Our beliefs
God's plan
God’s plan is for people to live forever, in paradise, with God and with each other.
God and humans
We believe in a supernatural being, God, who created everything we call "nature". And of all created things, God created human beings unique--God designed us for relationship with Him.
Nature tells us some things about God. It's like how a work of art tells us something about the artist--but not everything. And nature doesn't tell us everything about God.
So God tells us about Himself. God has been involved in human history since He created us. God always has been involved in our lives, and always will.
Nature tells us some things about God. It's like how a work of art tells us something about the artist--but not everything. And nature doesn't tell us everything about God.
So God tells us about Himself. God has been involved in human history since He created us. God always has been involved in our lives, and always will.
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the record of God's most direct interaction with people.
The Bible was written by at least 40 authors, between 1,400 BC and 100 AD--a time span of 1,500 years. It tells the true stories of God's involvement with humans, particularly Abraham's family (the Israelites or Jews) and Christians.
These many authors and numerous stories all tell about one God. This is impossible to fabricate or make up. We believe the Bible is true and accurate.
The Bible was written by at least 40 authors, between 1,400 BC and 100 AD--a time span of 1,500 years. It tells the true stories of God's involvement with humans, particularly Abraham's family (the Israelites or Jews) and Christians.
These many authors and numerous stories all tell about one God. This is impossible to fabricate or make up. We believe the Bible is true and accurate.
God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
We humans have experienced God in three persons.
God the Father has appeared in a fire on top of a mountain, and in a quiet breeze. The Son and the Spirit are subject to the Father--they follow His directions and intentions. No human has seen the Father's face.
God the Son spent about 30 years as a human on earth. We know him as Jesus from Nazareth. He was fully human, and experienced everything we humans experience--even death on a cross. He rose from the dead, and is with the Father, preparing our eternal home.
God the Holy Spirit is with us today. He teaches and reminds us. He encourages us, comforts us, and directs us when we're out of line.
God the Father has appeared in a fire on top of a mountain, and in a quiet breeze. The Son and the Spirit are subject to the Father--they follow His directions and intentions. No human has seen the Father's face.
God the Son spent about 30 years as a human on earth. We know him as Jesus from Nazareth. He was fully human, and experienced everything we humans experience--even death on a cross. He rose from the dead, and is with the Father, preparing our eternal home.
God the Holy Spirit is with us today. He teaches and reminds us. He encourages us, comforts us, and directs us when we're out of line.
The three trees
God made the first humans, Adam and Eve, put them in paradise, and gave them every kind of fruit tree to eat from. There were also two special trees in paradise--the tree of Life, and the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
God said they could eat from any tree, except the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve chose to eat from that tree; they chose to disobey God. They were banished from paradise and could not eat from the tree of Life any more.
We all have that problem. Each person, when he or she is capable of understanding Good and Evil, chooses Evil. That choice is "sin", and the Bible says "Everyone has sinned" and "The wages of sin is death".
Would God leave us like that? No! God designed us to live forever with Him. The end of the Bible describes a new paradise, with the same tree of Life, where we can live forever with God.
But the penalty for our sin still had to be paid. That's why Jesus--God the Son--died on the cross. He paid the penalty for our sins. He died because God loves us so much. He died to so we could be released from our sins and reunited with God forever! Another word for cross is "tree"--this was the tree of Death.
Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, proving God is more powerful than sin and even death!
"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." God offers us this gift. And he tells us how to receive it--by being born again. This is a spiritual and physical rebirth. Spiritually, you start a brand new relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Physically, you are lowered into water and brought out of it. It's your personal death, burial, and resurrection!
God said they could eat from any tree, except the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve chose to eat from that tree; they chose to disobey God. They were banished from paradise and could not eat from the tree of Life any more.
We all have that problem. Each person, when he or she is capable of understanding Good and Evil, chooses Evil. That choice is "sin", and the Bible says "Everyone has sinned" and "The wages of sin is death".
Would God leave us like that? No! God designed us to live forever with Him. The end of the Bible describes a new paradise, with the same tree of Life, where we can live forever with God.
But the penalty for our sin still had to be paid. That's why Jesus--God the Son--died on the cross. He paid the penalty for our sins. He died because God loves us so much. He died to so we could be released from our sins and reunited with God forever! Another word for cross is "tree"--this was the tree of Death.
Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, proving God is more powerful than sin and even death!
"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." God offers us this gift. And he tells us how to receive it--by being born again. This is a spiritual and physical rebirth. Spiritually, you start a brand new relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Physically, you are lowered into water and brought out of it. It's your personal death, burial, and resurrection!
