What We Believe
That's a big question. The truth is that with 3,000 members from so many places and spaces in life, we believe a lot! Every one of our members is growing in his or her Christian faith and that means we have a lot of beliefs and convictions in play at our congregation. So, we have to answer the question in a couple ways.
SECOND, AS WE GATHER AS INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS
That our hope of heaven and the renewal of our lives here and now begins with a simple faith that Jesus is who He said He is and what He did really accomplished what He said it would - our sins are forgiven and our life with God is restored. In other words, no work or goodness or power of ours could set us right with God. God set us right with Him when we were powerless to do anything.
Jesus will return and history as we know it will end.
There is an eternal punishment for those who reject God without repenting of that rejection.
God created everything there is.
The Christian Church is the place where God speaks and His beloved human creations hears His voice.
We expect of one another a certain basic understanding of all the beliefs held in the Bible and The Book of Concord. Those who affiliate with our congregation and call it their spiritual home publicly acknowledge:
The Bible is the Word of God and is without error regarding matters of faith.
Jesus is the Son of God and true man.
That His death was a sacrifice for our sin and moral failure.
That He in fact rose with His body after being dead three days.