What We Believe
What We Believe
What We Believe
Saints Community Church Beliefs
We exist to reach imperfect people to follow a perfect Jesus.
We exist to reach imperfect people to follow a perfect Jesus.
We accept that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. The writers were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21) and wrote the God-breathed words of God found in both the Old and New Testaments (2 Timothy 3:16). We believe Scripture, therefore, to be a useful and necessary guide to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and sufficient for doctrine, moral instruction, correction, and a full understanding and revelation of God. We accept that the Bible is inerrant. In other words, if God being perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4, Matthew 5:48) cannot make mistakes, we expect His power and ability to ensure that the original writers wrote down exactly what He intended.
We accept that there is one God. We believe that God is the creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine persons - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – and that these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, while remaining distinct in their personhood (Father as God – Philippians 1:2, Son as God – Titus 2:13, Holy Spirit as God – Acts 5:3-4; Oneness of God – Deuteronomy 4:35, 6:4-5, Isaiah 45:21-22, Mark 1:10-11, Colossians 2:9).
We accept that Jesus is incarnate. In other words, Jesus is both fully God and fully man – a person with two natures. As fully God, Jesus has the authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-7), claim divinity (John 8:58), know everything (Luke 11:17), be everywhere (Matthew 18:20, 28:20), and rule over all (Matthew 28:18). As human, Jesus is like us in every respect, with human body, heart, mind, will, emotions, feelings – all respects except sin (Luke 2:40, John 12:27, Hebrews 4:15).
We accept that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life of perfection, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the grave, ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our high priest and mediator.
We accept that man was created in the likeness and image of God, but sinned after being tempted by Satan (Genesis 3:1-7). As a consequence of man’s fall, we became dead in our sins and trespasses (Ephesians 2:1), alienated from God (Colossians 1:21), and became subject to the power of Satan (Ephesians 2:2). By our nature and choice, we find ourselves hurting God, ourselves, and others through our own depravity. We accept that it is only by God’s work in Jesus Christ that we can be rescued, restored, and renewed. We accept that our salvation can only come through the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ on the cross for forgiveness of sins, his atoning death, and his victorious resurrection from the dead (Hebrews 10:4-18, 1 Peter 1:18-21).
We accept that the true church is comprised of all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This true church is led by Jesus, who is the head (Ephesians 5:23), who calls us to be His witnesses to the whole world (Acts 1:8) and to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-19).
We accept that believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper are the only ordinances of the church given to us by our Lord Jesus (Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25). Though they are not means of salvation themselves, they regularly serve to spiritually nourish God’s people and visibly express the gospel message.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit with an initial physical evidence of speaking in other tongues (Acts 2:4, 10:46, 19:6). Manifestations of the Spirit-filled life will present itself internally through the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24) and externally through the gifts of the Spirit, (Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 1 Peter 4:10-11) as the Spirit enables the believer with power for life and service in evangelism and the work of the ministry. The gifts of the Spirit are available today, should be eagerly desired, and are poured out on men and women alike (Joel 2:28-29, Galatians 3:28, Romans 16:1-7).
We accept that God does heal today, that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5), and that He holds the power and prerogative to heal at His choosing. Given this belief, we may boldly go before the Lord in prayer seeking healing as “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:14-16)
WATER BAPTISM
Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48).
COMMUNION
A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).
We accept that as Jesus ascended that he will one day descend in the Second Coming (Matthew 24:30), that the living and dead in Christ will be resurrected from the grave (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), judgment will be made on the just and the unjust (Romans 14:10-12, Revelation 20:11-15), and that Christ’s kingdom will be fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1). At this time, Satan, his demons, and those outside of Christ will be permanently separated from the benevolent presence of God, enduring eternal punishment, while the righteous, in glorious bodies, will live and reign with Christ for all time, giving Him unending praise and glory (Revelation 20:10, 21:26-27). We accept that at this time there will no longer be death, mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).
Saints Community Church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God World Fellowship. We ascribe to the Statement of Fundamental truths, and our pastors are credentialed with the Louisiana District Council of the Assemblies of God.