Beliefs

Beliefs

Our Beliefs

Seeking to be a people of grace and truth, St. John’s affirms:

  • The Trinitarian name of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that God has revealed Himself fully and decisively as attested in Holy Scripture.
  • The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God and those Scriptures as the guide for life and faith.
  • There is only one way to Salvation – through Jesus Christ.
  • With the Church Universal the historic creeds, including the Apostles’ Creed, as accurate interpretations of the Scriptures.
  • As heirs of the Protestant, evangelical tradition, the authority of Scripture, the priesthood of believers, and Salvation by grace through faith alone.
  • That the mission of the Church is to spread the Good News of the Gospel of salvation in word and deed and that we are sent by Christ into all the world to proclaim the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and to bring every person into a life of faith, discipleship and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
  • The sanctity of human life based on our creation in the image of God and our election by God for service in His Kingdom. This leads us to respectfully affirm sanctity at every stage of human life.
  • The Biblical guidelines for human sexuality: marriage as the union of one man and one woman, fidelity and holiness in marriage and chastity outside of marriage for the sake of the Kingdom.
  • Regarding polity, that Jesus Christ is the head of His body, the Church, and of the local church. Christ exercises His authority in each local church by the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Scriptures. Each local church is in itself a complete church, and is therefore autonomous and possesses all the rights and responsibilities of the church as bestowed upon it by the Holy Spirit and set forth in God’s Word. We do not stand alone but are united with all believers. We affiliate with churches of like background via the Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches (www.evangelicalassociation.org).