Statement of Faith

This is the same Statement of Faith for the church I pastor: Woodland Christian Church.

1. The Holy Scriptures – The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The original autographs are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures should be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. (1 Corinthians 9:17; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24,25,27; Revelation 20:2-6)

2. The Godhead – God is Triune, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy. 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 14:10,26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7)

3. The Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ

• Jesus is the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1,2,14; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4,5; Philippians 2:5-8)
• Jesus accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24,25; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7)
• Jesus ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1,2)

4. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

• The Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and He regenerates and baptizes all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13,14)
• The Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who assists believers in understanding the Scriptures. (Ephesians 1:17, 18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20,27)
• The Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:7-12)

5. The Depravity of Man – Man was created sinless and in the image and likeness of God, but in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is depraved, and, of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Genesis 1:26,27; Romans 3:22,23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19)

6. Salvation

• Salvation is the gift of God to man by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:6; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18,19)
• Repentance is the fruit of saving faith. (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38, 20:21)
• It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word. (Romans 13:13,14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11)

7. Separation – Believers are commanded to live holy lives separated from the world so as not to bring reproach upon our Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Romans 12:1,2; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1; 1 Pet 1:13-16, 1 John 2:15-17)

8. Marriage – Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman; therefore, we will only perform and recognize marriages between a man and woman. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5,13; 26:8,9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)

9. Sexuality – Homosexuality as well as any sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful, and if un-repented from warrants removal from fellowship.

10. Abortion – Human life begins at conception; therefore, abortion constitutes murder. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1,5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)

11. The Church

• The church is the body and the espoused bride of Christ solely made up of born-again persons. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:25-27)
• God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:7-12).
• The establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17,28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
• The local church is autonomous in its governance. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9,16; 5:4-7; 13)

12. Ordinances – Water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper are the Scriptural ordinances to be observed. (Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 2:41,42; 18:18; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

13. The Second Coming of Christ – Christ will return literally, bodily, and visibly with the church to establish His earthly Millennial Kingdom. (Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Titus 2:13)

14. The Eternal State – There will be a bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28,29; 11:25,26; Revelation 5-6; 12-13)

15. Satan – He was an angel who fell by rebelling against God; he tempted man in the Garden, and he is now the accuser of the brethren; he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6,7; Isaiah 14:12-17; 25:41; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Revelation 12:10, 20:10)

16. Creation – God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. (Genesis 1-2)

17. Civil Government – God has established civil government, which Christians are commanded to obey unless in conflict with their obedience to God. (Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1-7; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13,14)

18. Missions – God has commissioned believers to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. (Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20)

Authority of Statement of Faith

The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of my faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that I believe. Due to a number of bad translations of the Bible, for settling issues of doctrine I will use the NASB, NKJV, KJV, or ESV.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

In Christ,
Scott LaPierre