Statement of Faith

We Believe in:

The Triune God - One God Who is a living, loving and just God proclaimed in the Old and New Testaments, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who together, created all things. (Deut.6:4; Isa.43:10, 11; Matt.28:19; Luke 3:22; John 10:30).

Jesus Christ -He is the image of the invisible God. We affirm His deity, His lordship, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father in Heaven, and his personal future return in power and glory. (Col. 1:15; Galatians 4:4-5; Romans 5:8-11; 1 Peter 1:3; John 14:1-3)

The Holy Spirit - Sent from the Father as His continuing presence and power in the world. He is the Revealer of divine truth, comforter, guide, and intercessor of all believers, by whose indwelling presence, believers are enabled and empowered to live a godly life (John 3:5-6; 14:16-17; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19; 12:13; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30, Acts 1:8; John 16:5-16; 1 Peter 1:2; Galatians 5:22-23)

The Bible - God's inspired and authoritative word.  It is without error in all it affirms in the original autographs and is the only authoritative guide for faith and practice. (2 Tim: 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Thess. 2:13).

Salvation - Although man was created in the image of God, through disobedience he sinned, thereby severing his relationship with God and being separated from God. By repentance and placing his faith in Jesus Christ, man can be born again by the Holy Spirit and restored to a right relationship with God. Salvation is by grace (a free gift) through faith, resulting in a creation--eternal life (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:8; 2 Cor. 5:17, John 1:12; 3:16; Romans 5:8).

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit - When a person accepts Christ as Savior, he is born again and placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a one-time event which takes place in a Believer's life at conversion.   (1 Cor.12:13).

The Security of Believers - Salvation is found in Jesus Christ. He has promised eternal life to all who believe in Him. He is the author and finisher of our faith. The work He begins in a believer will be brought to completion. A believer's salvation (relationship with God through Jesus Christ) is secure. He is bought and paid for! (John 14:6; 10:28; Heb. 12:2; Phil. 1:6; John 17:3).

The Church - As the living body of God's children, committed to faith in Jesus Christ and life in a collaborative community of people who belong together and build each other up in love until we all attain to unity and maturity in Christ.  The church is made up of those God elects to add to it, both on earth and in heaven. Each member of the body of Christ is important and is placed in it by God Himself. (Acts 2:47; Eph. 3:15; 1 Cor. 12:12-31; Eph. 4:1-16)

The Sacraments - Instituted and blessed by Jesus Christ

(1) Baptism - Is the outward sign of what God has already done in the individual's life, and is a testimony to all that the person now belongs to Jesus.  It is an identification with Jesus and is effected in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The mode of baptism practiced by Grace Fellowship is immersion.     (Matt. 28:19; Col. 2:12)

(2) The Lord's Supper - As both the symbolic and real use of bread and juice in remembrance of Christ's death on the cross until He returns. We practice "open communion," believing that the Lord's Supper is open to all believers. We leave the decision of whether children should participate in the Lord's Supper to their parents.  (1 Cor. 11:24-25)

Ministry - God has placed certain gifted spiritual leaders for equipping believers to do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:11). Since every member of the church is essential, we believe that each person called to join in using their spiritual gifts in leading others to Christ and ministering to the other members of the body, thereby causing growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Eph. 4:16; Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 5:20)

Worship - The Father is seeking those who would worship Him in Spirit and in truth As the body of Jesus Christ, we desire to have an environment of true worship that is based on biblical principles. We believe every believer should have the freedom to express his worship to God in whatever way he chooses, so long as it is orderly and complimentary to the character of Jesus Christ, and as long as a spirit of reverence and adoration is maintained. It is understandable that one may express their praise to God with joyful expression. (Jn 4:23-24; Psalm 100).  

Spiritual Gifts - The New Testament lists a number of gifts given to the church by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:1-11, 27-31; Rom. 12:4-8). These are to be used for the encouragement and benefit of the entire church. These gifts are to bring honor and credit to Jesus Christ, not the believer. Some of these gifts appear more normative than others. It is clear that some of the "sign gifts" such as miracles and tongues were used early on in the New Testament to validate the Apostles' message (miracles were cited as proof that one was indeed an apostle). While we are cautious about the role of these gifts today, we believe that God is Sovereign and may choose to use whatever gifts He sees fit for any purpose.  

 Financial Giving - Giving is one of the spiritual disciplines that assists us in surrendering of our lives, acknowledging that all we have comes from God, and supporting and spreading of His mission. The Old Testament outlines tithing and free-will offerings as the methods ordained by God for giving (Malachi 3:10; Ex. 25:2; 35:5).  The New Testament teaches that Believers should recognize that all we own belongs to God and that each person should determine what he will give based on how God has blessed him (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7; Luke 16:13; Matt. 6:21).

Fellowship Statement

In Essentials...Unity!
In Non-Essentials...Liberty!
In All Things...Charity!

(1 Corinthians, chapter 13)