OUR 7UP VALUES
WE Honor God and People. WE worship passionately. WE study to know the word. WE disciple relationally. WE demonstrate and activate spiritual gifts. WE give generously. WE reach beyond generational and cultural barriers.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
THE BIBLE
WE believe the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, was uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit of God without contradiction or error, and, as originally written, does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters on which it addresses.
(Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalm 19:7-11; 119; Proverbs 30:5,6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 24:25-27,44-45; John 5:39-47; 12:48; 16:7-14; 17:17; Romans 3:4; 15:4; Ephesians 6:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:23; II Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19)
THE TRINITY - ONE TRUE GOD
WE believe there is one, and only one, living and true God. One substance eternally existing in three equally infinite, excellent and admirable Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection.
(Genesis 1:1; 17:1; Exodus 15:11; 20:2-3; Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; Acts. 5:3-4; I Corinthians 2:10,11; 8:6; 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 1:16; I Timothy 1:17; I John 5:7; Revelation 4:11)
GOD THE FATHER
WE believe God is great. An infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, honor, confidence and love, and above all, holy. It is in Him that we live, move and exist. God is good: He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises.
(Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6 John 3:16; 4:24; 5:26; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4)
THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
WE believe the OT promised that the coming Savior would come from the seed of the woman (Eve) to destroy Satan (Genesis 3:15); that He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14); that He would come as King from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) through the line of David to reign over Israel and the world (2 Samuel 7:12,13; Isaiah 9:6,7; Micah 5:2; Zechariah. 14); that He would be sinless and die as a substitute for the sins of mankind (Psalm 22:1, 6-7, 14-18; Isaiah 52:13,14; 53); and that He would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10,11; Micah 7:7,8). This promised Messiah (Anointed One of God) would be both God (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; John 20:28; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:16) and man (Gen. 3:15; Matthew 10:30, 33). We believe that the promised Messiah of the OT has come in the person of Jesus Christ (Messiah) (Matthew 1; John 1:1-18; Romans 1:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:8; Hebrews 1-3). The NT testifies that Jesus Christ, being both God and man, (John 1:1,14; Revelation 1:17,18) has fulfilled the promise of the OT by being born of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38); that He attested to His Messianic claims by performing miracles (John 10:37-38; 12:37); that He died as a substitute for man’s sins and rose physically from the grave on the third day in order to appease God’s wrath against mankind and satisfy His justice in reconciling man back into a relationship with a Holy God (Romans 5:8-21; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21;1 Peter 2:24; 3:18); and that He ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father waiting until the time of His return to earth to reign over the nation of Israel and the world.
(Ps. 2: 110:1-2; Zechariah 12:7-10; Matt. 25:31-46; Mark 6:19; Acts 1:9-11; 3:20-21; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 9:28; 12:2)
THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
WE believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person; that His presence assures us of our relationship with Christ; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He convicts of sin, of judgment, and righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He guides believers into all truth; that He exalts Christ, gives us spiritual gifts, regenerates, seals, guides, teaches, comforts, witnesses, indwells, seals, sanctifies and makes us more like Christ.
(Genesis 1:1-3; Psalms 51:11; 139:7; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 3:11; 28:19; Mark 1:8&10;
Luke 1:35; 3:16; 4:1; 11:13; 12:2; 24:49; John 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16,17,26; 15:26-27; 16:7-14,13; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 5:30-32; 11:16; 13:2; Romans 8:9-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; II Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17)
MANKIND
WE believe man was created in the image and likeness of God, to fellowship with Him and give Him glory. Human beings are therefore the supreme object of God’s creation, and thus distinct in kind from all other life on earth. Mankind was created in innocence, but due to Adam and Eve’s sinful disobedience, man’s thoughts, motives, emotions, words and actions – his nature – is corrupted, and he is thus totally unable to please or attain a right relationship with God through his own effort, and therefore is under just condemnation without defense or excuse. The only remedy for mankind’s predicament is redemption through faith in Jesus Christ.
(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:18-32; 3:10-19; 5:6,12,19; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-3;
Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)
SALVATION
WE believe salvation is solely a work of God’s grace through the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross; received exclusively through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for their sin, and never by works of human merit. We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process – It is the deliverance from the penalty, power and presence of sin (Romans 6:11-12; 8:1, 31). Christ’s sacrifice was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. Salvation is through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; all who receive Jesus Christ are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become the children of God. True salvation will be manifested by a changed life. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but their willful and voluntary rejection of the gospel. Upon physical death this rejection brings eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to
everlasting judgment and condemnation.
(Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 18:11; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; 10:18; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 20:20-21; Rom 1:16-18; 3:21-26; 5:8-10; 6; 10:9-10; I Corinthians 1;18; 15:3; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 1:4; 2:20; 3:12; Ephesians 2:8-10; 4:22-24; Philippians 2:7,8, 12-13; 2 Timothy 2:19; Titus 2:11-14; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 2:14-18, 7:25, 9:12-15, 24-28; 12:2; I Peter 2:24; 3:18; I John 2:2; 4:10; 5:12; Revelation 3:20; 20:15; 21:8)
BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
WE believe Christian baptism is the immersion in water of the believer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, should be observed as commanded in the scriptures, as an outward sign of what God has already done in the individual’s life through faith in the effectual and all powerful work of Christ on the cross. We believe baptism is not a “sacrament” that imparts saving grace. We are not saved by baptism, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Water Baptism is by the authority of the local church to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified and risen Savior. It is symbolic of our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the death of the Lord and is done in remembrance of Him by all believers “until He comes”, always preceded by solemn self-examination.
(Matthew 3:6; 28:19,20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41,42; 8:36-39; 10:47-48; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-34; Colossians 2:12)
BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST
WE believe all believers are entitled to and should expect and earnestly seek the baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers and is received following salvation. This experience is accompanied by the evidence of the initial, physical sign of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service.
(Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16; John 14:16-17, Acts 1:4-9; 2:4; 2:38-39; 10:44-46; 19:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31).
THE CHURCH
WE believe that the church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. We believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: seeking to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Church operates under the Lordship of Christ and each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. We believe the New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
(Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20; Acts 2:41,42; 6:5-7; 14:23; 15:22,23; 20:17-28; I Corinthians 5:11-13; 6:1-3; 16:1; II Corinthians 8:23,24; 12:4; Ephesians 1:22,23; 2:19-22; 4:11; 5:23,24; Colossians 1:18, I Timothy 3:1-13; I Peter 5:1-4)
PROSPERITY
WE believe in total prosperity for the believer. Spiritual (John 3:3-11; Romans 10:9), Mental (2 Timothy 1:7), Physical (Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24), Financial (3 John 1:2; Malachi 3:10-11) and Social (Proverbs 3:4)
WE believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures, upon these subjects, at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection we believe Christ rose bodily, “the third day according to the Scriptures,” and that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God.” He alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God”; “this same Jesus which was taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven… “bodily, personally, and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first”; that the living saints “shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”; “that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father, David”; and “that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet.” After this, there will be a new
heaven and a new earth.
(Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 9:6,7; 11:4,5; 32:1; Matthew 24:27; 25:13; 28:6,7; Mark 16:6,19; Luke 1:32;24:2-6,39,51; John 14:3; 20:27; Acts 1:9,11; I Corinthians 15:4,25; 15:51-52; Philippians 3:20,21; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9,10; 8:1,6; 12:2; James 5:8; I John 2:1; Revelation 3:21; 19:11-16; 20:1-7,21)
THE RESURRECTION AND RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS
ETERNITY
WE believe man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. To be eternally separated from God is Hell; eternal separation from God and punishment in the lake of fire. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven; eternal, endless joy and elation of Christians in the presence of God.
(John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 19:20; 20:10-15)