Statement of Faith

including His Branches Action Pledge

Shared His Branches Statement of Faith

  1. We believe in the triune God of the Bible (Matthew 3.16-17; 28.19; 1 Peter 1.2): God, the Father; Christ Jesus, the Son; and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter (John 14.16).
  2. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ (John 1.1-18; 20.28) and in His virgin birth (Matthew 1.18-25), His sinless life (Hebrews 4.15), His miracles (the Gospels), His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood (Hebrews 9.11-14), His bodily resurrection (Matthew 28.6; Luke 24.46), His ascension to the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1.9-11), and His personal return in power and glory (Hebrews 9.28; 2 Peter 3.10-13).
  3. We believe the Bible is the inspired, authoritative, and only inerrant written Word of God (2 Timothy 3.16-17; 2 Peter 1.20-21).
  4. We believe in the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death (Psalm 139.13-16). This conviction is an extension of our understanding that human beings are whole persons created in the image of God (Genesis 1.26-27) with three interwoven and essential aspects to their existence – physical [body or soma in biblical Greek], psychological [soul or psyche], and spiritual [spirit or pneumo] (1 Thessalonians 5.23). We further believe that we are all born with a fallen nature which, apart from the intimate personal relationship with our Creator we were designed to develop and rely on, is prone to repeated sin (Romans 3.23) and ultimately to absolute death (Romans 6.23).
  5. We believe that God loves all people and desires each one to come to know Him personally by being “born anew” through “water and the Spirit” (John 3.1-21), accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, receiving His free gift of eternal life (Romans 6.23), and being filled with His Holy Spirit (Acts 2.38-39).
  6. We believe that God seeks to seal with His Holy Spirit (John 16.12-15) those who have committed their lives to Christ (Ephesians 1.13) and then to lead, guide, enable, and empower them (John 14.26) through the indwelling person (John 14.16-17), imparted gifts (1 Corinthians 12), and power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1.8).
  7. We believe in living exemplary Christian lives in right relationship with others (Ephesians 4.1-6) through the power of His Holy Spirit (Galatians 5.16-26), abandoning our lives to Christ by seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6.33), sharing the Gospel with others (Matthew 28.18-20), and allowing every phase of our lives to come under his Lordship (Ephesians 5.21-6.9).
  8. We believe we are called by Christ to make a foundational commitment to identify with the poor, oppressed and afflicted in their struggles (Isaiah 58.6-12). To that end we are all called to minister to those who are hungry, thirsty, ill-clothed or housed, lonely, in prison or needy in any significant way, for it is in such service that we are privileged to be used by God to express His love for all people (Matthew 25.31-46).

faith-action

Action Pledge

  • We proclaim a message of the transforming, redeeming, and emancipating power of Jesus Christ and integrate the same as our perspective for ministry, program, and service to the individual, family, and community on the front line of human need.
  • We acknowledge that generalizations cannot accurately describe any group, race, or culture. We will avoid prejudice against groups of people who are stereotyped and oppressed because of their race, gender, ethnicity, income, differing abilities, religious heritage, place of residence, educational level, age, employment, family structure, or personal interests. We oppose discrimination of any kind and will create policies that are based on mutual respect and justice, especially for those who historically have been denied many human rights and experienced an oppressive life of separation and exclusion.
  • We oppose any form of community and/or individual violence that many injure others and will actively work with others to create non-violent, redemptive methods to resolve disputes.
  • We will use our influence in the faith community to respond to the pervasive poverty faced by many people in our community and will work constructively to advocate for changes in policies that will remove barriers for economically and socially disadvantaged people and enhance their escape from poverty.