The Authority of Scripture

The Authority of Scripture is revealed in an encounter with the living God as we read and listen to the message of the Bible.  The real power of scripture is not to inform us but to transform us.  Of course, the words of scripture can be very important and enlightening but the true authority of scripture is revealed when God touches our hearts and minds through the Bible.

Faith and Belief

Faith and Belief are not primarily an intellectual process of acceptance and agreement, but rather a process of trust and commitment lived out in the midst of our daily lives. They are not nouns but active verbs!

Sin

Sin is a beguiling, life and joy robbing power over which we have no real control, not just behaviors we should avoid. The only antidote to sin is God’s grace in the form of forgiveness. To say we are sinners or sinful does not mean we are bad, but rather subject to a power from which we cannot free ourselves.

Repentance

Repentance literally means to turn around and go in a new direction. Practically, it means going in God’s direction, putting God first in our lives, surrendering our hearts (the good and the bad) to God.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is always an unconditional gift of grace. There is nothing we must or can do to make forgiveness happen. We can only receive forgiveness as a gift. We are always forgiven – the real issue is whether or not are we open and receptive to experience forgiveness.

Grace

Grace is God’s unmerited, undeserved, unending, freely given love. Grace is the most powerful force in the universe - it never fails. It is both the love that God defines, and it is the love that defines God. Grace is the foundation of our Christian faith and most vividly expressed in the Cross of Christ.

Pre-destination

Predestination is a term used to express the absolute sovereignty of grace and God’s will. God determined long before our conception to love each of us and that love is guaranteed by God not only every second of our lives but forever – through all of eternity. Our destiny is to be loved by God.

Three Foundational Commands of Jesus Christ

The Three Foundational Commands of Jesus Christ are: “Follow Me” - to discover, learn and live life authentically. The second command is “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God the Lord is one,  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The foundation of every relationship – God, neighbor and self is love. And the third is “Love one another as I have loved you.” Selfless and sacrificial love is to be our standard. These three commands are the foundation of our life in Christ.

Fear

Fear is a dangerous and potentially deadly adversary in our journey of faith. The Gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to choose love while our world seems to embrace fear.

The Body of Christ

The Body of Christ is the New Testament image of the church, both local and universal. Jesus Christ is always the head, every member of the body is important and worthy of respect and when one member suffers, all suffer and when one rejoices, all rejoice.

Religion and Science

Religion and science each are important and are meant to complement, not compete with, each other.  God uses both to bless us.

• Science works with data that is observable, measurable, repeatable, quantifiable and ultimately predictable. It seeks to answer the question of why something happens in terms of the cause. Change the cause to change the outcome.

• Religion focuses on the realm of the intangible, unmeasurable, mysterious, and surprising. It seeks to answer the question of why something happens in terms of significance, meaning and purpose. Change the person to change the outcome.

Creation and Stewardship

Creation and Stewardship are two important and interrelated concepts in the Judeo-Christian faith. The creation accounts in Genesis 1 and 2 lift up the goodness of creation and our responsibility to use, enjoy and manage creation wisely and responsibly - stewardship. Practically speaking, stewardship can be a powerful example of how religion and science can work together.

Baptism

Baptism is the sacrament that signifies God’s claim upon our lives, that whatever our age, from tiny infant to senior citizen, we belong to God. Baptism reminds us that our commitment to God is always preceded by God’s gracious commitment to us.

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion is the sacrament that reminds us we are forgiven and called to live as forgiven and forgiving people. Sometimes this meal is referred to as a means of grace or a tangible expression of grace in our lives and is open to all who profess Jesus to be the Christ.

Prayer

Prayer is a vital part of a relationship with God. There are four key components for a rich prayer life: listening, honesty, compassion and regularity. Listening to or for God is more important than “informing” God, as are being honest with and about ourselves, being compassionately concerned for others and praying regularly.