HARVEST CHURCH STATEMENT OF FAITH
(Revised 1/1/2020)

WORD OF GOD
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
(2Timothy 3:15-17 Hebrews 4:12 2 Peter 1:20-21)

THE TRINITY
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. (Genesis 1:1, 26 Deuteronomy 6:4 Isaiah 45:5-7 John 1:1,3 Ephesians 4:5-6 2 Corinthians 13:14)

GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of each person, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 6:9 John 5:19-24 17:1-5 Ephesians 1:3-6)

JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
(Matthew 1:18-25 Luke 1:26-38 John 1:14-18 Romans 3:25, 9:5 I Corinthians 15 Titus 2:13)

THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who is now acting 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, gives spiritual gifts for building up the church and is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. (John 3: 1-8, 16:4-15,15:16 I Corinthians 3:10-13, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 1:13-14 Galatians 5:16-25)

REGENERATION
We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
(John 3:5-7 Romans 3:23-26 8:9-17 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Ephesians 2:8-10 Titus 3:5 James 1:18 Peter 1:23)

THE CHURCH
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 company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible confession 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.
(Matthew 16:13-28 Acts 2:41-47 I Corinthians 12:14 Hebrews 10:24-25)

CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others that their conduct should be blameless before the world that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
(John 5:28-29 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 Matthew 25:31-46 Ephesians 2:10 4:17-5:21 Philippians 2:1-18)

THE ORDINANCES
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 to show forth our solemn faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior signifying our death to sin and resurrection to new life. We believe that the Lord’s supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death and should be preceded always by solemn self- examination. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 28:18-20 Acts 8:36-40 10:47-48 18:8 Romans 6:3-5 I Corinthians 11:23-28 12:13)

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
We believe every human being is called to develop their understanding of the Christian faith through interaction with the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. No ecclesiastical structure beyond the local church can define the boundaries of Christian faith with authority. We also believe that the God-ordained leadership of the local church carries a responsibility to both teach a clear, biblical faith and to oppose teaching and belief that is contrary to that clear, biblical faith that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.

CHURCH COOPERATION
We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a a trans-local association of churches, whether denominational or non-denominational. Such an organization exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a trans-local association is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary basis. (Acts 15:22-31)

THE LAST THINGS
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 joy of those in Christ, and the endless suffering of those who refuse Christ.
(I Thessalonians 4:15-17 Matthew 24:36 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 1 John 3:2)

DEVIL/SATAN/HELL
We believe in the personality and reality of Satan, that he is the originator of sin, and that he is ceaseless and ruthless in his efforts to destroy God’s plan of salvation. We believe he counterfeits the work of God by fostering false teachings that deny the blood of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace alone. Furthermore, we believe that he is destined to the judgment of eternal justice in Hell.
(Genesis 3:1-19 Romans 5:12 II Corinthians 4:3-4, 11:13-15 Ephesians 2:2, 6:10-12 II Thessalonians 2:3-4 I Timothy 4:1-3 Revelation 20:10)

LIFESTYLE AND MARRIAGE
We believe in the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. God instituted marriage as a unifying blessing bonding the male and female to share in the divine nature of God. Sexual intimacy is intended to be expressed only within marriage, and any sort of sexual activity outside of marriage is, by nature, sinful. We believe a homosexual lifestyle and same sex marriage are not consistent with Scripture. We believe those who feel their gender is other than their biological gender are denying reality rather than expressing their true identity. ‘[M]ale and female he created them’ (Genesis 127).
We believe that Christians should approach all issues of sin with grace and humility. Our position is not one of ugly judgment, but recognition that God graciously wishes to protect us from the damage of sin despite our sins. We do not seek to condemn, but to call believers to a lifestyle that reflects God’s best for His people.
(Genesis 1:26-30 Matthew 19:4-6 Mark 10:6-9 1 Corinthians 6:8-10)