CORE BELIEFS
GOD
God is one Being in three persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the source of all creation (Gen 1:1, John 1:1-2) which He sustains (Col. 1:17) and is in the process of redeeming (Rom. 8:19-22). God the Father loves us and desires that we have fellowship with Him as His children (I John 1:3). God’s desire is for His children to come to Him for salvation and to come tothe knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4)
JESUS
Jesus is the incarnation of God the Son. He is the Word become flesh (John 1:14) and he now holds all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He was born miraculously to a virgin (Matthew 1:22-23). He lived a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21.) He died in our place on a cross (1 Peter 3:18). He rose bodily from the grave (Romans 4:25). He is Savior and Lord. He made human salvation possible through His life, death on the cross, and resurrection. He ascended into heaven where He is now our High Priest and Advocate. He is Head of the Church.
He is the only possible way to get to heaven. (Acts 4:12, John 14:6)
HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit works actively in the world, seeking to glorify Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, righteousness and judgment to come (John 16:5-11). The Holy Spirit develops within the Christian a pure heart which results in Christ-like character expressed in private and public conduct and action. The Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14.) We are called to “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25), not to grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and not quench the Spirit’s fire
(1 Thessalonians 5:19.)
BIBLE
The Bible. We believe the collection of 66 Books comprising the Bible contain the accurate and authoritative Word of God (II Tim 3:14-17; II Peter 1:16-21). The Bible is the rule of faith and practice for Christians. We seek to assert what the Scriptures clearly assert, allowing freedom of opinion in areas where Scripture is silent. We seek to understand Divine intent through authorial intent as we are aided by the tools of critical study and the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we may know Christ and be equipped to contextually apply the teaching of the New Covenant personally and corporately for the
Glory of God through Christ.
PRAYER
Prayer. We believe in the unlimited power of prayer, a work of the Holy Spirit, who lives in every true Christian (John 15:5-8). We believe that prayer is an offensive weapon in the spiritual battle that we are in daily (Ephesians 6:18).
CHURCH
The Church is the body of Jesus Christ on earth, the community of believers throughout the world. Upon surrender to Jesus Christ, a person is added to the Church. In addition, the priesthood of all believers means each Christian is called to be a serving minister (I Peter 2:9-10). The Church’s mission is the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
HUMAN BEINGS
Human beings were created by God, in His image (Genesis 1:26-27), to walk in fellowship with Him (1 John 1:3). However, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and must rely on God's grace and forgiveness through Jesus and His atoning work. Every human, from the moment of conception is created in the image of God, and is a person for whom God gave His only Son so that he/she may come to have and
know true and eternal life.
GENDER
Gender. We believe in the immutable and purposeful biological creation by God of each person as either male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God
(Genesis 1:26-27).
MARRIAGE
Marriage. We believe that Scripture's instruction regarding human sexuality is clear. Therefore, we affirm in our teaching that God created marriage to be exclusively the union of one male and one female and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union. Established in the Creator’s original design (Genesis 2:18-25) and confirmed in the words of Jesus (Matthew 19:4-6), marriage is both the foundational relationship in society and a reflection of Christ’s relationship with his Church (Ephesians 5:21-33).
SALVATION
Salvation is by God alone through Jesus Christ alone. One accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through a conversion process that includes faith (through obedience), confession, repentance and immersion (Acts 2:38, 42; 8:12; 10:47-48; 22:16; Rom.10:9). We believe that every man or woman who would go to heaven must personally
respond to Christ by faith in Him.
FAITH
Faith. We believe that faith includes complete trust in Christ to save (Hebrews 11:6); repentance of sin (Luke 13:3-5); public confession of Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9-10); baptism by immersion in water (Galatians 3:26-27); and faithfulness to Christ until death (Revelation 2:10).
COMMUNION
The Lord’s Supper is the celebration of the New Covenant, in which the Christian community remembers Jesus Christ and celebrates the covenantal relationship that we have with Him and each other. FC3, which is in the Restoration Movement, celebrates the Lord’s Supper weekly (I Cor. 11:17-34; Acts 20:7).
JESUS’ RETURN
The Final Coming of Jesus Christ is a time when He will personally come again as Savior and Judge of the world. At that time, there will be the bodily resurrection of the dead—believers to eternal life with God and unbelievers to eternal judgment. Sin will be no more and believers in Jesus Christ will live in fellowship with God forever
(I Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:11-15).
God is one Being in three persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the source of all creation (Gen 1:1, John 1:1-2) which He sustains (Col. 1:17) and is in the process of redeeming (Rom. 8:19-22). God the Father loves us and desires that we have fellowship with Him as His children (I John 1:3). God’s desire is for His children to come to Him for salvation and to come tothe knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4)
JESUS
Jesus is the incarnation of God the Son. He is the Word become flesh (John 1:14) and he now holds all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He was born miraculously to a virgin (Matthew 1:22-23). He lived a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21.) He died in our place on a cross (1 Peter 3:18). He rose bodily from the grave (Romans 4:25). He is Savior and Lord. He made human salvation possible through His life, death on the cross, and resurrection. He ascended into heaven where He is now our High Priest and Advocate. He is Head of the Church.
He is the only possible way to get to heaven. (Acts 4:12, John 14:6)
HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit works actively in the world, seeking to glorify Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, righteousness and judgment to come (John 16:5-11). The Holy Spirit develops within the Christian a pure heart which results in Christ-like character expressed in private and public conduct and action. The Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14.) We are called to “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25), not to grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and not quench the Spirit’s fire
(1 Thessalonians 5:19.)
BIBLE
The Bible. We believe the collection of 66 Books comprising the Bible contain the accurate and authoritative Word of God (II Tim 3:14-17; II Peter 1:16-21). The Bible is the rule of faith and practice for Christians. We seek to assert what the Scriptures clearly assert, allowing freedom of opinion in areas where Scripture is silent. We seek to understand Divine intent through authorial intent as we are aided by the tools of critical study and the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we may know Christ and be equipped to contextually apply the teaching of the New Covenant personally and corporately for the
Glory of God through Christ.
PRAYER
Prayer. We believe in the unlimited power of prayer, a work of the Holy Spirit, who lives in every true Christian (John 15:5-8). We believe that prayer is an offensive weapon in the spiritual battle that we are in daily (Ephesians 6:18).
CHURCH
The Church is the body of Jesus Christ on earth, the community of believers throughout the world. Upon surrender to Jesus Christ, a person is added to the Church. In addition, the priesthood of all believers means each Christian is called to be a serving minister (I Peter 2:9-10). The Church’s mission is the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
HUMAN BEINGS
Human beings were created by God, in His image (Genesis 1:26-27), to walk in fellowship with Him (1 John 1:3). However, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and must rely on God's grace and forgiveness through Jesus and His atoning work. Every human, from the moment of conception is created in the image of God, and is a person for whom God gave His only Son so that he/she may come to have and
know true and eternal life.
GENDER
Gender. We believe in the immutable and purposeful biological creation by God of each person as either male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God
(Genesis 1:26-27).
MARRIAGE
Marriage. We believe that Scripture's instruction regarding human sexuality is clear. Therefore, we affirm in our teaching that God created marriage to be exclusively the union of one male and one female and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union. Established in the Creator’s original design (Genesis 2:18-25) and confirmed in the words of Jesus (Matthew 19:4-6), marriage is both the foundational relationship in society and a reflection of Christ’s relationship with his Church (Ephesians 5:21-33).
SALVATION
Salvation is by God alone through Jesus Christ alone. One accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through a conversion process that includes faith (through obedience), confession, repentance and immersion (Acts 2:38, 42; 8:12; 10:47-48; 22:16; Rom.10:9). We believe that every man or woman who would go to heaven must personally
respond to Christ by faith in Him.
FAITH
Faith. We believe that faith includes complete trust in Christ to save (Hebrews 11:6); repentance of sin (Luke 13:3-5); public confession of Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9-10); baptism by immersion in water (Galatians 3:26-27); and faithfulness to Christ until death (Revelation 2:10).
COMMUNION
The Lord’s Supper is the celebration of the New Covenant, in which the Christian community remembers Jesus Christ and celebrates the covenantal relationship that we have with Him and each other. FC3, which is in the Restoration Movement, celebrates the Lord’s Supper weekly (I Cor. 11:17-34; Acts 20:7).
JESUS’ RETURN
The Final Coming of Jesus Christ is a time when He will personally come again as Savior and Judge of the world. At that time, there will be the bodily resurrection of the dead—believers to eternal life with God and unbelievers to eternal judgment. Sin will be no more and believers in Jesus Christ will live in fellowship with God forever
(I Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:11-15).