Statement of Faith
The Essentials of our Faith
We believe all 66 writings of the Bible to be both true and authoritative. We believe God divinely inspired the original authors through the Holy Spirit to pen them. We expect God to be present with and in us, always revealing. Yet, we do not subscribe to notions that God contradicts what the Scriptures have historically determined for us in practice and belief. God never contradicts Himself. Therefore, Scripture serves not only as inspiration into the life of God, but also as a guardrail for us to know the will of God and test the veracity of all things.
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
We believe God the Father is the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. He is an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of all people, He hears and answers prayer, and He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
We believe Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. He came as the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy concerning the promised Messiah to Israel and all creation. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth. As God’s only begotten Son, He is part of the Triune Godhead, full God and fully human. Jesus is the only way to know God, which is to know forgiveness of sin (we are beings marked by sin that created separation and death) and fullness of life.
We believe the Holy Spirit is the 3rd person of the Triune Godhead, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. He imparts gifts for the building up of the body and enables fruitful living marked by love.
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a family of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the Triune God. Baptism is an act of obedience, closely associated with the act of repentance and acceptance of salvation in Christ. It is a public act of obedience, declaration and celebration of this new found faith and identity in Christ. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. It is an opportunity to regularly remember and revere at the fact that Jesus gave his life for us. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the sovereignty of God as it applies to Him being omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, but also believe in man’s God-given free will. Our free
choice cannot violate God’s sovereignty and God’s sovereignty will not violate our free
choice.
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal bliss of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked. Until his return, the mandate for the people of God is to remain faithful, partnering in the redemption and renewal of all things.
FAQ's
A pastoral response to the questions being asked both within the church & the broader culture
We believe that men and women are both gifted and qualified to lead and serve as co-laborers in the church, dependent upon gifting, calling, and experiences. We do not just permit, but we emphatically value the presence of both men and women at every level of church leadership—including the office of elder. We see this as both being in line with the teaching of the Scriptures as well as being practically helpful and wise. These realities are illuminated in the life and ministry of Jesus and Paul later on.
While he is not authoritative to our church, NT Wright’s response to this question is informative and points towards our conviction on this topic. To read this article, click here.
According to God’s design and intent, sex difference (male and female) is an intrinsic part of what marriage is. While same-sex marriage is legal in some countries, it does not represent a historical, Christian view of marriage. God designed sexual relations to take place within the covenant bond of marriage. The Fall has corrupted God’s original intent for human sexuality in all persons; therefore, all people—straight or non-straight—experience corruption in their sexuality. Simply experiencing attraction to the same sex (or being gay) is not in itself a morally culpable sin. God desires all people to embrace their biological sex as part of their human identity. All forms of abuse, slander, dehumanization, or oppression toward fellow humans is an affront against God’s sacred image, which has been stamped upon all people.
Adopted from Christian-sexuality.com.
The key question for those seeking a spiritual home is often not just the belief itself, but how it is expressed: Will I (or my loved ones) be welcomed at The Dwelling Church? And, Is there a point at which that welcome might run out?
At The Dwelling Church, we welcome everyone—regardless of sexual orientation or practice—to join us in worship and pursue Jesus. As the head of the church, Jesus was clear and unwavering in His call for people to align their lives with His teachings, which He described as the path to “life to the full” (John 10:10). His teachings, rooted in love, reflect His deep compassion for each person and their story.
The church is called the Body of Christ, a community meant to embody Jesus’ heart. Therefore, our beliefs and the way we express them should reflect His example. On the matter of sexuality, we hold certain convictions that shape our expression. Our foremost responsibility is to be a living testament to the ancient orthodoxy of covenant love and sexuality, expressed within a monogamous, heterosexual marriage between two biologically male and biologically female persons, showing the world a distinct counterculture—one where “life to the full” is displayed as an invitation to all. Yet, in many respects, the church has often mirrored the surrounding culture, rather than offering a countercultural witness. Our calling is not to critique the broader culture, but to live out the kind of fidelity, service, and love in our relationships—whether in singleness or marriage—that offers a compelling witness to the fullness of life in Christ.
Our church’s doors—and our hearts—are open to everyone, no matter their beliefs. No one will ever be excluded from worship on Sundays due to a difference in belief.
It’s important to distinguish between agreement and acceptance. One of the most striking aspects of Jesus’ life is that those whose lives were least in line with His ethical teachings were often the most drawn to Him. His closest companions included people whose lives were in direct contrast to His teachings: prostitutes, tax collectors, and others living in ways that would seem incompatible with His ethics. Today, many people conflate agreement with acceptance: “If you don’t agree with my beliefs, you don’t accept me.” But in Jesus, we see the opposite—those who most disagreed with His teachings often felt most accepted by Him. As a church, we are committed to following this example. We stand firm in our alignment with every word of Jesus’ teaching. But equally, we strive to be a community where anyone, regardless of their alignment with our beliefs—especially on matters of sexuality—feels truly accepted and welcomed in our fellowship.