These are the central tenants of our faith. It’s not everything we believe, but these are the essential truths that we affirm as a church body.
Scripture
We affirm the divine inspiration, truthfulness, and authority of both the Old and New Testaments, the only written Word of God. The Scriptures are our rule and guide in all matters of faith and practice. Whatever is not revealed in or established by the Holy Scriptures is not to be made an article of faith nor is it to be taught as essential to salvation.
The Trinity
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God The Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He actively and mercifully intervenes in the affairs of humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ The Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He rose bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He is now our High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of the Father. He will physically and visibly return to consummate history and rule and reign over the earth.
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is God present and active in the world. The Holy Spirit empowers, enables, and equips us to live faithfully in the world. We believe that all Christians are to be filled with the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion. We also believe that all of the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible (Romans 12.6-8, Ephesians 4.11, 1 Corinthians 12.8-10, and 28-30) continue to be distributed by the Spirit today; that these gifts are divine provisions central to spiritual growth and effective ministry; and that these gifts are to be eagerly desired, faithfully developed, and lovingly exercised according to Biblical guidelines.
Humanity
We believe all people are created in the image of God and thus every person has intrinsic value. However, this image was marred due to Adam and Eve’s sin and fellowship with God was broken. Therefore, we further believe men and women are sinners by nature and action. We also believe that through God’s grace, every person has the opportunity to repent, to respond to God’s love and kindness as shown through the life and death of Jesus Christ, thus being declared spiritually born again to new life by the Holy Spirit.
Salvation
We believe all people can be saved by grace through faith – that salvation is a free gift of God. We take John 3:16 literally – that God loves the whole world and is willing to save “whosoever” believes in Jesus. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus and His resurrection provide the only grounds for the forgiveness of sins for all who believe and that only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Spirit, become children of God, and are given eternal life.
The Church
We believe the Christian Church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. We as Christians are called to be in community with other believers.
Grace
God’s mercy and kindness are always at work in people’s lives through prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. Prevenient grace is the love that surrounds all humanity and leads us to repentance and faith. In justifying grace, we are, through faith, forgiven of sin and given new life. Sanctifying grace allows us to grow in our faith and increase in our knowledge and love for God.
Holiness
We believe our response to God’s grace is holiness of heart and of life. God’s grace not only allows our sins to be forgiven, but also gives us the power to live new lives. We are not merely saved “from sin” but also saved “for righteousness.” We seek entire sanctification– where our whole life is fully devoted to loving God and loving others.
Christ’s Return and Resurrection
We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, in the bodily resurrection of all persons, in final judgment, and in eternal reward and punishment. In the end, God will have victory over Satan and all evil and will establish His perfect kingdom in a new heaven and a new earth.
The Kingdom of God
We believe that the Kingdom of God has come in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, that it continues to come in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the church, and that it will be consummated in the glorious, visible, and triumphant appearing of Christ when He returns to the earth as King.
The Family
We believe God created families for blessing and sanctification. We celebrate the covenant of marriage as the union of one man and one woman committed to one another in love. We seek to support and empower families in everything we do.
The Sacraments
We believe the sacraments are symbols and pledges of the Christian’s profession and of God’s love toward us. They are means of grace by which God strengthens and confirms our faith in Him. We believe that sacraments are not just something we do; they are also acts in which God works in us! The two sacraments ordained by Christ are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We have an open table at The Way Woodstock church, which means that everyone is invited to receive Holy Communion. This is the Lord’s table, and all are welcome.
