What do we believe?
Real People, a Real God, Real Hope
Learn more about our vision and core beliefs.
Our Vision
“And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.” (CEV) – Romans 15:4
“…Your Word is my source of hope.” (NLT) – Psalm 119:114
That is what we believe. The hope we have in the Word of God is founded on a relationship with and security in God Himself. We are the Body of Christ called to be Jesus in every neighborhood in our city and beyond.
Beliefs
God’s story is a story of love and redemption. The story or message that most clearly shows this redemptive love is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 John 3:16). Paul says this message is of “first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3). As God reveals His nature through the Bible, the following teachings form the core of our beliefs here at Word of Hope Christian Church.
At Word of Hope Christian Church, we sincerely try to follow the Bible and its teachings. But, our ability to logically figure everything out is not the basis for our acceptability before God. Our salvation is based on what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. What we must understand is that we can’t be right about everything and so we’re completely dependent on God’s graciousness and mercy.
Bible
The Bible is the inspired word of God and is the final authority in life and doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16).
God
There is one true God, eternally existing in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These are equal and are one God. God created the world out of nothing and by His power He sustains all He has created (Genesis 1:1-3:24; Psalm 90:2; Acts 17:24-28).
Jesus Christ
Jesus was miraculously born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35) and became flesh and blood (John 1:1-16; 29-34) without ceasing to be God. He lived a sinless life and performed many miracles to confirm His divinity. He died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice, paying the debt for our sins (Mark 10:45). On the third day after His death, He arose from the dead showing His victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He appeared to His disciples and then ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God serving as our mediator.
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is part of the God Head–the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Romans 8:27; John 16:5-14). He convicts the world of sin (John 16:8-11), indwells and empowers the believer (Acts 2:38-39; Romans 8:9-11; Titus 3:5-7; 1 John 4:13), sanctifies the believer (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2), enables us to bear fruit (Ephesians 3:16-20; Galatians 5:22-26), seals and equips us to do the will of God (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22), intercedes for us in accordance to God’s will (Romans 8:26-27), leads us and enables us to live as Children of God (Galatians 5:16-18), and brings unity and oneness to the body (Ephesians 4:2-6).
Salvation
Salvation is a free gift of God. The death of Christ on the cross is the only sufficient payment for our sins. All have sinned, but all can be saved. This salvation is available for any who put their trust in Christ as Savior (Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16). Those trusting Christ should repent of sin, confess their faith, and be baptized (Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38).
Baptism
The Bible teaches that baptism is the immersion in water of a penitent believer. In the New Testament church, every believer was commanded to be baptized (Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19). Baptism symbolizes the cleansing and forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), the new birth (John 3:5), circumcision of the heart (Colossians 2:11-12), the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-5), and salvation (1 Peter 3:21).
Immersion in water is the only physical act that pictures this so beautifully and accurately. Baptism is not an option for the true believer. It is an acid test of our true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; John 14:15).
Church
The church is the Body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the task of reaching the lost and discipling the saved, helping them become fully devoted followers of Christ (Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Corinthians 14:33a, 40; 2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Communion
One of the primary reasons we gather each week as a church is to share in the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42). The Lord’s Supper represents Jesus’ atoning blood that was poured and His body that was broken on our behalf for Salvation. We take it in remembrance of Him (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:24-29).
Praise and Worship
The Bible teaches that God inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3). In fact, we are commanded to praise the Lord and to worship Him (Psalm 150; John 4:23-24). Our worship and praise to God may express itself in many forms: clapping and shouting (Psalm 47:1), singing (Psalm 95:1-2), bowing and kneeling (Psalm 956), lifting hands (Psalm 63:4), or even by playing musical instruments (Psalm 150:3-5). Worship is the pouring out of all that we are in adoration to Him for all that He is.
Giving
We believe strongly in Biblical “stewardship.” We do not “own” anything; but God has entrusted us with stewardship over money, homes, careers, time, children, opportunities, etc. We are committed to an attitude of generous, intentional, regular and proportional giving including the giving of the tithe (one-tenth) of the first fruits of God’s blessings (Malachi 3:10; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)!
Christ’s Return
We believe in the glorious and personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will come in power and great glory to gather His people, the church. The dead in Christ shall rise first and then we which are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The Lord (1 Corinthians 15:50-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). The coming of Christ will be at a time known only to God (Mark 13:32-33).