Beliefs

MISSION CHURCH’S STATEMENT OF FAITH
The following contains the Scriptural beliefs of Mission Church and its members. The statement of faith
does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that
speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and
final source of all that we believe. A more in-depth study of Mission Church’s beliefs/doctrines can be
made available upon request. For purposes of Mission Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and
discipline, our Pastoral Staff and Deacons are the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and
application. All preaching, teaching, and conduct will be in agreement with these beliefs.
The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired
Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority
for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation
of God to Man. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— each coeternal in being, co-identical in nature, coequal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and
perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26)
The Person, Work, and Return of Christ.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God,
having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God
and redeem sinful men. (Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21: Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8) We
believe that the Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and accomplished our redemption through His death
on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure
by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet.2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1
Pet. 1:3-5) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand
of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.
(Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2) We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal,
imminent return of Jesus Christ. (1 Thes. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of
judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of
Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14;
2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and
appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit.
(Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to
every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in
order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12)
The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race
fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself,
utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe
that those who would comply with the condition of salvation (faith) constitute His elect, and that God has
given to man the freedom of choice (common grace) permitting him to yield to the influence of the Holy
Spirit or to resist and perish. We believe that God desires the salvation of all people everywhere. (John
1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2-810; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Matt. 12:31-32; 1 John 1:9)
The Perseverance and Assurance of Believers
We believe God enables the redeemed to persevere in their faith, yet permits believers to maintain their
freedom of will to reject His salvation, commit apostasy, and become forever lost. (John 10:27-30; Rom.
8:1; 1 Pet. 1:3- 5; 2 Pet. 1:4-10, 2:20-22; John 15:6; Heb. 6:4-6; 1 Tim. 1:19-20; Rev. 22:19) We believe
that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of
God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom.
13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
The Justification & Sanctification of Believers
We believe that every believer is fully justified in Christ at conversion. Simultaneously, at conversion, the
process of sanctification begins and continues during the Christian life as the believer grows in the grace
and knowledge of Jesus (not to sinless perfection); and that it is completed when the believer stands in the
presence of Christ, either at death or at the coming of Christ for His Church. (1 Thes. 5:23; 2 Cor. 7:1; 2
Pet. 3.18; Heb. 6:1; 1 John 1:7, 9; 3:2-3)
The Church
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of
born again persons. (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27) We believe that the
establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament
Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11) We believe in the autonomy of the local
church free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9,
16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4) We recognize water baptism (by immersion, for believers only), the Lord’s
Supper (which is to be open to all born-again believers present), as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience
for the church. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; John 13:3-17.)
Eternity
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and
everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13) We believe that the
souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where they
consciously await their bodily resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever
with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thes. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6) We believe that the
souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection,
when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast
into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment.
(Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15)
Missions
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples so that
there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to reach our local,
regional, national, and global communities with the gospel. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48;
John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20)
Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated
to support his local church financially. We believe that every Christian should give sacrificially and
cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe
that a person relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the offering once the gift has been made. (Prov. 3:9-
10; Matt. 22:21; Luke 6:38; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:1-5; 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John
3:17)