FAITH

What is Christianity?
In as few words as possible, Christianity is being a follower of Jesus Christ. That means a Christian is someone who is trying to be like Jesus. However, those who seriously attempt to be like Jesus discover that such a thing is impossible. We all fall far short of the standard Jesus proclaimed and demonstrated. In the Bible such shortcomings are called sin. Sin causes one to be separated from God and to deserve punishment by death – spiritual death. But Jesus not only lived a perfect life, he also died for those who can’t live up to his standard. Jesus paid the punishment we deserve when he died, so we can be brought into a relationship with God and empowered by God to live like Jesus. “Christians” are those who have such a transforming relationship with God. They have completely trusted Jesus as their substitute for sin and have given their lives entirely to him as their master.

Statement of Faith?
We believe that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe who made us to be in relationship with him; that the Bible is his testimony to us, authoritative in all it teaches without any mix of error; that all people are sinful and thus separated from a relationship with him; that Jesus is his divine Son who came to earth to save sinful people; that Jesus’ death is our only hope to be what God created us to be. For more detail see our “Statement of Faith”

What is Baptism?
Those who have given their lives to Jesus are changed from the inside out – changed so much it is as if their old self died and a new self lives in them. Baptism is a physical picture or statement of that death and newness. It pictures a person dying, being buried and coming to life again. It also pictures why one can have such a new life: because Jesus died, was buried and came back to life.