OUR CORE BELIEFS
Many churches and movements have a statement of faith. Discover Church has Core Beliefs. These beliefs filter through everything that we teach and do. (This is not an exhaustive theological statement.)
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three are coequal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1,26, 27, 3:22
Psalm 90:2
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
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 arose 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.
Matthew 1:22, 23
Isaiah 9:6
John 1:1-5, 14:10-30
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
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 provides Christians 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 control daily.
Acts 1:8
1 Corinthians 3:17
John 16:7-13, 14:16-17
Galatians 5:25
1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16
Ephesians 1:13, 5:18
The Bible was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs about living. 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
Proverbs 30:5
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” Sin separates us from God and causes many problems in our life.
Genesis 1:27
Psalm 8:3-6
Isaiah 53:6
Romans 3:23
Isaiah 59:1-2
We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
Romans 6:23
Ephesians 2:8-9
John 14:6, 1:2
Titus 3:5
Galatians 3:26
Romans 5:1, 10:9-10
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
John 3:16, 14:17
Romans 6:23, 8:17-18
Revelation 20:15
1 Corinthians 2:7-9
Once we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, baptism is a way for us to publicly declare our new life in Christ. It is also a step of obedience based on God’s commands and allows us to follow the example of Jesus, who submitted himself to baptism to “fulfill all righteousness.”
Matthew 3:16-17, 28:18-20
Acts 2:41, 8:12
LIBERTY IN THE NON-ESSENTIALS
In addition to our Core Beliefs and Values, we have liberty in nonessential beliefs.
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters… Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls… So then each of us will give an account of himself to God… So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.”
“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”