The purpose of this Statement of Faith is to provide the foundation and unity of our doctrine and practice of the Christian faith. Our Statement of Faith is not meant to be completely exhaustive but to be a foundation of uncompromised and unwavering truths by which we teach, evaluate, and disciple each other to be more like Christ.

We believe that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Gen. 1:1; John 1:1-3). We believe in the Holy Trinity, that God exists eternally as one in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16-17).

We believe that the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) is God’s Holy Word and is our sole standard of doctrine and practice of the Christian life (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We believe that the Bible is inerrant in all that it teaches and is powerful, living, and active to instruct and evaluate the mind, heart, and spirit of believers (Heb. 4:12).

We believe that humans were created by God as male and female to be the image of God (Gen. 1:27). We believe that mankind was created by God to reflect His character by worshiping and honoring Him in the way that we live (Rom. 12:1-2).

We believe that iniquity, transgression, and sin have separated humanity from God (Rom. 3:23) and results in death (Rom. 6:23). We believe that all people are born into a sinful world and will choose to sin. This can only be remedied by faith in the saving power of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16; 5:1-2, 18-20; Eph. 2:1-10).

We believe that salvation from sin and entrance into the family and kingdom of God is found only in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 3:1-16). We believe that salvation is a gift offered by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). We believe that Jesus Christ is the only source of salvation and the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

We believe that the Church, made up of disciples of Christ, is the body of Christ on the earth (Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:12, 27). We believe that the Church is not an organization nor is it a business, but is a living expression of the body of Christ made up of individual believers who live, love, and serve one another in unity (John 13:35). We believe that Christ has given spiritual gifts to His Church to glorify Himself and edify His Church (1 Cor. 12:1-30). We believe that all spiritual gifts are to be practiced and guided by scripture (1 Cor. 12-14). Grace & Truth Ministries exists to equip the Church by helping people become more like Christ (Rom. 8:29) and by practicing the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).

We believe, recognize, and perform Christian marriage as a divine symbol of the Gospel (Eph. 5:21-33). We believe and uphold that marriage was created by God to be between one male and one female (Gen. 2:24). We do not support the modern and worldly view that marriage can be redefined. The Bible does not allow nor support homosexual marriage or any other distortion of God’s original plan for marriage and sexuality. Therefore, Grace & Truth Ministries does not perform homosexual marriages nor any other unbiblical marriages. However, we will love and serve any person with the Gospel, regardless of their sexual preference, as people made in the image of God.

We believe that after the death of the body the human soul of the believer will exist eternally with God in eternal life (2 Cor. 5:1-10; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). We believe that those who reject the Gospel will be eternally separated from God by their own free choice (Matt. 7:13-14, 21-23; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 22:14-15). We believe that all people will be judged by Christ upon death (2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 20:11-15). We believe that because of this truth, believers should pray continually and seek fervently for all people to repent and trust in Christ as Savior (2 Cor. 5:11-21).

We believe that the Kingdom of God is the central message of Christ (Matt. 4:17). While the message of the cross, salvation, and the Church are vital parts of God’s Kingdom, these are not the totality of the Gospel. Therefore, all believers should seek God’s Kingdom above all else (Matt. 6:33). We believe that the Church (the earthly family of God and body of Christ) is the means by which the Kingdom of God advances on the earth (Luke 17:20-21). We believe that the Kingdom of God is not a physical one, but is a spiritual way of life (Rom. 14:17; Col. 1:13-14). Those who live out the Kingdom of God will seek to obey the teachings of Jesus (Matt. 5-7) and cultivate the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25).

We believe that in addition to the physical realm there is also a spiritual one. We believe that the evil in the physical realm is not only the result of human rebellion but is also the result of spiritual rebellion. We believe that our struggle in this life is not against flesh and blood (humans) but against rebellious and evil spirits (Eph. 6:12). We believe that the scriptures teach that God’s spiritual family, created before humanity (Job 38:4-7), rebelled on more than one occasion for the purpose of overthrowing God’s plan in creation (Gen. 3; Gen. 6:1-5; Gen. 11:1-9; Ps. 82:1-8; Isa. 14:12-15; Ezk. 28:1-19). We believe that Christ came to reverse the effects of human and spiritual rebellion and has been given authority over all spiritual forces which He also gives to believers as citizens of His Kingdom and members of His family (Matt. 16:13-19; Matt. 28:18).

We believe that God’s original plan was a worldwide Eden where He and humanity would live together forever (Gen. 1-2). When mankind sinned against God, humanity was separated from God and Eden (Gen. 3). From that moment on God began a process to restore His creation to His original plan. God’s creation has been waiting on this process to be completed and the true sons of God to be revealed (Rom. 8:19-23). In the end, God will restore His creation with a new heavens and new earth in which God’s people will dwell with Him for all of eternity (Rev. 21-22).