What We BELIEVE

Our beliefs are summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith, as well as the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. These confessions and catechisms are summaries of biblical teaching which our officers heartily affirm and have promised to uphold. A shorter summary of our beliefs would include:

  • We believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
  • We believe in the Holy Trinity. There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
  • We believe that all are sinners and totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure, except by His mercy.
  • We believe that salvation is by God alone as He sovereignly chooses those He will save.
  • We believe His choice is based on His grace, not on any human individual merit, or foreseen faith.
  • We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him, alone, for salvation.
  • We believe that God is gracious and faithful to His people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to His Covenant promises.
  • We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him.
  • We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people to Himself.
  • We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

Affiliations

We affirm and embrace the teachings of the historic Christian faith as expressed in the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.


We are part of the Reformed and Presbyterian stream of the Church, committed to the emphasis on the glory of God, the primacy and authority of God’s Word, the centrality of Christ, and the gift of God’s grace received by faith alone in Christ.


In addition to these doctrinal and historical commitments, we are also committed to meaningful connection with other churches in our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America, as well as our regional presbytery, which gives us encouragement and accountability, and a shared sense of mission to share the gospel.

Church Culture: Gospel+Safety+Time

Often a church's formal theological beliefs can be at odds with its actual atmosphere, ethos, and feel as a church. Our prayer and desire it to be a church with a gospel-shaped culture, where believers experience meaningful care, encouragement, and accountability. Ray Ortlund in his book The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ, has a nice description of the kind of culture where people can really grow and see the power of Christ at work in their lives. He sums it up as three things:


"Gospel + safety + time. It's what everyone needs. A lot of gospel + a lot of safety + a lot of time. " 


Gospel: good news for bad people through the finished work of Christ on the cross and the endless power of the Holy Spirit. Multiple exposures. Constant immersion. Wave upon wave of grace and truth, according to the Bible. " 


Safety: a non-accusing environment. No finger-pointing. No embarrassing anyone. No manipulation. No oppression. No condescension. But respect and sympathy and understanding, where sinners can confess and unburden their souls. " 


Time: no pressure. No deadlines on growth. Urgency, but not hurry, because no one changes quickly. A lot of space for complicated people to rethink their lives at a deep level. God is patient." 


At Resurrection, we desire to be a place where people can belong, grow, and find this "gospel plus safety plus time." One of the main ways we can offer avenues for building relationships that are centered on the gospel is through our Community Groups.