Living Hope Church stands firmly in the center of orthodox Christian teaching. Out of loyalty to Christ and to the gospel, we have come to a number of convictions concerning the clear teaching of the Bible. At the same time, we have not included in our statement of faith much that can be legitimately debated by orthodox Christians. In other words, we do have boundaries, but our boundaries are broad and inclusive. On the spectrum of Christian churches:

We are orthodox.

We are evangelical.

We are empowered evangelicals.

Our Statement of Faith:

I believe in one living and true God, the Creator and Lord of the heavens and the earth. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, equal in power and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, yet one Messiah, the only mediator between God and man. There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

I believe that Jesus Christ came down from heaven, was incarnated by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to the Father, and was crucified for my sins. He suffered, died, and was buried, and He rose bodily from the dead on the third day. As the God-man, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for His people. At His first coming, Jesus inaugurated the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry every believer in Jesus Christ. He is an abiding Helper, Teacher and Guide. I believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Spirit.

I believe that I, along with all men and women, am a sinner by nature and choice and was under condemnation. I am now accounted righteous before God only by the merit of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through faith in Him alone, and not by my own works or deserving.

I believe that I have been born again by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. This same Holy Spirit now lives in me, producing faith, holiness, love and power.

I believe in the divine inspiration, truthfulness and authority of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety, without error, in all that they affirm, and as the only infallible rule for my faith and practice.

I believe that the church is intended by God to be a worshiping community of believers, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His law, exercising the gifts, privileges and discipline invested in the church by His Word and His Holy Spirit, and seeking to extend the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.

I believe Christ committed two ordinances to the church: water baptism and the Lord's Supper. I believe water baptism is available to all Christian believers following a clear profession of Christian faith. I believe that the Lord's Supper is open to all believers. Through the working of the Holy Spirit, the Lord's Supper nourishes my soul. It brings to my remembrance the sacrifice of Christ for my sins, my communion with Christ and the church and my obligation to persevere in faith and holiness to the end of my life.

I believe Christians are to submit to a lifelong process of sanctification, which includes obedience to the moral and ethical teachings of the Bible, including the Ten Commandments, the teachings of Jesus, and the teachings of Jesus' Apostles.  I believe all Christians are responsible to honor Christ as Lord, submit their lives to His rule, and live in obedience to Him.  

I believe that marriage is a union of one man and one woman committed to each other in an exclusive union for life (Genesis 2:18-25).  I believe God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage (1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4).

I believe in the personal, visible, appearing of Christ to earth and the consummation of His Kingdom; in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.