The Bible
We believe that God has revealed Himself and His special message to man in the Bible. To do this, we believe that God superintended, through the Holy Spirit, the writings of the books of the Bible, so that, all of its ideas and words are authoritative and without error. The Bible is, therefore, the Word of God, and we find in it our ultimate authority for belief and behavior.
God
We believe that there is only one true God who has always existed in three Persons whom the Bible names the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All of creation originated, is sustained, and will culminate in the purposes of the Father. According to the Father’s will, the Son entered human existence by the virgin birth. He lived a sinless life and died in the place of each person and as a payment for the sins of all humans. He was buried and rose again in victory over sin and death. We believe that this Jesus will come again to earth in the same physically real body that ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, makes alive spiritually those who believe, and lives within all Christians in order to empower their lives.
Humanity
God created humanity in His likeness and, as originally created, Adam and Eve existed in a state of innocence before God. However, through Adam and Eve’s choice to sin and live in disobedience, they were separated from their Creator, resulting in divine judgment which is passed down to every individual through a corrupted nature. Now, all people lack spiritual life and are entirely incapable of pleasing God on their own.
Salvation and Resurrection
We believe that all humans are born sinners and separated from the life of God. They can be saved only by God’s grace through faith in the sacrifice which the Son made by the shedding of His blood on the cross. This salvation provides eternal life to the believer: a life that begins now and extends beyond death forever. Therefore, we believe in the resurrection of the dead. Believers will be resurrected to endless life, but unbelievers will be resurrected to endless punishment.
Assurance
Once a person places their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are eternally secure in their salvation. This assurance is not conditional upon works, good deeds, or ongoing performance, but solely upon the finished work of Christ on the cross and God’s promise of salvation to those who believe. Salvation is a free gift of God’s grace that cannot be earned or lost.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Jesus Christ has directed those who place their faith in Him to be baptized in water, signifying their new birth in Christ. Baptism is conducted through immersion and is exclusively intended for individuals who have placed their trust in Christ. Additionally, the Lord established the Lord’s Supper to commemorate His sacrifice, death, and resurrection. Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper possess any influence in securing eternal life for a person.
The Church
We believe that the church is made up of all believers whom He has called up and redeemed both in heaven and on the earth. The Lord Jesus makes Himself known through the Holy Spirit who produces the life of Christlike holiness in each Christian and the whole church. We believe that the Lord Jesus commands every Christian to be baptized as an outward expression of personal faith in Him and to partake regularly in the Lord’s Supper.
Marriage Policy
From the Scriptures, we know that God has ordained marriage and defined it as a covenant between a biological male, a biological female, and Himself. Grace Fellowship Church, its pastors and leadership, as well as its property will only acknowledge and take part in marriages consistent with these definitions.
Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality
We believe that every individual should be treated with compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Any form of hateful or harassing conduct or attitudes are not in line with the teachings of Scripture or the church and will be addressed as the leadership determines necessary.
God is also inherently holy. He purposefully and unchangeably creates each person as male or female, with these two distinct yet complimentary genders reflecting the image and essence of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejecting one’s inherent biological sex amounts to rejecting the divine image within that individual.
We hold that the term “marriage” possesses a singular definition: the joining of one man and one woman in an exclusive, committed union, as laid out in the Scriptures (Genesis 2:18-25). Our conviction is that sexual intimacy is intended solely for a married man and woman (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). It is our belief that any form of sexual immorality, including adultery, fornication, homosexual conduct, bisexual behaviors, bestiality, incest, and pornography, stands contrary to God’s will and His plan for humanity’s flourishing (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
To maintain the function and moral integrity of Grace Fellowship Church as a local representation of the Body of Christ and to offer a Scriptural example to the congregation and the community, we consider it vital that all individuals employed by or volunteering with Grace Fellowship Church adhere to and uphold this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).
It is our conviction that God extends redemption and restoration to all who confess and turn away from their sins. The Church’s mission is to see all humanity drawn into actively seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
The Sanctity of Human Life
We affirm the sanctity of all human life, recognizing that God has uniquely crafted each individual in His image. Every facet of human existence holds immeasurable value, from the earliest stages of prenatal development to the elderly, the physically or mentally challenged, and every phase in between, spanning from conception to natural passing. This compels us to stand as guardians, advocates, and champions for all forms of human life, nurturing a deep respect and appreciation for each person’s inherent worth.
Church Discipline
Church discipline aims to 1) honor God by upholding purity within the local congregation (1 Corinthians 5:6), 2) build up believers by deterring sin and advocating for moral purity (1 Timothy 5:20), and 3) watching over the spiritual welfare of erring believers by inviting them to return to a Biblically sound path of belief and conduct (Galatians 6:1).
The authority and responsibility for this discipline have been entrusted by Jesus Christ to the local church. It is exercised over individuals within our congregation who engage in severe sin or significant doctrinal error, with the primary goal of restoring the individual. This process is overseen by the elders/pastoral staff and follows the established pattern set forth in passages such as Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 2:7-8, Galatians 6:1, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, Titus 3:10-11, and 2 John 7-11.
Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct
Just as 2 Timothy 2:15 states: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who correctly handles the word of truth.” The above statement of faith does not encompass the entirety of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the divinely inspired and flawless Word of God, stands as the ultimate and unerring authority on truth, morality, and proper human conduct.