2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Hebrews 4:12
The Bible is God’s revelation to us in completion, perfection, and absolute authority. Therefore consistent expository teaching and application of what God has said in his Word is a must. This living Word is the primary means of our knowing and worshiping him in truth.
Believers gather to worship and to be equipped and then spread out to evangelize. Church services must be primarily for the glory and pleasure of God, which results in the progressive maturity of his people.
Luke 9:23-27; 14:25-33; James 2:14-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus Christ is both the Lord and Savior, and the two cannot be separated. The modern shallow understanding of salvation and the gospel, known as “easy-believism,” stands in stark contrast to what the Bible teaches. The gospel call to faith presupposes that sinners must repent of their sin and yield to Christ's authority. Therefore, salvation is an absolute transition of allegiance to Jesus, the Messiah and the Master.
Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Timothy 1:16
The church should foster disciple-making within its own community through the relational witness of the body as well as in the world through church planting and missions. Both individually and corporately, we will purposefully and aggressively pursue evangelism.
Galatians 3:1-3; Romans 11:33-12:2; Philippians 2:12, 13; 1 John 1:9
Living a grace-motivated life is not a liberty that allows a believer to choose a lifestyle independent of the Scriptures. Rather, it is a discipline that increasingly teaches a believer to say “no” to ungodliness, and to hunger for righteousness. While the presence of sin will not be absent until we reach heaven, followers of Christ can be confident that if they confess their sin, God is faithful to forgive and restore the parental relationship between him and his elect ones.
Matthew 7:7-11; 21:13; Acts 1:13-14
Prayer is the lifeblood of the church. Every aspect of ministry must be saturated with humble surrender and confident intercession. Whether secret or public, whether personal or corporate, prayer must be the hallmark of the local church.
1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:1-3; 2 Timothy 2:2
Multiple qualified elders who respect and value one another and who serve God’s people in humility must lead the church. The church must diligently prepare future leaders who are confidently committed to God’s truth and who are able, with precision and skill, to lead others into that truth.
Hebrews 10:24, 25; Acts 4:32
Believers must go beyond superficial relationships and be committed to intimacy in each other’s lives, continually stirring up one another to love God and love others. The church must minister to both the physical and spiritual needs of the body. Selfless, sacrificial love is the defining mark of Christ's disciples and the continual requirement for flawed humans to work together demands a sacrificial giving of one's self for another.
Matthew 18:15-35; 1 Corinthians 5; Galatians 6:1-2
Even though it is unpopular in today’s culture, a church family must be committed to following the complete biblical process when a church member is in unrepentant sin. Restoration, the constant goal of church discipline, patiently returns an erring Christian to complete fellowship with God and the church. Church members must mourn over sinning brothers and sisters and eagerly forgive with joy at their repentance.
Ephesians 2:10; 4:11-16; James 1:27
Every believer is made for ministry and has a place of service or outreach. Ministry should never be viewed as the job of the “trained professionals.”