Our Beliefs

One of the first question you might be asking about First Christian Church is, “What to we believe?”  The answer to that question begins simply, but then gets more complex.  Most simply put, we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and we affirm that he is Lord and Savior of the world.

 

Now to get a little more complex:

 

At First Christian Church we have adopted the following statement of identity:  We are a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.

You don't have to look very hard to see ways in which our lives and communities are broken and fragmented.  We believe the church exists to be the hands and feet of Christ, working in every way possible to bring healing to our communities.  This is at the heart of who we are as a church.  For more details, visit our Wholeness Ministry page.

 

 

In addition to our statement of identity, we have adopted five core marks of identity.  They are:

 

We confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world, requiring nothing more — and nothing less — as a basis of our life together.

At First Christian Church, you will never be asked to confess your belief in any creed or statement of faith. The only confession you will ever be asked to make is that you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and that you proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world. That is it! No tests, no classes, and no hidden agenda.

 

We hold the centrality of scripture, recognizing that each person has the freedom — and the responsibility — to study God’s Word within the community of the church.

At First Christian Church, scripture is at the heart of everything we teach and preach. However, you will not be told what the Bible "means" in a manner that closes off all other possibilities. Instead, you will be encouraged to grow in your understanding of Scripture through individual prayer and study that is strengthened and supported by participating in our congregation's Christian Education opportunities, Worship and Community sharing.

 

We hear a special calling to make visible the unity of all Christians, proclaiming that in our diversity we belong to one another because we universally belong to Christ.

Disciples are called together around one essential of faith: belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Beyond that, we believe in the individual freedom of Christians to follow their consciences guided by the Bible, the Holy Spirit study and prayer. This belief helps create a broad spectrum of believers in our church and we seek to honor our differences faithfully through unifying discussion instead of divisive debate.

 

We gather for the Lord’s Supper as often as possible, experiencing at this table the gracious forgiving presence of Jesus Christ.

The Lord's Supper is offered every Sunday and on special days such as Christmas Eve and Maundy Thursday. It is administered by the elders and deacons of the church, with an ordained minister usually presiding; however, this is not required and lay people often will preside. The Lord is the host of the table and it is open to all who are present in our sanctuary, regardless of religious affiliation or background. 

We affirm the priesthood of all believers, rejoicing in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that God has given for the common good.

We believe that God calls both ministers and lay persons to lead in ministry. Practicing a true “priesthood of all believers,” we seek to encourage members and friends of our church to be active in every aspect of ministry from worship leadership to community outreach.

 

Of course this is just the basics.  The very best way to find out who we are and what we believe is to come and experience it for yourself.  As always, if you have any questions you can feel free to call and talk to any staff person.

Contact us for more info