Statement of Faith

The Bible
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God, and that it was given through chosen men who were inspired instruments. We hold that the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant. Scriptures are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God. We believe that every Christian lives not by bread alone, but we live by every Word that comes from God's mouth. We believe God truly speaks to us through His Word.

God
We believe that there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity (God) and the characteristics of personality. In the beginning, God the Father, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, created out of nothing the world and all things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom, and goodness. By His direction, He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.

Salvation
The central purpose of God's revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Him. Originally created in fellowship with God, man defied God, choosing to go his independent way, and was thus alienated from God. The fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered these consequences and are thus in need of the saving grace of God. The salvation of mankind is, then, wholly a work of God's free grace, not the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness.

Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Trinity, true man and true God, who was born by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of all people by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying the Father's divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He, the sole Mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His people. He will return again to earth, personally and visibly, to complete history and the eternal plan of God.

The Christian Life (Holy Spirit)
The resulting effect of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is a life of holiness and obedience, empowered by the Holy Spirit through God's pipelines of grace, which are His Word, baptism, and His true body and blood. The Holy Spirit was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to mankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, gives people a recognition of their need of a Savior, and produces in them the faith to believe. At the point of salvation the Holy Spirit indwells every believer and becomes the source of assurance, strength, and wisdom, and He uniquely endows each believer with gifts for the building up of the Church. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scriptures. Faith in the Holy Spirit and God's Word enable the believer to lead a life moving toward a Christ-like character and to bear fruit to the glory of God.

Death and Afterlife
Because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all mankind, there will be an immediate resurrection into the spiritual world and an individual judgment that will determine the fate of every person. Unbelievers will be separated from God into condemnation in everlasting hell. God's eternal judgment will reveal His justice in punishing unbelievers for their own rejection of God's grace. Believers will be received into eternal communion, perfection, and joy with God in heaven.

The Church
Ever feel all alone, hopeless, like no one cares? Who doesn't from time to time? Thank the Lord for His Church! What is the Church? The Church is people! The Church is a gathering of sinners - people who have faults, weaknesses, and battles with sin. Martin Luther once wrote: "Farewell to those who want an entirely pure and purified church. This is plainly wanting no church at all." The Church is also a gathering of faith-filled saints-people baptized into Jesus' name, washed, forgiven, and adopted into God's forever-family! The Church is family...God's family. Our Lutheran Confessions describe the Church in this way: "The church is originally a fellowship of faith and of the Holy Spirit in hearts" (Apology of the Augsburg Confession). The Church is the one body of Christ, yet we are all individually members of His body! The Church is also what God works through to get His Word of life and hope into the world. God has given His Word, baptism, and the Lord's Supper to the Church, and these three gifts are God's "pipelines" for getting His love, grace, and forgiveness to us. The Church is called to proclaim, administer, and apply these gifts to all people. God's Church is not as much about people coming as much as it is about our going out to all people!

Baptism
Jesus commanded that baptism be offered to "all nations [people]." We believe that within that command was His command to baptize infants. Since all people are born sinful and in need of forgiveness, and faith is the necessary ingredient that determines the eternal destiny of every person, we believe that baptism is the vehicle by which, through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit imparts faith to a child and thereby creates his or her relationship with God through Christ. Later, after the teaching of the Word of God has its effect, God's work must be "confirmed" in a verbal confession of faith. We also baptize adults. With adults, faith comes through God's Word working in the person's heart. When the adult is baptized, again the Spirit imparts faith. Every time we hear the Good News of Jesus, the Spirit gives and works faith in those hearing that Good News!

The Lord's Supper
Hungry to be loved, hungry to be forgiven, hungry to be given a "clean slate"? The Lord's Supper is "where it's at!" The Lord's Supper is when and where we get to taste and see how good our God in Christ is. We believe that Jesus is truly present in this holy meal! The Bible quotes Jesus as saying, "This is my body… This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." This Supper, however, is not for everyone. The Scripture requires that one be baptized in the Christian faith, repentant of all sin, believe in Jesus as one's true and only Savior, and understand that Jesus is truly present in, with, and under the bread and wine. When we eat and drink in faith, we do in fact receive (taste) the forgiveness of sins! In our Lutheran Confessions we read regarding the use of the Lord's Supper: "The Lord's Supper is to be administered to those that have need of consolation; as Ambrose says: 'Because I always sin, I am always bound to take medicine'" (Augsburg Confession). Martin Luther once said, "This bread is a comfort for the sorrowing, a healing for the sick, life for the dying, food for the hungry, and a rich treasure for all the poor and needy."

Faith and Practice
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. This church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of an individual member in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in the area by the Lord, to whom he or she is ultimately responsible.