to talk with you about it. Stop by church this Sunday, call us at (330) 264-9459, or email. We want to help you take your next steps and learn how to follow Jesus.
