Christian theology helps us know God more fully so we can follow Jesus more faithfully. It is the orthodoxy of Christian doctrine that shapes our lives and ministry. We believe in and are guided by the objective source of truth; which is God’s word. At Reach Fellowship Church, our aim is to properly understand, practice, and teach Biblical principles and realities. This statement of faith is not merely positional or creedal; these are the essential doctrinal beliefs that we stand on.
We believe in the one triune God, who exists eternally as three coequal, divine, and distinct Persons (i.e., the Trinity). These Persons are God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. With distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, each Person of the Trinity possesses the same nature and attributes.
We believe that God is the loving, eternal Creator who is the Ruler of all. He is an all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present spirit Being who is inexhaustible and infinite in nature. He is perfect in all His ways and character, He is the source of all life, He is sovereign, and He is the ultimate standard of all that is good.
We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who is begotten of the Father. As God, He incarnated Himself into human flesh, and was born of the virgin Mary through conception of the Holy Spirit. He is the Savior of the world who is both fully God and fully man (the Messiah). Because of this, He lived a sinless life; did the perfect will of the Father; became the propitiation of our sins; died on a cross as an atoning sacrifice; and was resurrected from the dead in bodily form. He ascended to heaven and now rules at the right hand of God.
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the holy Trinity. He is indeed a supernatural Being who has always existed, and who has always been at work in history. Proceeding from the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit sanctifies, convicts, empowers, comforts, guides, equips, and permanently indwells us upon the profession of our faith in Jesus Christ; sealing our salvation. We have unity with Christ, and are being transformed—progressively—to be more like Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We believe that all mankind—all human-beings—were created by God, made in His image and likeness, and given inherent value and dignity. No one is excluded from this reality. This means that God has endowed all people with shared attributes that reflect His character; attributes like wisdom, love, justice, and influence. Additionally, God in His perfect wisdom created us male and female; equal in value, but beautifully different in design, disposition, and duty. Unfortunately, because of Satan’s temptation and the first humans’ disobedience (the Fall), all mankind is totally depraved in nature—we now have a sin nature. The corruption of sin has contaminated both the world and our souls. We are naturally inclined to disobey God, and to miss the mark of His righteous moral standard. However, there is good news…
We believe that through the birth, life, work, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, God’s righteous requirements and redemptive plan are fulfilled. Jesus’ death on the cross satisfied God’s wrath (punishment for sin). The sacrificial death of Christ the Messiah brought about the forgiveness of our sins and rescue from eternal separation from God (Hell). The scriptures are clear that salvation is a gift from God, received upon the turning away of sin (repentance), and with one’s faith being placed in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. This is undoubtably the grace of God, enacted through the person and work of Jesus Christ. This is indeed good news!
We believe the Church is the people of God throughout all of history, who have been redeemed and are being beautified by Christ. The Church—universally—is a spiritual reality that impacts our earthly reality. Instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the Church, the Church represents the reign of God’s kingdom and reflects the rule of Christ. The local expression of the church is the gathering of believers who worship the Father; evangelize (share the gospel with non-believers); make disciples; teach and adhere to the scriptures; fellowship; partake in communion and practice believer’s baptism; have the watchful care of a plurality of Elders (Pastors); and collectively live on mission both locally and globally. God has a Church for His mission in the world, as He is making all things new. As we live unto the Lord in this here/not yet reality, we have a great expectant hope in Jesus’ return (His second coming) when He will fully restore everything in the new heaven and the new earth.
We believe the sixty-six books of the Bible—both the Old Testament and New Testament—are the inspired, infallible, inerrant, and immutable word of God. The scriptures are the word of God for the people of God, and a word from God to give saving faith to those who do not believe in God. We hold that the holy scriptures are indeed the source of objective truth, authoritative, transformative, and sufficient for all of life. Although the Bible contains ancient texts, it is in fact God’s relevant revelation of Himself and His redemptive plan.