Statement of Faith
We affirm the broad, orthodox Christian faith as expressed in the historic creeds of the Church, such as the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. In this way, we are unified with the universal church, living in harmony with Christians across the world, glorifying God with one singular voice and message (Romans 15:5-6; I Corinthians 2:2).
We also affirm a narrower set of doctrines that unify us with Converge Great Lakes, the movement of churches that we are affiliated with. While we believe these doctrines to be historic and orthodox as well, they provide clarity and definition that would distinguish us from other Christian denominations and affiliations. These sets of beliefs are listed below.
Lastly, we have a unique set of values that distinguish us from other Churches in our movement. Not better or worse than other churches, and maybe not even all that unique, these values help shape the culture and mission of who God has called us to be as a local body of believers. Those values can be found here.
1. God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God.
• Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22
• Matthew 28:19
• 1 Peter 1:2
• 2 Corinthians 13:14
2. The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the (written) Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
3. Mankind
All people are made in the image of God and are worthy of full dignity, respect, and love. Although God created man in His own image, all people have sinned, falling short of God’s glory and are in need of saving.
4. Salvation
We believe that all people are sinful by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are forgiven of their sin, born again by the Holy Spirit, and receive eternal life.
5. The Church
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all born again persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and exists and functions by the will of the churches. associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
6. The Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for the commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
7. The Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.
8. Christian Conduct
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the good of others, that his conduct should be blameless before the world, that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions, and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
9. Religious Liberty
We believe that every human being is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith and that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. Therefore, Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.
10. Marriage
We believe that marriage is the lifelong union between one man and one woman. Sex is reserved for marriage and is given by God for the purpose of reproducing his image through humanity as they rule over the earth and put his glory on display (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:24; Matthew 19:5). Sex is a gift from God to be enjoyed in the confines of marriage, and meant to be a part of the cleaving together as one flesh that Genesis 1 speaks of.
We also affirm a narrower set of doctrines that unify us with Converge Great Lakes, the movement of churches that we are affiliated with. While we believe these doctrines to be historic and orthodox as well, they provide clarity and definition that would distinguish us from other Christian denominations and affiliations. These sets of beliefs are listed below.
Lastly, we have a unique set of values that distinguish us from other Churches in our movement. Not better or worse than other churches, and maybe not even all that unique, these values help shape the culture and mission of who God has called us to be as a local body of believers. Those values can be found here.
1. God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God.
• Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22
• Matthew 28:19
• 1 Peter 1:2
• 2 Corinthians 13:14
- God the Father
- Converge: We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of all people, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
- Genesis 1:1; 2:7
- Exodus 2:23-25
- Matthew 6:5-15; 6:25-34; 7:11
- I Corinthians 8:6
- Galatians 4:6
- Converge: We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of all people, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
- God the Son
- We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
- Matthew 1:22, 23
- John 1:1-5
- Hebrews 4:14-15
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
- Romans 1:3-4
- Acts 1:9-11
- 1 Timothy 6:14-15
- Titus 2:13
- We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
- God the Holy Spirit
- We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.
- Acts 1:8
- John 16:7-13, 14:16-17
- Galatians 5:25
- 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16
- Ephesians 1:13, 5:18
- We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.
2. The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the (written) Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
- 2 Timothy 3:16, 1:13
- 2 Peter 1:20-21
- Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6
3. Mankind
All people are made in the image of God and are worthy of full dignity, respect, and love. Although God created man in His own image, all people have sinned, falling short of God’s glory and are in need of saving.
- Genesis 1:27
- Psalm 8:3-6
- Romans 3:23; 6:23
- Isaiah 59:1-2
4. Salvation
We believe that all people are sinful by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are forgiven of their sin, born again by the Holy Spirit, and receive eternal life.
- Romans 6:23
- Ephesians 2:8-9
- John 14:6
- I Corinthians 5:21
- John 3:16
- I Peter 3:18
5. The Church
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all born again persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and exists and functions by the will of the churches. associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
- Matthew 16:15-19
- Acts 2:41-42, 47; 12:5
- Romans 16:5
- I Corinthians 14:26
- Colossians 1:18
- I Timothy 3:15
6. The Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for the commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Matthew 26:26-30; 28:19-20
- Romans 6:3-5
- Acts 2:41-42
- I Corinthians 11:23-26
7. The Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.
- Matthew 16:27; 25:31-46
- II Corinthians 5:10
- Hebrews 9:27-28
8. Christian Conduct
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the good of others, that his conduct should be blameless before the world, that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions, and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
- Matthew 5-7
- Romans 12:9-21
- Galatians 5:22-23
- Colossians 3:12-17
9. Religious Liberty
We believe that every human being is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith and that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. Therefore, Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.
- Acts 4:19-20
- Romans 13:1-7
- I Timothy 2:1-2
- I Peter 2:13-17
10. Marriage
We believe that marriage is the lifelong union between one man and one woman. Sex is reserved for marriage and is given by God for the purpose of reproducing his image through humanity as they rule over the earth and put his glory on display (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:24; Matthew 19:5). Sex is a gift from God to be enjoyed in the confines of marriage, and meant to be a part of the cleaving together as one flesh that Genesis 1 speaks of.
- Genesis 2:24
- Mark 10:6-9
- Ephesians 5:32
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer spiritual gifts when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His guidance daily.
- Acts 1:8
- John 16:7-13; 14:16-17
- Galatians 5:25
- 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16
- Ephesians 1:13; 5:18
About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again someday to earth to reign as King forever.
- Matthew 1:22-23
- John 1:1-5
- Hebrews 4:14-15
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
- Romans 1:3-4
- Acts 1:9-11
- 1 Timothy 6:14-15
- Titus 2:13
About the Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs about who God is and how He has called us to live. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without error.
- 2 Timothy 3:16; 1:13
- 2 Peter 1:20-21
- Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6
About Human Beings
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us have fallen short and not lived up to who God made us to be. The Bible calls this “sin”. Sin separates us from God and causes many problems in our life.
- Genesis 1:27
- Psalm 8:3-6
- Romans 3:23; 6:23
- Isaiah 59:1-2
About Salvation
Although sin separated us from God and brought death, God desires that we experience true and everlasting spiritual life that comes from living in relationship with Him. All who trust in Jesus’ death for their sin and follow him will have this eternal life. We can never make up for our sin through good works or self-improvement. Eternal life begins the moment one accepts by faith that Jesus Christ came to earth from God in order to die on a cross for our sins.
- Romans 6:23
- Ephesians 2:8-9
- John 14:6
- I Corinthians 5:21
- John 3:16
- I Peter 3:18
About Eternity
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin in hell or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation in heaven. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
- John 3:16
- Romans 6:23
- Revelation 20:15
About God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God.
About the Hoy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation.
About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again someday to earth to reign as King forever.
About the Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs about who God is and how He has called us to live. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without error.
About Human Beings
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us have fallen short and not lived up to who God made us to be. The Bible calls this “sin”. Sin separates us from God and causes many problems in our life.
About Salvation
Although sin separated us from God and brought death, God desires that we experience true and everlasting spiritual life that comes from living in relationship with Him. All who trust in Jesus’ death for their sin and follow him will have this eternal life. We can never make up for our sin through good works or self-improvement.
Affiliation
Northside Community Church is a part of a larger movement of churches called Converge Great Lakes. To learn more about Converge Great Lakes, click here.