ESSENTIALS

IN ESSENTIALS: UNITY, IN NON-ESSENTIALS: LIBERTY, IN ALL THINGS:  CHARITY! 

Our desire is to focus on The Essentials, the major doctrines or core beliefs of the Christian faith. We believe we are at our best when we are focused on what we are for, not what we are against!

ONE GOD

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. Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

ONE LORD

Jesus is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22, 23; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

ONE SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily. John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8-11; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13

ONE BOOK

The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth and authority for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without error. Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5; 2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21

ONE SALVATION

Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it. We cannot earn this by self-improvement or good work. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin’s penalty, which is death. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ. John 1:12,14:6; Romans 5:1,6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9;Galatians 3:26;Titus 3:5

ONE CHURCH

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Revelation 20:15

ONE HEAVEN

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in His presence is Heaven. Heaven is a real place where all believers in Christ Jesus are exalted to be where God is forever. John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Revelation 20:15

IDENTITY VALUES

JESUS HAS CALLED US TO LIVE THESE OUT AS HE FORMS OUR CHARACTER INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY!

PRAYER IS THE FOUNDATION

Prayer is the foundation of everything we do. 

Prayer cannot be an afterthought. When we believe that JESUS is Lord we will continually seek His face together as His church. We awaken to His leading and His will as we come together in fervent prayer.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer.” Acts 2:42  

WE HONOR CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH

We will honor Christ and His church with integrity.  

When we live with integrity, nothing else matters. We will be people of character who mean what they say and say what they mean with gentleness and respect. We will be honest and honoring towards one another.

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” Proverbs 11:13

WE CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF LOVE

We will create an atmosphere of love in all that we do. 

Biblical “agape” love is anchored in truth and sacrifice. We strive to create an atmosphere that genuinely loves and welcomes everyone with Christ-like acceptance. We are a church who spends time connecting with and serving one another, not just on Sundays. One of the reasons we love each other well is that Jesus taught us how attractional this can be to the community around us. 

“Dear children, let us not love (only) with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”  1 John 3:18

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

WE ARE FUELED  BY JOY

Joy is experienced when we look into the eyes of others who are happy to be with us. 

When we spend time in the presence of the Lord and remember how much He delights in us as His children, we become recipients of His joy and peace. In the same way, when we spend time in community with other believers who truly love being together, we experience relational joy! This relational  joy fuels us to become the healthy, growing church that God intends.  

“The Lord bless you and keep you;  the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

“For God, who said, ‘let light shine out of darkness’, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”  2 Corinthians 4:6 

WE SERVE WITH EXCELLENCE AND SACRIFICIAL LOVE

We get to serve our church with our gifts through excellence and sacrificial love.

We always desire to bring our best with the motivation of honoring the Lord. We also understand that sacrifice often requires that we give up things we love for things we love even more. It’s an honor to both give our best and sacrifice for Christ and His church. We truly love when we see ourselves as spiritual contributors not spiritual consumers.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 

“Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

WE LOVE THE PEOPLE WE LIVE AROUND

We will express love to our devout LDS friends without a spirit of contention.

We want the people we live around to know that we love them and respect them. We seek to emulate Jesus in the way He interacts with Samaritans who were the competing religious culture of His time. We will treat devout members of the LDS faith in that same manner. We will have loving, honoring, and honest relationships with them.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4: 7-10

WE ARE SALT + LIGHT

We seek to be salt and light with “our one” where we have relational influence. 

Full of salt and light, we want to engage with “our one” who is seeking Jesus. This means our actions, attitudes, and tone must all be full of grace. We also respect their space and questions as they come to understand Jesus, faith, and the church at their own pace. 

“You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world…In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-14 & 16

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6

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