Statement of Faith

This statement of faith for Fellowship of the Way expresses our spiritual and moral beliefs on specific issues of biblical doctrine among the variety of beliefs held within the greater community of the body of Christ. This statement of faith is to be used as a guide for preaching, teaching, and discipling ministries of our local church.

1. We believe in one God eternally existing as one essence and three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each of whom is fully God, yet there is one God. We believe that God the Father created all things through God the Son, and that through God the Son, all things continue to hold together and operate.

(Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30)

2. We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah (John 1:36-42), born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:34-35), totally without sin (Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26), God in human flesh (John 1:1 & 14; John 20:28), the One who died on the cross for the sins of the world (1 Corinthians 15:3; Ephesians1:7; Hebrews 2:9), was buried (John 19:40-42), rose again from the dead on the third day (John 2:19), and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven where He now intercedes for us who believe in Him.

(Mark 16:19; Acts 7:56; 1Timothy 2:5)

3. We believe the Scriptures, the canon of 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God and are therefore without error in their original writings. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is utterly authoritative and free from error. The Scripture is sufficient for all that God requires for us to believe and do and is therefore to be believed, as God’s instruction, in all that it teaches; obeyed, as God’s command, in all that it requires; and trusted, as God’s pledge, in all that it promises (Is. 40:6-8). As God’s people hear, believe, and obey the Word, they are equipped as disciples of Christ and witnesses to the gospel

(Rom. 10:14-17, 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:21)

4. We believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, by which we are justified. We believe in the Resurrection of the First Fruits, the Resurrection of the Just, and the Resurrection of the Unjust.

(1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Matthew 27:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 20:12-15)

5. We believe that all men everywhere are lost with a sinful nature and face the judgment of God, that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ result in regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, we believe that God will reward the righteous with eternal life in heaven, and that He will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment in hell.

(Luke 24:46-47; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Ephesians 1:7 and 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7; Romans 5:12)

6. We believe that genuine believers are born again by the Holy Spirit of God, and are indwelt by Him, baptized into the body of Christ, the true church, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and thus, unable to be separated from the love of Jesus Christ.

(John 3:1-6; Acts 1:4-5; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:13-14)

7. We believe the Holy Spirit is sovereign in giving spiritual gifts for the perfecting of the saints and the building up of the Body of Christ. We believe in the spiritual unity of all genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is manifested by the use of spiritual gifts and evidenced by the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s presence through His love.

(1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:8-12)

8. We believe that Jesus Christ is going to return in the clouds to Rapture His church before the tribulation that is coming upon the whole earth (John 14:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), and that He will return in the Second Coming with His saints and all His holy angels to the world at the end of the tribulation to set up His kingdom on earth, ruling and reigning forever and ever.

(Matthew 24; Revelation 19)

9. We believe marriage, as revealed in the Bible, is a sacred covenantal union between a man and a woman that limits sexual relations to a monogamous, heterosexual marriage.

(Genesis 2:24)

10. We believe in a real and literal devil, called Satan, who, along with all his fallen angels, demons, and evil spirits, are destined to spend eternity in hell, and now seek to deceive the world, defeat the believers, and destroy the work of God, but can be resisted by believers, who are protected by God, the Holy Spirit, and the intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord.

(Genesis 3:1; Job 1:6-12; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 22:31-32; 1 John 4:4; Revelation 20:10)

11. We believe that heaven is a real and literal place where the saved will dwell forever, and that hell is a literal place of torment where unbelievers will reside forever.

(John 14:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:5)

12. We believe abortion in all its forms is morally unjustified and is the indefensible taking of human life; in short, abortion is murder. We are theologically opposed to any teaching that abortion due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well-being of the mother, is morally permissible. We are theologically opposed to providing any financial support for abortions, whether directly or through third parties like insurance providers. We object to any teaching, ethic, or political view in favor of abortion.

(Ephesians 1:4; Exodus 20:13; Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5)

13. We believe that the human race was created as male and female by a direct act of God to fully reveal His image and that both male and female united produce life.

(Genesis 1:26-28)

14. We believe water baptism is only intended for those who have received the saving benefits of Christ through the new birth of the Holy Spirit. In obedience to Christ’s command and as a testimony to God, the Church, oneself, and the world, believers are baptized by water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Water baptism is a visual and symbolic demonstration of a person’s union with Christ in the likeness of His death and resurrection. It signifies that a former way of life has been put to death and vividly depicts the release from the mastery of Satan, sin, and death.

(Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4)

15. We believe that communion is to be observed only by those who have become genuine followers of Christ. This ordinance symbolizes the breaking of Christ’s body and the shedding of His blood on our behalf and is to be observed repeatedly throughout the Christian life as a sign of continued participation in the atoning benefits of Christ’s death. As we come to the table with an attitude of faith and self-examination, we remember and proclaim the death of Christ, and look forward to His second coming. As we partake, we emphasize the sharing of the blood and body of Christ that unifies us as believers in Christ.

(1 Corinthians 11:23-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

16. We believe that the nation of Israel has a special place in God’s plan, both past, present, and future, and that all of the promises of God to Israel will be fulfilled both now and at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to establish His millennial reign.

(Genesis 12:3; Psalm 122:1; Romans 11:1-12)

17. We believe in the healing and restoration power of fervent prayer to God the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ. We believe that by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, all of our requests are made to God.

(Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7; James 5:16; Colossians 4:2)