All About Lauren

Beliefs

In the interest of best practices, transparency, and unity, Lauren affirms the following:

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• The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is the Christian’s final authority in faith and conduct and we will teach with the Holy Scripture as our standard of truth. (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21)

• There is One God, creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three (distinct, yet equal) persons: The Father, The Son (Jesus Christ), The Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:16-17; John 14:16-26)

• By the miracle of the virgin birth, the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, in order to reveal God and to redeem man. He died for our sins, offering His body and His blood, as a substitutionary sacrifice and arose bodily from the dead for our justification. He is now exalted at the right hand of God, the Head of the Church, and the Lord of the individual believer. He is our Great High Priest and advocate with the Father. (Luke 1:26-38; Philippians 2:5-11; I Corinthians 15:3-5)

• The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin and regenerates the repentant believer. The Holy Spirit indwells, guides, instructs and empowers the believer for Godly living and service. He bestows spiritual gifts upon each believer for the common good. (I Corinthians 12:7; Acts 1:8; John 7:37-39; John 14:16-17; John 16:7-14) The character of God is revealed in us by the fruit of His Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)

• Man was created in the image of God, but he sinned, receiving not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God, and which is inherited by every member of Adam’s race. Man, within himself, has no possible means of recovery or salvation. We are all sinners who need a Savior, Jesus Christ, to restore us to a right relationship with Almighty God. (Isaiah 59:2)

• Salvation from the guilt and condemnation of sin is possible only as the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained by sincere human efforts, nor submission to rules, regulations, or ordinances of any church, but is freely bestowed on all who put their faith in Christ and His work accomplished on the cross of Calvary. All who so trust Jesus and believe he is the only way to God pass from death to life, are forgiven of their sins, accepted by the Father, and born into His family by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:6-7; 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)

• Marriage is a holy covenant of the church sanctioned by God, which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive, covenantal union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:31-21)

• The sanctity of life from the moment of conception to the point of natural death.  (Acts 17:25, Psalm 139:13-16)

• Every person, regardless of background or belief, should be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed to any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines in the church. (John 3:16, Romans 5:8)

• That all true believers who trust in the Lordship of Jesus Christ are many parts of the same Body. The value of the local church body as a means of maintaining personal relationship with Christ. (Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 4:11-16)

• That all believers are called to be disciples and to disciple others. (Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 28:19-20)