Statement of Faith

This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith, but expresses beliefs that are foundational to our faith. We, the members of New Life Church, wholeheartedly believe in the Bible as the sole authority for everyday faith and practice.

The Bible.  We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the inspired Word of God. They are inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and are the final authority concerning truth, morality and the proper conduct of mankind. For the purposes of church doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline the elders lead the church in seeking to understand the intended meaning of Scripture. (Deuteronomy 29:29; Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 5:1-3; 2 Peter 1:20-21)

The Trinity. We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are equal in every divine perfection and they execute distinct and harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. (Genesis 1:1-2; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

God the Father. We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit who is perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of everyone and that He hears and answers prayer. To all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, He saves from the penalty of sin and death. (Isaiah 57:15; John 4:24; John 14:28; John 17:25; Romans 6:22-23)

Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son and He has precisely the same nature, perfection and attributes as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only true God but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people and His personal, visible, premillennial return from heaven. (John 1:1-2; John 1:14; John 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:1)

The Holy Spirit.  We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and implement Christ’s work of redeeming the lost. We also believe the Holy Spirit empowers the believer for godly living and service, distributing spiritual gifts to believers as He wills for the common good. (John 14:16-17; John 16:13-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 4:10)

Man. We believe God created everyone, male and female, in His own image. We further believe, although Adam was originally free of sin, because of his disobedience in the garden everyone is a sinner by nature and choice and is therefore spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit to eternal life. We believe that human life, in whatever stage or condition, from conception to death, is particularly precious before God, and that human personhood bears an intrinsic value. We believe that marriage between one man and one woman is ordained by God, and is the only acceptable context for sexual intimacy. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-14; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1; Titus 3:5)

Salvation. We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We further believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God and was purchased by Christ on the cross. This salvation is received by man through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from any human merit, works or ritual. We believe in the eternal security of the believer. We further believe salvation results in righteous living, good works and proper social conduct and concern. (John 3:16; Romans 1:16-17; Ephesians 2:4-6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Peter 3:18)

The Church. We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the universal Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We also believe the universal Church is expressed in local assemblies whose members have been baptized by immersion upon a credible confession of faith in Jesus Christ. These believers associate themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local church are believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. We also believe in cooperating with other churches of like faith and the mutual submission of believers to one another in love. We believe the biblical, historic position concerning the baptism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and that sign gifts were primarily for the establishment of the early church, and so we do not include them in our public services, as a non-Pentecostal/non-Charismatic congregation. (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Ephesians 5:25-27; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Peter 4:10-11)

The Last Things. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of Christ to the earth and that believers, both living and dead, will be caught up to meet him in the air. We believe in the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel, a period of Great Tribulation, the 1000-year rule of Christ on earth, the judgment of all, the creation of a new heaven and new earth, and the eternal existence in everlasting joy of the righteous in God’s presence and the everlasting existence in torment of the unrighteous in hell apart from God’s presence. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 21:1-5)

Separation of Church and State. We believe that each local church is self-governing under the lordship of Christ and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. We further believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life. Each person should be free to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. (Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1)

Christian Conduct. We believe that the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God and that his or her conduct should be blameless before the world. Believers should be faithful stewards of their possessions and should seek to realize for themselves the full stature of maturity in Christ, and should actively participate in a local body of believers.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:9-11; Hebrews 10:23-24)

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