“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:23

What I Believe

Christian ministry begins with convictions about who God is, what God has done in Jesus Christ, and what God is doing through his Church. These convictions shape the way I preach, lead, and understand the calling of a pastor.

What I Believe About God

God is outside of time and all constraints with which we are familiar. He created everything, and by his power, everything continues to exist. After man sinned and broke our perfect relationship with God, he came as Jesus, fully human and fully God, lived a perfect life teaching and doing good works, died on the cross, and resurrected from the grave. By his death and resurrection, we have access to God now and forever. After a time of teaching and giving final words, Jesus ascended to heaven where he remains. In his place, Christ continued his work through the power of the Holy Spirit. Anyone who has put their saving faith in Jesus has the Spirit of God living in them, equipping them for every good work. The Spirit guides, teaches, counsels, and intercedes on our behalf.

What I Believe About Scripture

The foundational manuscripts of Scripture are completely trustworthy and without error in all that they affirm. Over time, it has become apparent that various translations and adaptations have missed the mark, but God is faithful, and even through those problems, his people have had everything they need to love and follow him in truth. I believe in having a familiarity with the original languages of Scripture to better understand and teach his word, but for every day teaching and study, I have the most confidence in the CSB, ESV, NIV, NRSV, and NKJV, although other translations can prove useful for clarifying and edifying, including paraphrases like The Message.

What I Believe About Salvation

Sin separates us from God, as he is perfect, and cannot abide with imperfection. The payment for sin is spiritual death, and all may choose to pay that debt themselves or trust in Christ’s payment on the cross. By placing faith in Jesus, a believer dies to their old self, and is a new creation, equipped for every good work. Salvation can only happen when one understands their sin separates them from God, believes that he sent his son to die for our sins, and makes Christ the Lord of their life. Although sin still influences his children on this side of eternity, believers are justified by Jesus, sanctified by the Spirit, and will one day be glorified by God the Father for an eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven. When someone accepts salvation, the natural response is to make him the Lord of one’s life, and a person who is truly a Christ follower will seek to give him more and more leadership in their life as long as they live.

What I Believe About the Church

The global Church is comprised of anyone who has put saving faith in Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters from every tribe, nation, and tongue are joined together through one common Spirit, and will gather together around the throne in eternity to worship God and be in fellowship with him and one another. The Church serves the purpose of testifying to the world about the truth and power of Jesus, while seeking to making earth as it is in heaven by meeting needs and caring for God’s children and his creation. The local church is but a small part of a global group of believers that span the history of the world since creation. In its smallest form, the church exists to make disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded us. Of all the commands given to us, the greatest are to love God and love others. In essence, the church exists to love God through worship and devotion, and love others by sharing with them the truth of Jesus and meeting temporal needs as much as possible.

What I Believe About the Ordinances

Baptism is a sign of salvation, which includes admitting that our sin separates us from God, believing that he came to die for our sins, and making him the Lord of our life. It is an outward display of a personal decision, celebrated in the context of Christian community. It is the formal admittance into the family of God, although this sign is not necessary for justification, sanctification, and glorification. This ordinance is reserved for those old enough to understand salvation and what it means to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Full immersion is the example seen in Scripture and what is most acceptable, when possible.

The Lord’s Supper is a symbol of remembrance for what Christ did on the cross, and an opportunity to regularly come together as the people of God to repent and refocus. Before approaching the bread and the cup, each believer must examine oneself for any sin, of which they must repent and remember that Christ’s sacrifice is what opens the way for this special moment of communion with God and other Christ followers.

What I Believe About Discipleship

Believers only grow in community, and discipleship is a relational phenomenon that is part of the working out of salvation. The result of genuine salvation is the desire to grow more in Christ’s likeness, and studying God’s word, spurring each other on to love and good deeds, is the pathway for genuine discipleship. Discipleship is rooted in relationship with God and with others, so it takes place both individually and in community- there is discipleship that takes place while alone and also with others. Many of the spiritual disciplines work to move an individual and a community toward discipleship.

What I Believe About the Return of Christ

It is impossible for man to know with certainty the exact times, places, and format of the return of Christ. Eschatology found in Scripture is not a picture of an exact series of events, but instead a set of sign posts pointing in the right direction. When traversing a hike in the wilderness, one rarely sees signs with exact pictures of what to expect, but there are plenty of signs to guide travelers in the right direction. Scripture provides certain insight pointing to the ultimate culmination of God’s plan which includes the dramatic return of Christ in physical form, the resurrection of the saints, the judgement of the living and the dead, and the recreation of the heavens and the earth. In eternity, God’s people will enjoy perfect physical bodies, in a perfect physical world, communing with God in a perfect physical way.

What I Believe About Women in Ministry

There are passages in the New Testament that seem to provide differing messages of the role of women in ministry. The Scripture, however, is inspired by God and any apparent contradictions can be explained with careful consideration and prayer. In the same letter where Paul says a woman cannot speak in church, he also gives rules about how both women and men are to prophesy, and prophecy was an act which most commonly took place in the context of a gathering of believers. Other instructions about women leading deal with having authority over a man, but what constitutes authority? If someone is preaching the gospel, is that holding authority over someone? When I preach the gospel I have no authority to make anyone do anything. I am merely presenting God’s word and praying the Holy Spirit moves their heart. What is the definition of a man? I have yet to meet a woman in my theological studies at an egalitarian school who is pursuing a place of authority over men. They want to learn more about God and his word so they can faithfully teach and share the gospel. The church as we know it would be dead without the leadership of women and, what resonates most with me, is the Mary Magdalene was the first person to proclaim the risen Christ.