this is not meant to be a comprehensive statement of christian beliefs. we acknowledge that the mystery of God is deeper than we are able to comprehend or explain with mere words. however, these statements represent the core of our beliefs. the words which we use to convey them may change over time as we continue to grow to understand them more and learn to express them more clearly.
 

  1. we believe in one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is so big we cannot fully comprehend him; yet, he is real and personal. he has revealed himself to us through the bible, and his nature is evident to us through science, history and creation, but his ultimate revelation of himself came through His son, Jesus. he continues to reveal himself to us through each other as we reflect his character and values.
     
  2. we believe God created all that we see and cannot see. all truth, whether scientific, philosophic or moral comes from him, for he is truth.
     
  3. we believe the bible communicates the story of God as he reveals his character and his passion for humanity.  these scriptures are a library of faith for the church and give voice to the many who have walked this path ahead of us and the God who guided them. there are, of course, parts we like and don't like; parts that inspire and irritate us; parts we agree on and disagree on.  but we hold onto what we learn of God in these writings and also what he wants of us. they are our most treasured and esteemed source for how to know God and how to live.
     
  4. we believe all humans are created in the image of God. we have such great capacity for good and beauty.  however, our reliance on ourselves rather than God has lead to our brokenness and our walking away from God.  we are equally imperfect. so we can quit with the “i’m a better person than they are” game and begin treating everyone with love and equality -- no matter their struggle.
     
  5. we believe that Jesus lived a sinless life, perfectly reflecting the character and values of his Father, God. it is through following the pattern of life that he displayed that we can understand what it means to truly be human.
     
  6. because of our selfishness we have walked away from God, but he has never walked away from us.  in fact, he moved in closer to us.  Jesus, was God who became human. he lived a sinless and perfect life, and died on a cross to buy back our lives from evil. none of us are good enough to earn that type of saving. it is a free gift of grace and a fresh start to live in the pattern of Jesus.
     
  7. we are called to live a life of selfless denial, not because it earns us a place in heaven — Jesus did that for us. our lives should be focused on honoring God because of the great love that He has for us. in this selfless obedience, we find wholeness, peace and joy. our first act of obedience should be a commitment made through baptism.
     
  8. we believe that the church is not a place, but a community of people. this global community is the continuing presence of Jesus in the world today. all believers in Jesus have an equal responsibility to work in harmony to reveal the good news of Jesus to the world.
     
  9. God does not force himself upon anyone, but instead allows us to choose him as he demonstrates his love for us. true love cannot be forced. his greatest desire is to redeem all of his children to himself that we would experience full and meaningful life in the present and for all eternity.