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Our Beliefs

Core Beliefs

The following are the core beliefs of Epworth based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

 

God

We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinite in love, perfect in judgments and unchanging in mercy. God exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son incarnate, born of the Virgin Mary. He died for the sins of all, taking on Himself, on behalf of sinful persons, God’s judgment upon sin. In His body he rose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us.  We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, in the bodily resurrection of all persons, in final judgment and in eternal reward and punishment.  We believe that God graciously justifies and regenerates all who trust in Jesus Christ. Believers become children of God and begin to live in holiness through faith in Christ and the sanctifying Spirit.

 

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God present and active in the world. The Holy Spirit was given to the church in His fullness at Pentecost and continues to work supernaturally in the world today. By the Spirit, Christ lives in His church, the gospel is proclaimed and the Kingdom of God is manifested in the world.

We believe that God calls all disciples to sanctification in a moment of full surrender and faith subsequent to their new birth in Christ. Through sanctifying grace the Holy Spirit delivers them from all rebellion toward God, and makes possible wholehearted love for God and for others. This grace does not make believers faultless nor prevent the possibility of their falling into sin. They must live daily by faith in the forgiveness and cleansing provided for them in Jesus Christ. 

We believe that all believers are assured that they are children of God by the inward witness of God’s Spirit with their spirits, by faith in the gracious promises of God’s Word, and by the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.

 

Scripture

We believe in the divine inspiration, truthfulness and authority of both the Old and New Testaments, the only written Word of God, without error in all it affirms. The Scriptures are the only infallible rule of faith and practice. The Holy Spirit preserves God’s Word in the church today and by it speaks God’s truth to peoples of every age.

 

Humankind

We believe that human beings were created in the image of God. This image was marred in every part through the disobedience of our first parents, and fellowship with God was broken. God, in His prevenient grace, restores moral sensibility to all humankind and enables all to respond to His love and to accept His saving grace, if they will.

 

The Church

We believe that the Church is the people of God composed of all those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Church is Christ’s body; it is visible in the world wherever believers, in obedience of faith, hear the Word, receive the sacraments and live as disciples.

We believe that the Church is called to live in daily witness to the grace which comes to us in Jesus Christ, to preach the gospel to every person according to the command of Christ, and to declare God’s insistence upon righteousness and justice in all relationships and structures of human society.