Commitments:
We are committed to historical biblical Christianity.
We are committed to a foundation in the Bible, the Word of God.
We believe “The Bible,” is composed of the sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation and is God’s revealed word to mankind (Numbers 12:6; Dt. 29:29). We believe this Word is “God breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16) as men were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21) and is therefore without error (Numbers 23:19) in the original manuscripts; and that we have today reliable representation of that original text. We believe that the teachings from the Bible are to be our foundation for worship, daily living, and all aspects of our spiritual walk with Jesus.
We also believe that the church has existed as a spirit empowered and historically present reality from its inception with the earthly ministry of Jesus until today, and will continue as the Bride of Christ for all eternity. As a result, we believe that we are only a small part of a larger picture and stand in a tradition of faithful men and women for thousands of years. While we do not hold traditions to be paramount with the Bible we believe that we need to learn from those who have gone before us and when we disagree to do so only with great prayer and thoughtful consideration.
We are committed to unity in a generous orthodoxy.
We believe that Christians can worship together even when differing on many topics and questions and we welcome Christians of multiple backgrounds to worship with us. We are committed to being firm on our biblical teaching and welcoming those who agree on core doctrines while differing on other issues. We do not believe that everyone has to think the same way to worship together. However, we will worship, preach the word, and present the Lord’s Table in full and unapologetic accordance with the following doctrinal beliefs.
We are committed to passage-by-passage preaching of the Bible.
We are committed to preaching the Bible in context and exegeting the Scriptures publicly in order to communicate the beautiful and life changing truths of Scripture. Our preaching is taken out of the Bible and not secondary literature.
We are committed to being accessible to the average person.
We do not believe that church is a place for us to impress ourselves or each other but a place for worshiping Jesus and fellowshipping together. We are committed to not using undue technical jargon in our preaching and teaching but to apply and exegete the Bible in the language of the average person.
We are committed to addressing the issues of our day.
The Bible is a timeless work of God to mankind and it addresses the issues we come in contact with today. We are committed, through our passage by passage preaching, to address the issues that the Bible addresses and not avoid taboo topics. We are committed to preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God’s Word.
We are committed to equipping our people to be salt and light.
We agree with Paul that one of the most important things a church can do is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” We are committed people to understand the Word of God, apply it in their own lives, and to be able to apply it to the lives of others in their larger community. We believe that God has given each person a world of influence and that God commands us to influence our microcosm with His Word.
We are committed to a streamlined ministry.
We desire our fathers to be good fathers and our mothers to be good mothers, our husbands to be good husbands and our wives to be good wives, we desire our students to be good students and hospitable and to live as salt and light in whatever context they find themselves in. These desires can only be fulfilled through spending time with our families and community and this cannot be achieved while feeling compelled to attend loads of programs. We are committed to fostering community in our church but not multiple programs.
We are committed to the leadership of a plurality of elders.
We are committed to building up a godly, qualified leadership to offer counsel and accountability before God, the church, and each other in the worship and administration of the church.
Statement of Faith:
DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURE
We believe “The Bible,” is composed of the sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation and is God’s revealed word to mankind (Numbers 12:6; Dt. 29:29).
We believe this Word is“God breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16) as men were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21) and is therefore without error (Numbers 23:19) in the original manuscripts; and that we have today reliable representation of that original text.
We believe the minds of those who genuinely trust Christ for salvation can discern truth from the Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:11-12; 14).
We believe divine revelation and inspiration regarding God’s plan for salvation and universal teaching for the church have ceased (Revelation 22:18-19), but that illumination continues (John 14:26; 16:7; Romans 8:16) as the Holy Spirit reveals truth to God’s children (John 14:16-17).
We believe the scriptures are used by the Holy Spirit to communicate the truths to mankind that are necessary for salvation (Romans 10:14-17), the sufficient means by which we can understand God’s plan for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and is the final authority in the believer’s life (John 8:31-32; 17:17).
DOCTRINE OF GOD
We believe God is “The Self-Existent One,” (Exodus 3:13-14) meaning that there was never a time when God did not exist (Nehemiah 9:5); that He is eternal (Deuteronomy 33:27). God has revealed Himself to us as being three distinct Persons; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) but yet One God (Isaiah 44:6) and this revelation is in the masculine context “He” (Isaiah 64:8).
We believe God is Sovereign (Ephesians 1:4-11) meaning that nothing in all creation escapes His notice (Hebrews 4:13) and that all things come about under His authority and control (1 Corinthians 15:25-28).
We believe that God is “perfect” (Matthew 5:48) in all His ways (Psalm 77:13); that in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).
We believe God is “immutable” (James 1:17) meaning, He does not lie, nor change His mind (Numbers 23:19). What He says He means, what He means, He brings about (Isaiah 46:9-10). His character demonstrates, among other things, His love (John 3:16), His holiness (Leviticus 19:2), His justice (Romans 11:33), His righteousness (Romans 1:17), His mercy (Lamentations 3:22), His power (Exodus 9:16), His majesty (Psalm 8:1), His authority (Romans 13:1) and His glory (Isaiah 42:8) to such an extent that an understanding of these attributes compels a true believer to worship (John 4:23).
We believe that genuine faith (Hebrews 11:1) and reliance in the lordship of Christ (Romans 10:9), the Creator of all things out of nothing (John 1:3) manifests itself in a personal relationship with the Triune God (1 John 1:3).
We believe God’s sincere call to salvation extends to all mankind (1 Timothy 2:4), and that in His Sovereignty He has predestined His elect to adoption into His family through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:3-6).
We believe God is actively involved in His creation at all times (Matthew 10:29), that He sustains all things by His powerful Word (Hebrews 1:3), and that His providential will is that all things will work together for His glory, our good (Romans 8:28), and that no purpose of His will be withheld from Him (Job 42:2).
DOCTRINE OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
God is in total, absolute, irresistible control of His creation. He brings about all things for His glory (Isaiah 42:8) and our good (Romans 8:28). Although God uses man and creation to bring about His will, it is by His power (Isaiah 40:10) and His Spirit that all events come to pass (Zechariah 4:6). In perfect faithfulness to His own will (Ephesians 1:11) God performs marvelous deeds (Isaiah 26:3) beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). God answers to no one (Romans 11:34-35); His judgments are unsearchable and His paths are beyond tracing out (Romans 11:33); for by Him and through Him and to Him are all things that He may receive the glory (Romans 11:36). Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account (Hebrews 4:12-13).
DOCTRINE OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE
God created and preserves all things (Nehemiah 9:6); and moment by moment sustains them by His powerful word (Hebrews 1:3). He not only creates and sustains, but governs (Isaiah 9:7) His creation, making known and bringing about His purposes from beginning to end, from ancient times (Isaiah 46:9-10). God does whatever He pleases (Psalm 115:3). He has established His throne in heaven (Psalm 115:3) and His kingdom rules (Psalm 103:19) over every creature (Job 12:10); over every nation (Job 12:23); and over every individual life (Ester 4:14). Within His providential will God uses secondary agents, i.e., His creation and the willful choices of men, to bring about His purposes, none of which will be withheld from Him (Job 42:2).
DOCTRINE OF CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is the “Incarnate” Word of God (John 1:1), meaning that the eternal Son of God left heaven, came to earth (John 3:13) and took on human flesh (John 1:14), but remained fully God (John 8:58), yet was also fully man (Hebrews 4:15).
We believe that Christ’s birth was a unique work of God the Holy Spirit in which Christ was born of a virgin mother, having no biological earthly father (Luke 1:35). While living a sinless human life (2 Corinthians 5:21) Christ revealed (John 14:9) and brought glory to God the Father as He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-11).
We believe Christ’s shed blood was and is a substitutionary and satisfactory payment for the sins (Romans 3:25) of all people in all generations who put their trust in God’s promised salvation (Galatians 3:16); turning God’s wrath away from His children forever (Ephesians 2:3-5).
We believe that through Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 9:28) God’s righteousness was imputed to every believer (Romans 10:4); assuring that every nation, tribe, people and tongue will be represented at the throne of God for eternity (Revelation 7:9-10).
DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Spirit of God revealed in Scripture (John 16:13) possesses the attributes of God (Hebrews 9:14), is doing the work of God (John 14:26), is revealing the words of God (Acts 28:25), is receiving honor as God (Acts 5:3-4), and is therefore, God the Holy Spirit. His ministry is to bring about new life and renewal (John 3:3-5, Titus 3:3-5), to glorify Christ (John 16:14) by convicting sinners of their need for a savior (John 16:8-9), and to sanctify believers (2 Thessalonians 2:13). After repentance and submission to Christ (Acts 20:21), He seals them securely for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
We believe the Holy Spirit lives within each genuine believer (1 Corinthians 6:19), empowering them (Ephesians 3:20) to walk in the light rather than darkness (John 8:12) and empowering them for evangelism and bearing witness to all people (Acts 1:8; 4:8; 5:27-32).
We believe the Holy Spirit will continue a purification process within each believer (Titus 2:14) that He began when they were reborn of His Spirit (Titus 3:4-5), that this sanctification process is ongoing (John 17:17) and will result in changed lives (Philippians 2:12-13).
DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
We believe that salvation, a work begun by God before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), was, is, and always will be a free gift from God (Romans 6:23), by His grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) apart from any righteous acts of our own (Titus 3:5). And “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10:9-10). This salvation is available to anyone who puts their faith and trust in God’s promise of redemption through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 10:11-12).
We believe “there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We acknowledge that Christ’s shed blood on the cross was complete payment for the sins of everyone who puts their faith in Him (Romans 3:23-26). As a result, “anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11), nor will they ever experience God’s condemnation (Romans 8:1-2), but rather are able to fully experience true “peace” and “fellowship” with God (Romans 5:1-2; 1 John 1:3).
We believe Christ’s work on the cross cannot be realized or acknowledged apart from recognizing our own sinfulness and need for a savior leading to repentance and forgiveness of sins (2 Corinthians 7:10).
We believe at the instant we trust Christ in response to the Gospel of grace, we are reborn as children of God (1 John 5:1) and adopted into His family, being heirs of all He has to offer (Galatians 2:20).
We believe our new birth changes our legal standing before God, that is, we are “justified” in His sight, meaning we are no longer “children of wrath,” but rather declared righteous before God (Romans 5:9-10).
We believe this “justification” is a finished work of God completely separate from any works of our own (Romans 4:3-5), and that His Spirit, now living in us (1 John 4:4), empowers us to “work out our salvation” according to His will and good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13).
We believe that genuine faith will respond in obedience (Matthew 3:8), love for Christ (John 14:23) and be characterized by the new life eager to do what is good (Titus 2:14).
DOCTRINE OF MAN
We believe the human race came into being when God created mankind in His own image, after His likeness (Genesis 1:26), for the purpose of bringing glory to Himself (Exodus 8:1) and that mankind became a living being when God breathed the breath of life into his nostrils (Genesis 2:7).
We believe Adam was the first man created (Genesis 2:15-19) and was, as every other thing God created, “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Adam freely chose to rebel against God (Genesis 2:16; 3:4-6); as a result, sin and death entered into the world (Genesis 3:17-19). Because of Adam’s sin, death came to all mankind (Romans 5:12). But God who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) set eternity in the heart of men (Ecclesiastes 3:11) so they may know He exists (Romans 1:18-20) and knowing that, respond to the message of His grace (Titus 2:11).
We believe each person is born with sinful dispositions by their fallen nature (Romans 3:23), unable to save himself (Psalm 22:29), desperately in need of a Savior (Romans 6:23), and individually responsible to respond to God’s offer of salvation (John 3:36). We believe each person comes to faith by God’s grace, apart from works (Ephesians 2:8-9), through the knowledge of truth (Romans 10:17) as revealed in God’s general (Psalm 19:1-4) and specific revelation of Himself (Isaiah 45:5). Then and only then, through regeneration by the Holy Spirit, can salvation and spiritual life be obtained (Titus 3:5-7).
We believe that God has given all mankind the commandment to be fruitful and multiply and to rule over the earth as stewards of His creation (Genesis 1:28) and that this command did not end when mankind fell into sin.
DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH
We believe the true church is made up of all persons who have put genuine faith and trust in Christ for salvation (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), that we are the Body (Ephesians 4:16) and Bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2), and that He is the Head of His church (Ephesians 5:23).
We believe the purpose of the Church is to worship God and to make disciples of all nations by spreading the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20) and building the Kingdom of God (Ephesians 4:11-13) until Christ returns (Revelation 22:12-13), and that every believer is responsible to participate in these activities with whatever gifts God has given each of us (Romans 12:4-8).
We believe the local church should meet as a body (Hebrews 10:25) to worship and glorify God (John 4:23-24), to proclaim God’s Truth and message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21), to teach and encourage every believer (2 Timothy 3:16-17) in their pursuit of holiness (1 Peter 1:16), and to discipline its members as established by Scripture (Matthew 18:17).We believe the two ordinances of the church—baptism (Matthew 28:19) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)—are to be observed by every believer until the Lord returns (Matthew 28:20; 1 Corinthians 11:26).
DOCTRINE OF THE SANCTIFICATION
We believe that genuine faith in Christ works itself out in sincere obedience to His will (1 John 2:3-5). That sincere love for Christ demonstrates itself in obedience to His commands (John 14:15, 23) by walking in the light (1 John 1:7) even as He walked (1 John 2:6).
We believe that God will assure that His children “work out their salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) as they strive to be imitators of Christ (Philippians 2:1) and ambassadors for His sake (2 Corinthians 5:20). True believers will walk in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25) over the course of their lives, be conformed to the image of Christ over time (Romans 8:29), and be transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory which comes from God, who is the Spirit (Ephesians 3:17-18). We understand that the full realization of our sanctification will not take place until that time in which we meet Christ face to face (1 John 3:2; Hebrews 9:28; 12:23).
DOCTRINE OF CREATION
We believe that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible (Hebrews 11:3). We believe that God made creation with order and rhythms for life and “On the seventh day He abstained from work and rested (Exodus 31:17). We believe that all human life is sacred and is created in God’s image and was created intentionally and personally and not out of a process of emergence. Psalm 139:13-18, Genesis 1:26-27 Job 10:8-12 Jeremiah 20:17.
DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS
We believe in and eagerly anticipate Christ’s return to earth (Philippians 3:20) to consummate His Kingdom and claim His Bride, the true Church (Revelation 19:7).
We believe that upon His return, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). Christ’s second coming will result in the bodily resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:51-53) and the end of death (1 Corinthians 15:26) and suffering for those who have faith in Christ (Revelation 21:4). Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:27), will spend eternity with God (Revelation 21:3) experiencing His perpetual grace and blessings (Revelation 22:5). Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will spend eternity under the wrath of God (Revelation 20:15) reserved for those who reject His Son (John 3:36) an eternal existence separated from God. Having received such a great salvation (Hebrews 2:3), we should live holy and godly lives as we look forward to the day of God and speed it’s coming (2 Peter 3:12). We should lead lives worthy of the calling we’ve received, being completely humble and gentle; patient, bearing with one another in love, keeping the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Our Statement of Faith does not exhaustively address the extent of our beliefs. The Bible is our final authority. Should questions of interpretation and/or application arise, the Elders of Sunergos Christian Church are the final interpretative authority on the Bible’s meaning and application for Sunergos Christian Church.
Sunergos Christian Church 