What We Believe

While not exhaustive, what appears below provides a glimpse at the foundations of what we believe as Jesus followers in the Reformed tradition.

 

We believe that God exists united as three distinct persons in one, who Scripture refers to as God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.  They are equal to one another and exist in a perfect loving relationship with one another.

 

We believe that the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament are the authoritative word of God which is God's revelation to humanity for salvation.  The Bible contains all knowledge necessary for having a loving relationship with God and is sufficient for teaching and preaching in the Church Universal.

 

We believe that God creates and sustains all of the created order.  God created humanity in God's image to have a loving relationship with His creation.  By humanity's rebellion to God's designed order for this relationship, first located in Adam and Eve, people inherit a sinful nature - an orientation of rebellion to the ways of God.  This sinful nature and our sinful acts mean that we cannot stand before the God of righteousness and be judged to life eternal with God but instead deserve condemnation and eternal punishment.

 

We believe that Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, is the incarnation of God as human.  Jesus is fully God and fully human.  Jesus is our Lord, Prophet, and High Priest. We believe that Jesus is the Living Word of God in the flesh and lived a perfect and holy life.  Jesus' teachings, miracles, and ministry amongst all peoples, especially the poor, oppressed, and marginalized, show us how we are to live as God's people.  We believe that Jesus voluntarily offered himself as a sacrifice on behalf of sinful humanity. By his death on the cross he paid the penalty of death for our sins and sinfulness so that everyone who calls on Jesus' name will not perish before the righteous God but will be judged as Jesus himself for Jesus gives us his righteousness.  In Jesus, we are not perfect, but we are saved.

 

 

We believe the Holy Spirit gives life to the Church Universal which is Christ's Body - the gathering of all people throughout all times and places who have accepted Jesus Christ's gift of mercy and grace - and gives life and spiritual gifts for living in God's Kingdom to all who call on Christ.  We believe that the Holy Spirit is active when we gather together in Christ's name and active in our minds, hearts, and spirits as we are sent into the world to minister in Jesus' name.  The Holy Spirit works in us to make us more like Jesus Christ and calls us to a life of Scripture study, prayer, communal worship, holiness, charity, and servanthood in God's Kingdom.

 

We believe that the two sacraments that Jesus commanded us to perform in Scriptures, baptism and the Lord's Supper, are tangible signs of the Triune God's invisible grace to us and we celebrate them regularly and enthusiastically.