What We Believe

Jesus didn’t just teach about love, he is love.7 He didn’t build up our hopes with “unbelievable” stories about God’s love and mansions in heaven and streets of gold and then walk away. He backed up his stories with actions and events that were so incredible, so supernatural, their sheer unlikelihood became proof that his words are truth.8

Jesus told us about a Creator-God in heaven that wants to be known as our “father.”9 Every part of Jesus’ life was a communication from our father in heaven to us about his love, power and character.

Jesus told us that his father was a ruler, a king.10 He told us about the kingdom of his father and how his plan was for that kingdom to come to our world.11 He wanted it to come to us because he said only in his father’s kingdom could we find real peace.12 He said that his father had sent him to bring a revolution to the world. Peace does not come naturally to humankind; we were going to have to change if we were going to enter into and enjoy the benefits of that kingdom.13 Jesus came to bring us that power to change. The change would be so remarkable he referred to the process as being “born again.”14

Jesus was quick to forgive those who saw where they were wrong and desired to change.15 He did not come to condemn us or to make us feel bad.16 Instead he came to rescue the world from darkness and the power of a real devil. This devil, this enemy, goes around seeking to devour people’s lives.17 For eons this enemy has deceived humankind into thinking, saying and doing things that result in misery and suffering.18 Jesus came to destroy all of what the devil is doing in our lives and to show us a better, more constructive, way to live.19

Jesus taught us that many of us can be tools of satan without even realizing it.20 He had little tolerance for those who were evil and just wouldn’t change. Thank God Jesus hated hypocrisy, especially religious hypocrisy. The religious hypocrites of Jesus’ day helped reveal to us a side of Jesus’ personality that not many like to talk about these days. They made Jesus MAD!21 But even in his righteous anger Jesus tried to save them from the fires of an eternal hell.22 He knew that eternal fire, weeping and grinding of teeth would be their “reward”23 if they continued to take pride in their religious status and knowledge instead of asking God to help them change and be like him.24 Jesus taught that today’s hypocrites will fare no better.25

Jesus was so humble he let himself be killed by the hypocrites who wouldn’t change. His words and actions were so impacting that they just couldn’t stand to have him around anymore.26 Jesus is love, but he provokes real hate from those who love the benefits of what this life can bring them more than anything else.27

Jesus’ public, humiliating and excruciating death was the most remarkable event in history. We believe that somehow his suffering and death opened the way for all of humankind to have an intimate relationship with our Creator. “By his wounds we are healed.”28

Perhaps the second most remarkable event in history happened 3 days after Jesus’ death when he came back to life again. More than 500 people saw him alive after they saw him die.29 Now, almost 2000 years later, we too have seen evidence that Jesus still lives.

We believe that although we are mere mortals we carry within us the same supernatural power that raised Jesus and others from the dead.30 This is only possible through the work of God’s Holy Wind/Breath/Spirit31 which he breathes into everyone who believes in this remarkable God-Man, Jesus Christ.

Jesus continues to be motivated by his compassion for suffering humankind. Today, instead of doing things through his own hands as the Son of Man, he prefers to use the hands of those he has called to that work.32 He put his authority in our mouth and in our hands to carry on his work.33 That is why we see such incredible things when believers in Jesus do things “in the Name of Jesus.”34 The “Name” of Jesus is his authority. When we come ‘in his Name’ it means that we have been deputized by him and that we are his agents to accomplish his will. And so the love and power of God continue to spread through the whole world. In fact, it is spreading in a much larger and greater fashion than Jesus wanted to do by himself as a human being.35 We see today thousands and even millions of people around the world are multiplying Jesus’ works of love and power for his fame and his honor.

For that reason all believers in Christ are on a mission from God.36 None of us are superstars by ourselves but together, as the “church”, we have the power and authority to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to bind up the broken hearted, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.37

It is also our job to help others become students of Jesus and teach them his teachings and his ways. We are to teach them not merely head knowledge but to obey what Jesus said.38 The consequences for disobedience to Christ are terrible and ultimately eternal. After all, He is the King of all the earth.39 He is coming back soon to see what we did with what he gave us.40 He will want to know if we used our talents for his good and the good of others or if we have wasted them by either ignoring our talents or just using them to bless ourselves.41 Jesus made it very clear that when he comes he will make these judgments, very personally and very individually.42

As a result God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.43

On that day Jesus is going to punish all the people who refused to believe Jesus and change their selfish ways. On the very same day he will rescue those who cried out to God to be saved from those who refused to change and mistreated them.44 It won’t matter if the evil people were told that they were “saved”. Even those who cry out to the Lord and have been used to supernaturally bless others will earn hell if they continue to do evil.45

Jesus taught many wonderful things about heaven which is the ultimate destination for those Jesus rescues.46 We will live with Jesus, his Father and the Holy Spirit forever along with all those who are bold enough to believe what Jesus taught and act accordingly.47 These are those whose hearts have been changed by God to keep their word even when it hurts.48 They love the truth and hate falsehood.49 They hate wickedness and grieve over the horrible things that people do to one another and against God.50 They long for Jesus to come back51 and never stop talking to him and trusting in him no matter what troubles they go through and no matter how long they have to wait.52 They have this unexplainable desire to help other people not because of what it does for them but because it’s the natural thing for them to do and it makes their heavenly father happy. They realize that it didn’t used to be natural for them to be nice until Jesus came and made all things new inside of them.53 They are grateful for the opportunity to know their Creator even though they realize they have been worse than useless and are deserving of far worse than what he in his incredible mercy and love has given us.54

The apostle Paul neatly summed up much of what we believe when he wrote to Titus:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.55 

That’s what we believe. It is our prayer that you’ll believe it too.

Biblical References:

1 See, e.g., Heb.1:1-3
2 Luke 2:12
3 Matt. 4:13-16; Eph. 2:12
4 Matt. 4:23-24; Matt.9:35-36
5 whether physically or spiritually blind, it didn’t matter to him
6 See, e.g., Luke 7:12
7 1 John 4:16
8 Matt. 11:2-6; John 20:30-31
9 Luke 11:2
10 Matt. 5:35
11 Luke 11:2
12 John 14:27; Luke 2:14
13 Matt.3:2; John 3:3,5
14 John 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:23
15 John 8:10-11
16 John 3:17
17 1 Pet. 5:8
18 John 8:44; Acts 10:38
19 1 John 3:8
20 Matt. 16:23
21 See Matt. 23
22 Matt.23:33, 37-39
23 Matt. 13:42; 24:51; 25:41
24 Matt. 23:33
25 Matt. 5:20
26 John 7:7
27 John 15:18-19
28 Isa. 53:6
29 1 Cor. 15:6
30 Acts 1:8; Eph. 1:18-22
31 The word used in the New Testament for Spirit could have any of those interpretations.
32 Matt. 28:18-20
33 See, e.g., Acts 1:8; Matt. 10:1,8; 28:18; Luke 10:19
34 Mark 16:17
35 Matt. 9:36-38. Jesus also says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 (NIV)
36 Matt.28:18-20
37 Isa.61:1-3; Luke 4:18-20
38 Matt.18:19-20
39 1 Tim. 6:15
40 1 Pet. 4:5
41 Matt. 18:24: Matt.25:15, ff.
42 Matt. 25 (all); Rev. 20:11-15
43 Rom. 2:6-8
44 2 Thess.1
45 Matt. 7:21-23; 1 John 3:4-10
46 See, e.g., John 14:2; also “kingdom parables”
47 1 Thess. 4:17
48 Ps. 15
49 2 Thess. 2:12
50 Eze.9:4; 2 Pet. 2:7
51 2 Tim. 4:8;
52 Matt. 24:13; Luke 18:1
53 2 Cor. 5:17
54 Rom.3:9-18; Isa.64:3
55 Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)