Statement of Faith

- We believe in one God, revealed as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We believe the Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority for determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, the Bible is inspired, infallible and inerrant.
- We believe that man was created in the image of God, but fell into sin, and that all mankind has sinned and come short of the glory of God.
- We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was begotten, not created, truly God, truly man. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind, and thus, atoned for our sins through His shed He rose from the dead for our justification and now reigns in glory until all things are put under His feet.
- We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or any human effort.
- We believe in the priesthood of the believer – that is to say, that all born-again believers have equal access to the Lord.
- We believe that salvation from the penalty of sin only begins the process of redemption and that we must yield to God’s word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us.
- We believe that all of God’s people are to be buried with Christ in the waters of baptism, subsequent to repentance and faith in God. While freely embracing those of differing views, we believe this rite is scripturally administered “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
- We believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a promise to all believers, to empower the Church to preach the gospel throughout the whole earth.
- We believe the identity of the body of Christ on the earth is primarily perceived through the local church. While encouraging the voluntary association of local churches and recognizing the need of consensus on matters of fundamental doctrine and conduct, we strongly confess the local church to be sovereign and autonomous.
- We believe that the callings of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are functional within the body of Christ until the Lord’s return, and that the purpose of these gifts to the church is to equip believers for the work of ministry, that the body of Christ might be edified.
- We believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as outlined in scripture, are valid and fully operative today. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters.
- We believe in healing of the sick as a part of the atoning work of Jesus Christ, and that healing can be received and also ministered to others by various spiritual gifts.
- We believe in the sacred observance of the Lord’s supper, in memorial of His death, by partaking of the bread and juice, which represent the body, and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- We believe that God Himself has established authority both in the world and in the church, and that His people are to submit themselves to these authorities. [However, should conflict arise between God’s law and the civil law, we firmly declare our allegiance to God’s ]
- We believe that God alone is the giver of life and that practices such as abortion, euthanasia, child abuse, spousal abuse, or any other malicious violence against another human being are completely contradictory to the teachings of the Bible.
- We believe that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship and that the purpose of God’s Word is to instruct us as to how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Knowing God in that way will always be manifested in the keeping of His commandments and a love for our fellow man. We believe the pursuit of a relationship with God includes a time of daily prayer, periodic times of fasting, and the personal study of God’s Word.
- We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, and that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. We believe that God created marriage to be exclusively the union of one man and one woman, and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union.
- We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps 139.)
- We believe that Biblical marriage is exclusively the legal union of one man and one woman. Therefore, the Church and its pastoral staff will not recognize, perform, or participate in any marriage between individuals of the same gender or between more than one man and one woman. We also believe that sexual activity is to take place solely within Biblical marriage. Other sexual activities, such as adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, and plural marriage violate the teachings of the Bible and the Church.
- Our statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Disciple Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our pastoral leadership is Disciple Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application. Behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Disciple Church.