Statement of Faith
The following is a summary statement of our faith. It not only tells what we believe, but what difference these beliefs make in our everyday lives. When Jesus was asked, “Which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commands.” (Matthew 22:36-40 NLT) Our desire is to allow these greatest of all commandments to permeate every aspect of our ministry at the Chapel.
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It was given through men who were supernaturally guided by the Holy Spirit as they wrote. We believe that every word of the Bible is dependable and true. God’s Word is our daily bread, providing the nutrients we need to grow in our faith. It is living and powerful, protecting us from evil. The Bible is the final authority for our faith and guidebook for our lives.
Joshua 1:8; Psalm 19:7 and 119:9-16; Matthew 4:4 and 5:18; Ephesians 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
Practical Applications:
• We will faithfully study God’s Word both independently and together in groups, striving to apply Biblical principles to every area of our lives and ministries.
• All teaching and preaching at the Chapel will find its authority in the Bible, not personal opinion.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit
We believe God is the creator and ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead to demonstrate his power over sin and death. He ascended to heaven’s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Holy Spirit is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and equips God’s people to accomplish the Father’s will.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22-23 and 28:19; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30 and 16:7-13;
Acts 1:8-11; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16, 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13
Practical Applications:
• We will love God with all of our heart, soul and strength—praising him through worship and surrendering our lives to him in prayer.
• We will follow Christ’s leadership in our homes and our church.
• We will allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. We will use the spiritual gifts he has given us to serve others.
Mankind, Sin and Salvation
We believe human beings were created in the image of God to have fellowship with God and to rule over God’s creation. People are the crown jewel of God’s creation, of infinite worth in His eyes.
Sin is anything that does not conform to the character or will of God. Sin can be described as missing the mark, rebelling against God, or falling short of God’s righteousness. In the beginning of human history, man sinned by disobeying God thus corrupting his being and alienating himself from his loving Creator. Apart from the saving grace of God, man has incurred the certainty of physical death and the prospect of eternal punishment. The Good News is that God sent his Son into the world to suffer and die for man’s sins. Anyone who turns from sin and trusts in Christ can be forgiven and begin a new personal relationship with God. We believe salvation is a free gift, given and maintained by the grace and power of God, not by human effort. Therefore anyone who receives Christ is secure for all eternity.
Genesis 1:26-27, 3:17-18; Psalm 8:3-6, 139:13-17; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; John 10:28-29 and 14:6; Acts 3:19; Romans 3:23 and 6:23; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:3-5
Practical Applications:
• We will honor the sanctity of life, treating every person as a special gift from God. We will strive to protect and defend all human life including the unborn, handicapped and infirmed, regardless of race, color or creed.
• We will not judge or look down on others, since we are all sinners in need of God’s grace.
• We will trust in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation allowing God to lavish the full measure of his grace in our lives in order that we might become all He created us to be.
The Church
We believe the Church is comprised of all people who have trusted in Christ for their salvation. The Church manifests itself through local congregations who unite together to accomplish God’s purposes. Local churches are led by pastors, elders, and deacons who have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to teach, lead, and care for its members following Christ’s example of servant leadership. The primary purposes of the church are: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and missions. The church is not a business or a building, but a spiritual family working together in love and unity to glorify God. Our church is self-governing and is supported by the free will offerings of our members.
Luke 22:24-27; Acts 2:41-42, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7-8; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:11-13, Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:6-9; 1 Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 10:23-25
Practical Applications:
• We will follow our leaders as they follow Christ.
• We will encourage one another in our faith, uniting together to accomplish God’s purposes.
• We will support our church with our time, talents, and treasures.
Baptism and Communion
Baptism is the primary means for new believers to publicly declare their faith and be initiated into the church. Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the washing away of sin. Communion is a special celebration to commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross. The bread and the grape juice are used to symbolize Christ’s broken body and shed blood. Baptism and communion were never intended to be a means of salvation; but rather a testimony of a believer’s faith in Christ. While baptism is a one time event marking the beginning of a believer’s new life in Christ, communion is to be celebrated again and again until Christ returns.
Matthew 3:13-17, 26:26-30, 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-41; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12
Practical Application:
• We will encourage all those who have accepted Christ as Savior to be baptized.
• We will regularly celebrate communion together as a church family.
The Future
We believe all people were created to exist forever and will be either eternally separated from God by sin or eternally united with God through forgiveness and salvation. We believe that death seals the destiny of each person and that our relationship with God for eternity is set by how we respond to Him in this life. We believe that Jesus Christ is preparing a place for those who know Him and that one day He will come back again to gather his people and establish his kingdom. We believe that God has not only saved our souls, but will one day resurrect our bodies as well. We believe that both believers and unbelievers will be raised from the dead bodily—believers to conscious eternal blessedness in God’s presence and unbelievers to conscious eternal punishment and separation from Him. We believe God has called us to be his ambassadors, sharing the good news of Christ throughout the world until he comes again.
Matthew 7:13-14 and 28:19-20; John 5:28-29; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 21:1-4
Practical Applications:
• We will not fear death, but look forward to one day meeting our Savior face to face.
• We will share the Good News of Christ with others here in our community.
• We will make it our mission to spread the gospel throughout the world by partnering with global missions agencies and by supporting short and long term missionary endeavors.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the command I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It was given through men who were supernaturally guided by the Holy Spirit as they wrote. We believe that every word of the Bible is dependable and true. God’s Word is our daily bread, providing the nutrients we need to grow in our faith. It is living and powerful, protecting us from evil. The Bible is the final authority for our faith and guidebook for our lives.
Joshua 1:8; Psalm 19:7 and 119:9-16; Matthew 4:4 and 5:18; Ephesians 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
Practical Applications:
• We will faithfully study God’s Word both independently and together in groups, striving to apply Biblical principles to every area of our lives and ministries.
• All teaching and preaching at the Chapel will find its authority in the Bible, not personal opinion.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit
We believe God is the creator and ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead to demonstrate his power over sin and death. He ascended to heaven’s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Holy Spirit is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and equips God’s people to accomplish the Father’s will.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22-23 and 28:19; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30 and 16:7-13;
Acts 1:8-11; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16, 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13
Practical Applications:
• We will love God with all of our heart, soul and strength—praising him through worship and surrendering our lives to him in prayer.
• We will follow Christ’s leadership in our homes and our church.
• We will allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. We will use the spiritual gifts he has given us to serve others.
Mankind, Sin and Salvation
We believe human beings were created in the image of God to have fellowship with God and to rule over God’s creation. People are the crown jewel of God’s creation, of infinite worth in His eyes.
Sin is anything that does not conform to the character or will of God. Sin can be described as missing the mark, rebelling against God, or falling short of God’s righteousness. In the beginning of human history, man sinned by disobeying God thus corrupting his being and alienating himself from his loving Creator. Apart from the saving grace of God, man has incurred the certainty of physical death and the prospect of eternal punishment. The Good News is that God sent his Son into the world to suffer and die for man’s sins. Anyone who turns from sin and trusts in Christ can be forgiven and begin a new personal relationship with God. We believe salvation is a free gift, given and maintained by the grace and power of God, not by human effort. Therefore anyone who receives Christ is secure for all eternity.
Genesis 1:26-27, 3:17-18; Psalm 8:3-6, 139:13-17; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; John 10:28-29 and 14:6; Acts 3:19; Romans 3:23 and 6:23; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:3-5
Practical Applications:
• We will honor the sanctity of life, treating every person as a special gift from God. We will strive to protect and defend all human life including the unborn, handicapped and infirmed, regardless of race, color or creed.
• We will not judge or look down on others, since we are all sinners in need of God’s grace.
• We will trust in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation allowing God to lavish the full measure of his grace in our lives in order that we might become all He created us to be.
The Church
We believe the Church is comprised of all people who have trusted in Christ for their salvation. The Church manifests itself through local congregations who unite together to accomplish God’s purposes. Local churches are led by pastors, elders, and deacons who have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to teach, lead, and care for its members following Christ’s example of servant leadership. The primary purposes of the church are: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and missions. The church is not a business or a building, but a spiritual family working together in love and unity to glorify God. Our church is self-governing and is supported by the free will offerings of our members.
Luke 22:24-27; Acts 2:41-42, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7-8; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:11-13, Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:6-9; 1 Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 10:23-25
Practical Applications:
• We will follow our leaders as they follow Christ.
• We will encourage one another in our faith, uniting together to accomplish God’s purposes.
• We will support our church with our time, talents, and treasures.
Baptism and Communion
Baptism is the primary means for new believers to publicly declare their faith and be initiated into the church. Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the washing away of sin. Communion is a special celebration to commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross. The bread and the grape juice are used to symbolize Christ’s broken body and shed blood. Baptism and communion were never intended to be a means of salvation; but rather a testimony of a believer’s faith in Christ. While baptism is a one time event marking the beginning of a believer’s new life in Christ, communion is to be celebrated again and again until Christ returns.
Matthew 3:13-17, 26:26-30, 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-41; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12
Practical Application:
• We will encourage all those who have accepted Christ as Savior to be baptized.
• We will regularly celebrate communion together as a church family.
The Future
We believe all people were created to exist forever and will be either eternally separated from God by sin or eternally united with God through forgiveness and salvation. We believe that death seals the destiny of each person and that our relationship with God for eternity is set by how we respond to Him in this life. We believe that Jesus Christ is preparing a place for those who know Him and that one day He will come back again to gather his people and establish his kingdom. We believe that God has not only saved our souls, but will one day resurrect our bodies as well. We believe that both believers and unbelievers will be raised from the dead bodily—believers to conscious eternal blessedness in God’s presence and unbelievers to conscious eternal punishment and separation from Him. We believe God has called us to be his ambassadors, sharing the good news of Christ throughout the world until he comes again.
Matthew 7:13-14 and 28:19-20; John 5:28-29; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 21:1-4
Practical Applications:
• We will not fear death, but look forward to one day meeting our Savior face to face.
• We will share the Good News of Christ with others here in our community.
• We will make it our mission to spread the gospel throughout the world by partnering with global missions agencies and by supporting short and long term missionary endeavors.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the command I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.