Our Beliefs

Living Hope is a non-denominational Christian church. We are part of a family of churches known as Confluence. We are a family of churches together on a mission.

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I. The Word of God

The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it was inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any mixture of error and is completely relevant to our daily lives. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 105; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Romans 15:4; Romans 16:25-28; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 3:16).

II. The Trinity

There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority (Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 9:6, 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 1:35; Romans 8:9-11; Hebrews 3:7-11; James 2:19; I John 5:7)

Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14

III. The Father

God is great: He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, Holy. It is in Him that we live, move, and exist. God is good. He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises (Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16, 4:24, 5:26, 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4).

IV. Jesus Christ (The Son)

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully man yet without sin. We believe in his sinless life, his miracles, and his teaching.

Luke 1:26-35; John 1:18; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 1:29, Colossians 2:9

We believe Jesus Christ died in our place and for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, personally appearing to his disciples.

Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, his exaltation and enthronement at the Father’s right hand.

Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; 1 Peter 3:21-22

V. The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created by God in his own image; that man sinned and by sin incurred physical and spiritual death; that all humans are born with a sinful nature, and are sinners by choice, and are therefore under just condemnation; that man is unable through his own effort to restore himself to right relationship with God.

Romans 5:6-19

VI. Salvation

We believe that all who repent and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are made alive (born again) by the Holy Spirit, cleansed of their sins, delivered from condemnation, granted the righteousness of Christ and life abundant and unending; that these are gifts of grace provided for entirely by the merits of Christ’s death and resurrection, not by individual effort.

Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:22; Romans 5:11

VII. Baptism

We believe in baptism by immersion in water for the believer in order to fulfill the command of Christ, a mark of our union with him and his body.

Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:37-41; Acts 19:1-6

VIII. The Holy Spirit

We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a tangible experience of God’s empowering presence.

Mark 1:8; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 10:44-46

We believe that the Holy Spirit abides within all believers, setting them apart unto God, guiding, strengthening, and teaching them.

John 14:16-17; Romans 8:9-17; 1 John 4:13

We believe in the present availability of all the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures and manifested in the early church. We believe that the proper employment of these gifts is essential to the growth and maturity of the body of Christ, the church.

1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:11

IX. The Church

We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all who are born of the Spirit are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and joined together for worship, fellowship, and work. We believe that God has entrusted to the church the task of making the good news of Jesus known to the world and continuing the work Jesus began.

Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8, 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25; Matthew 10:7-8; John 14:12

X. The Lord’s Supper

We believe in the breaking of bread, commonly called communion or the Lord’s Supper, instituted by Jesus for the commemoration of his death, an expression of our participation in his death and eternal life, and of our union with his body, the church.

Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

XI. Christian Discipleship/Maturity

We believe in the Spirit-filled life and the ongoing Spirit-transformation of character in the believer; that a Christian should enjoy God; that he should live for the glory of God and the good of his fellow men; that he should strive to be blameless before the world, that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.

Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:18-21; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 1:27; 2 Peter 1:5-9