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What we believe:
Our Faith
We are a people of conviction.
We hold to the convincing evidences of scripture that define orthodox
and evangelical Christianity. We also hold that much that can be
legitimately debated by orthodox Christianity has broader and more
inclusive understanding yet to be embraced by the universal church. We
are not without boundaries, but in faith contend for empowered
evangelical Christianity.
Our
Statement of Faith
I confess my affirmation of the Apostle's, Nicene, and Chalcedonian
Creeds, which I believe to reflect Christian orthodoxy and the clear
teaching of Holy Scripture. Also, as a member of Lighthouse Vineyard, I
make the following confession of faith my own:
- I believe in
one living and true God, the Creator and Lord of the heavens and the
earth. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, of one
substance, equal in power and eternity: God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit.
- I believe that
Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, yet one Messiah, the only
mediator between God and man. There is no other name under heaven by
which we must be saved.
- I believe that
Jesus Christ came down from heaven, was incarnated by the Holy
Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life in
perfect obedience to the Father, and was crucified for my sins. He
suffered, died, and was buried, and He rose bodily from the dead on
the third day. As the God-man, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and
now sits at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for His
people. At His first coming, Jesus inaugurated the fulfillment of
the Kingdom of God.
- I 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 for ministry every believer in Jesus Christ. He
is an abiding Helper, Teacher and Guide. I believe in the present
ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the Biblical
gifts of the Spirit.
- I believe that
I, along with all men and women, am a sinner by nature and choice
and was under condemnation. I am now accounted righteous before God
only by the merit of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through faith
in Him alone, and not by my own works or deserving.
- I believe that
I have been born again by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.
This same Holy Spirit now lives in me, producing faith, holiness,
love and power.
- I believe in
the divine inspiration, truthfulness and authority of both the Old
and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety, without error, in
all that they affirm, and as the only infallible rule for my faith
and practice.
- I believe that
the church is intended by God to be a worshiping community of
believers, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His law,
exercising the gifts, privileges and discipline invested in the
church by His Word and His Holy Spirit, and seeking to extend the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
- I believe
Christ committed two ordinances to the church: water baptism and the
Lord’s Supper. I believe water baptism is available to all Christian
believers following a clear profession of Christian faith. I believe
that the Lord’s Supper is open to all believers. Through the working
of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s Supper nourishes my soul. It brings
to my remembrance the sacrifice of Christ for my sins, my communion
with Christ and the church and my obligation to persevere in faith
and holiness to the end of my life.
- I believe in
the personal, visible, appearing of Christ to earth and the
consummation of His Kingdom; in the resurrection of the body, the
final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and the endless
suffering of the wicked.
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