ARTICLE 3 -    STATEMENT OF FAITH

The following is the Doctrinal Statement of Lake Gregory Community Church.

3.1 -    GOD

God is a trinity, a triune spiritual being, existing eternally in three distinct but perfectly equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is holy, just, merciful, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and relational.   God is the Creator of heaven and earth.

3.2 -     JESUS CHRIST THE SON

Jesus is God incarnate, conceived by the effluence of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, He had both the nature of humanity and deity, truly a God-Man.  As human, subject to physical limitations and other human constraints; as God, Revealer of Truth in His own person and Emissary from the world of Light and Truth into the fallen, broken world of darkness.  In teaching, Jesus’ authority is without parallel now and forever; in mercy Jesus’ compassion is without rival now and forever; in wisdom, Jesus’ guidance and savvy are incomparable now and forever; in righteousness, Jesus’ character is unsurpassed now and forever.  He will judge the living and the dead; by His measure all created beings will stand or fall.  He walked in obedience to the Father, even to His own death on a Roman cross, bearing the sins of the fallen human race.  He was raised from the dead in victory over evil, and was exalted “to the right hand of God the Father” from whence He will come again to bring evil to an end, and restore the creation of God and fulfill His promises to and purposes for Israel.

3.3 -     THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit was sent to regenerate, fill, empower, sanctify and lead God’s people in the establishment of His kingdom on earth.  As such God does continue to dwell not just among but within those redeemed by Him.  With the possession of the Holy Spirit, God’s people both personally and corporately are the Temple of God on earth.

3.4 -     THE SCRIPTURES

The Holy Writings of the Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books) are an inspired, infallible record of God’s dealing with His creation.  They are composed by God’s human servants, inspired by God (“God-breathed”), and are completely trustworthy guides to the knowledge of God and contain all that is needed for salvation, and are useful for teaching, reproof, correction and guidance in righteousness.

3.5 -     THE HUMAN RACE

THE DILEMMA

The human race, though created in the image of God, and the epitome of His creation, fell from this stature of holiness and position of favor through disobedience and self-will into an impossibly weakened position of slavery to sin resulting in both physical and spiritual death.  The result was perversion in behavior, thought and will.

THE SOLUTION

Jesus lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial, substitutionary death providing atonement for sin, satisfying the righteous demands of God the Father, restoring balance of justice to an imbalanced world, overwhelming the power of darkness with an unmatched power of love and selfless service.  The benefits of this great work of the Son are ours as a gift through simple faith in Him.

3.6 -     THE POWER OF DARKNESS AND EVIL

Satan is the spiritual enemy of God and all His people.  Satan is unequal in power among created beings both heavenly and earthly, but no match for the Son of God, who as the New Adam, has overturned the curse of the Fall and begun the battle against evil that will end in the restoration of Creation and the judgment of destruction of all evil.  Satan’s objective is to destroy the work of God, to destroy the faith and the lives of those who belong to God; he is ruthless in this quest.  Our only hope in this battle is Jesus.  His presence with us is our strength; our spiritual union with Him is our hope.  He is the Light which Darkness fears; clothed with Him and his power we continue His quest to enlighten all people, preaching to them the gospel of grace, freeing them from the bondage to sin, liberating them to a life of restoration to the image of God.  And so clothed we fear no evil.

3.7 -     THE CHURCH

Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all people, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith.  The local church is a visible expression of the universal church.  Christ is our head and has called us to proclaim the gospel, to make disciples and to equip these disciples for the work of ministry.  God encourages His people to assemble together regularly for worship, for the Lord’s Supper, for edification through the Scriptures, and through mutual encouragement in Christ.

3.8 -     CHRISTIAN LIVING

As disciples of Jesus we are called on to love God with all our heart, soul and mind, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, to be obedient to God’s word, and to be witnesses of Jesus Christ by both our lives and our words through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to those who don’t yet know Him.

3.9 -     AFFIRMATION OF OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH

All officers of Lake Gregory Community Church shall assent, in writing, to this doctrinal statement.  If, at any time, an officer of the church changes his or her beliefs on any matter in the doctrinal statement, he should report it immediately to the Board of Elders.

CHURCH ORDINANCES

3.10 -    BAPTISM

Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit shall be administered in this church by immersion to born again believers as a testimony that an inward work of regeneration has taken place.

3.11 -   COMMUNION

As an important part of church life, the church shall celebrate Communion in accordance with the accounts given in Scripture on a frequent and regular basis.