Read through what we believe on many of the essentials. For more information, visit The Great Story We Live In or go back to read more About Us.
God is One
We believe God is One, Creator of an amazing cosmos, Righteous Judge of a rebellious creation, and Liberator of all women and men from sin, death, and hell through the personal work of Jesus the Christ.
Jesus is Lord
We believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Jew’s Messiah and Savior and Lord of all people.
Jesus …
- was born of a virgin
- lived a sinless life
- did mighty works
- sacrificed himself at his Father’s command as a substitutionary death for all of us
- was raised from the dead
- ascended into Heaven, and
- will return to the earth as Lord and King to judge the living and the dead.
The Word of God
We believe in the authority and inspiration of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures.
We acknowledge Jesus the Christ as not only the central theme but the Lord of Scripture.
The Holy Spirit illuminates and empowers the church for the task of interpreting and applying Scripture.
The Grace of God
From the creation of the physical universe to the coming life in the new heavens and the new earth, life is a gift. We did not earn our births or our rebirths. All is a gift received by faith. It was and is surprising sheer grace.
At the center of God’s grace is the cross of Christ that has revealed to us the ”never give up” love of God for every last one of us.
The Spirit of God has been given to us, confirming within us every day our adoption as his beloved children. We get up every morning determined to live a life worthy of such love.
The Role of Baptism
We believe God the Father commands every believer to be water baptized.
This immersion in water symbolizes our death to the powers of sin and our new holy life in praise of God.
http://www.lakehighlandschurch.org/sermon/so-what-about-baptism/
The Gifts of the Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit endows every member of God’s community with the power to do God’s will and with gifts to minister for the common good.
Worship
The Holy Spirit creates worship within us that does not begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday but begins the day we are born again and never ends.
A New Community
We believe God is creating New Community on the earth, and the Living God calls every believer to live intimately and in accountability within his community (the church).
Every member is called and commissioned to live as ministering priests. We don’t claim to be the only Christians. We claim to be Christians only. We acknowledge our tragic sins, especially our racism, denominational divisions, and our self-righteousness, yet we live in hope that the Kingdom of God among us will accomplish God’s mission.
The Good News
We believe God has by grace entrusted us with an astonishing treasure, God’s Good News, to be given to God’s beloved, lost people, through the daily, friendly witness of God’s people. We renounce the judgmental Pharisee in us and pray that Christ’s magnificent heart for lost people will be recovered in this church!
What is to Come
We believe we will not be going to heaven. Rather we believe heaven will be coming here forever.
Scripture is bookended by Creation- Genesis 1 and New Creation- Revelation 22. But these two events will occur on planet earth. We live in anticipation of the time when Christ will come to resurrect the dead, set all things right and usher in the New Heavens and New Earth.
Until he comes, we are called to live in hope. The last great sound on the earth will not be a bomb exploding but a trumpet announcing the coming of Jesus!