TIER 1 – ESSENTIALS
The Scriptures | The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to humanity. It is entirely trustworthy and true, and is the basis for all Christian belief and practice.
God | There is only one true God. He is the creator of all things, worthy of all our love and obedience. God is triune, existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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God the Father | God the Father is all powerful, all knowing, and reigns over the universe.
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God the Son | Christ is the eternal Son of the living God and the savior of the world through His death and resurrection. In His incarnation, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
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God the Holy Spirit | The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He exalts Christ, convicts the world of sin, calls people to the Savior, awakens people from death to life, and empowers the church through spiritual gifts.
Humanity | Men and women are the special creation of God, made in His own image. Each person is alienated from God because of his or her sin, requiring the grace of God for salvation.
Salvation | Salvation is offered freely by the blood of Jesus to all who accept Him as Lord and Savior through faith. Salvation cannot be earned. Just as we cannot earn our salvation through our works, we cannot lose our salvation by our works.
Last Things | Jesus Christ will return to earth to defeat the Devil once and for all and to separate those who trust in Him from those who don’t. Those who trust in Him will receive eternal life in His kingdom, while those who don’t will spend eternity in Hell.
Baptism | Christian baptism is immersion in water as an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith and new life in Christ.
TIER 2 – CONVICTIONS
The Church | A New Testament local church consists of believers, united in the gospel of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and led by biblically qualified leadership elected through democratic processes. A biblical church observes baptism and the Lord’s Supper, grounds their beliefs and practices on prayer and Scripture, and takes the gospel to the ends of the earth.
The Lord’s Supper | The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers collectively partake of bread and juice/wine to memorialize the death of Jesus and anticipate His second coming.
Evangelism and Missions | Since Jesus Christ is the rightful king over all people, every Christian should seek to connect people to the gospel in their community and around the world.
Stewardship | Everything we have is a gift from God. Therefore, Christians should contribute of their time, talents, and money cheerfully and regularly for the advancement of God’s kingdom.
The Christian and the Social Order | All Christians should seek to make the will of Christ supreme in their own lives, and to promote truth, righteousness, and brotherly love throughout society. Ultimately, social transformation is only permanently helpful when we connect people to the power of the gospel.
The Family | God designed the family as the foundation of society. Marriage is a lifetime commitment between one man and one woman that models the relationship that God has with His people. Parents’ primary task is to lead their children to trust in Christ and to guide them in God’s ways. Children are to honor and obey their parents.
