What We Believe

Churches often fall into one of two extremes. Some are stuck on deciphering a seemingly perfect set of doctrines with little effort giving toward living out those doctrines or sharing truth. Other churches push the idea of doctrine to the side and focus exclusively on particular social ministry issues.
At Revival Bible Church, we hold fast to historical doctrines of the church while seeking a lifestyle that flows out of strong doctrinal foundations. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:14, “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” The good deposit is the gospel of Christ, and Timothy is admonished to guard the integrity of the gospel message.
We recognize that everyone is in a different place on their spiritual journey and may not agree with us on everything stated below. Consequently, we embrace this idea: “in the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity.”

We believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. It is truth without any mixture of error and is sufficient for matters of faith and practice.

God is one in being and three in person: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is independent, eternal, unchanging, all-powerful, all-present, all-knowing, and perfectly wise, good, and loving. He is the Creator, Who demands and deserves all glory. God is sovereign over all things such that there is no aspect of reality outside of His ultimate control.

Jesus is the Son of God and is both fully God and fully man. Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, and rose victorious from the grave. He is coming again to make the world right. In the gospel work, Jesus bridges the relational brokenness between man and himself, man and others, man and creation, and man and God.

The gospel is the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’ death satisfies the demands of God’s holy justice and appeases His holy wrath. His death also demonstrates His mysterious love and reveals His amazing grace. The implications of the gospel are far reaching, with numerous applications in our everyday lives.

The Holy Spirit is the active person of God at work in the world. He works through the gifts of His people, convicts of sin, and counsels followers of Jesus. The Holy Spirit seals believers together with Christ and empowers mission in the world. The miraculous gifts of the Spirit have not ceased today but should be carried out in submission to Scripture and the leadership of the local church.

Man is the valuable, beloved, and uplifted image-bearing treasure of God. Man is also sinful and in rebellion against God in both commission and omission. Apart from salvation in Jesus, man is unable to be saved from the penalty of sin (judgment forever in hell separated from God). Men and women are absolutely equal in essence, dignity and value but are different by divine design. Marriage is a picture of the gospel and is the uniting of one man and and one woman for lifetime.

Sin is rebellion against a holy God. Humans beings are sinful by birth and action. As sin entered through Adam and Eve in the garden, brokenness developed in four major areas: in our relationship with ourselves, others, creation, and God. The collective work of sin on the earth may be referred to as the curse. Death is the result of sin, separating our body from soul.

Baptism is intended only for those who have professed faith in Jesus Christ and can give sufficient testimony to the basics of Christian beliefs. Also, we baptize by immersion because it is not only the original significance of the Word, but also because it best symbolizes the reality to which baptism points— our death and resurrection in Christ.

Jesus came to save sinners. Salvation is the work of the application of the gospel both in the individual life of a believer and also the collective work of Christ in cities and cultures. Salvation is available to all men, but it is not automatic. Repentance and faith are necessary for salvation. Works and deeds cannot save. Those who repent and place their faith in Jesus will demonstrate a life of following Jesus. In summary, salvation is in grace alone, though faith alone, in Christ alone.

The church is the collection of God’s people redeemed by the gospel, who gather as a community of believers, and are sent out with the message of the gospel into a broken world. Jesus died for the church and His people are the primary vehicle for the gospel in the world. The church sends out missionaries, builds families, cares for sick, and is a safe home for the hurting and wandering.