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SVCBC Statement of Faith
(taken
from the Foursquare Church)
The Holy Scriptures
We
believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God: true, immutable, steadfast,
and unchangeable (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
The Eternal
Godhead
We believe that God is triune: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the
Three are coexistent, coeternal, and equal in divine perfection (1 John
5:7).
The Fall of Man
We believe that man, created in the
image of God, by voluntary disobedience fell into the depths of sin and
iniquity, bequeathing sin’s nature and consequences to all mankind, with their
accompanying loss of intended meaning and purpose (Genesis 1:27; Romans
5:12).
The Plan of Redemption
We believe that while we were
yet sinners Christ died for us, took our place, and with His life’s blood
purchased the pardon for all who believe in Him (John 3:16; Titus 2:14).
Salvation Through Grace
We believe that salvation is wholly
through grace; that no human righteousness or merit can contribute to our
receiving God’s love and favor (Ephesians 2:8).
Repentance and
Acceptance
We believe that, upon sincere repentance and a whole-hearted
acceptance of Christ, we are justified before God through Jesus’ sacrificial
death (Romans 10:6-10; 1 John 1:9).
The New Birth
We believe
that the change that takes place in people at conversion is a very real one;
that having received righteousness in Christ and having received of His Spirit,
people will have new desires, interests, and pursuits in life (2 Corinthians
5:17; Galatians 2:20).
Daily Christian Life
We believe that
it is the will of God that those who have been born again grow in
sanctification, become partakers of His holiness, and daily grow stronger in the
faith, power, prayer, love, and service (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Water
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
We believe that being baptized in the name
of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is an essential response to Jesus’ command,
testifying to His lordship as Christ and King (Romans 6:4). We believe in
observing the Lord’s Supper, receiving the broken bread and the fruit of the
vine with joy and faith as we partake anew of the life and triumph of Christ’s
Cross (1 Corinthians 11:24-26)
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
We
believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers believers to exalt Jesus,
to live lives of holiness, and to be witnesses of God’s saving grace; we expect
the Spirit’s incoming to be after the same manner as that in which He came upon
believers in the days of the Early Church (Acts 1: 5, 8; 2:4).
The
Spirit-Filled Life
We believe that it is the will of God that believers
walk in the Spirit moment by moment, serving the Lord and living lives of
patience, love, truth, sincerity, and prayer (Ephesians 4:30-32; Galatians 5:16,
25).
The Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit
We believe that the
Holy Spirit bestows enabling ministry gifts upon believers, and that these gifts
will build up the Body of Christ through edification and evangelism(1
Corinthians 12:1-11); as evidence of a Spirit-filled life, believers should show
spiritual “fruit”: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians
5:22-25).
Moderation
We believe a Christians’ moderation
should be obvious to others and that relationship with Jesus should never lead
people into extremes of fanaticism; their lives should model that of Christ in
uprightness, balance, humility, and self-sacrifice (Colossians 3:12, 13;
Philippians 4:5).
Divine Healing
We believe that divine
healing is the power of Jesus Christ to heal the sick in answer to the prayer of
faith; He, who does not change, is still willing and able to heal the body, as
well as the soul and spirit in answer to faith (Mark 16: 17, 18; James
5:14-16).
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that the
second coming of Christ is personal and imminent; the certainty of His coming
and the fact that no man knows the hour of His coming prompt our evangelistic
efforts; that the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven, the dead in Christ
shall rise, and the redeemed will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air
(Matthew 24:36, 42, 44; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).
Church
Relationship
We believe that it is our sacred duty to identify
ourselves with a congregation of believers with whom we can worship God, observe
the ordinances of Christ, exhort and support one another, labor for the
salvation of others, and work together to advance the Lord’s Kingdom (Acts 16:5;
Hebrews 10:24).
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