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Doctrinal Statement
of
Aaron Houtz
My Testimony and Call to the Ministry
I was privileged to be born into a Christian home where my parents taught me Scripture as
early as I can remember. As a Pastor’s kid I remember thinking as a four-year-old that I was
born a Christian because of my identity as a “PK.” This thought was not a result of any ideas
from my parents. The Lord used a sermon my dad preached to convict me of my sin, but I felt
ashamed to admit I wasn’t already saved, thinking it would make my parents look bad. Two
years later (at age seven) my dad preached a communion message that the Spirit used to
convict me again. That night I was unable to sleep. I went to my dad, and he knelt with me by
our couch and led me to Christ!
I don’t remember ever struggling with doubt of my salvation, but I struggled a lot with pride. I
continued to think I was a “special” Christian because my dad is a Pastor. That pride ultimately
led me to a strong desire to do my own thing in life. I thought that I could choose whatever I
wanted to do with my life, and it would look good to those who knew me . . . because I was a
good PK. I began to become enamored with life in the military and read all the military aviation
books I could from the local library. I planned my future career, never surrendering the rest of
my life to what God had for me.
A few months before I turned old enough to join the Air Force, the Lord brough a missionary
family (Randy and Elena Smith and family) to present their ministry to our church. It was from
their son, Matt, that I first heard about missionary aviation. During Mr. Smith’s presentation I
felt the strongest burden I had ever felt for something. As I walked down the steps to leave the
church building the Lord did a miraculous work in my heart by completely removing my desire
for what I wanted and replacing it with what He had for me. I knew He wanted me in missionary
aviation.
Since that day, almost fifteen years ago, I have never once doubted what the Lord has for me.
The Lord led Rachel and me to do a missions internship in Alaska to visit the ministry where we
are now going. During our six weeks there I was again burdened to follow the Lord’s call for me:
to reach the Alaskan native people for the Gospel. I believe God has called my family and me
into full-time ministry because of the supernatural and irresistible call I received from Him, an
awareness of God’s gifts in my life, an undeniable burden for the people where we are serving,
and the encouragement of more mature believers.
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Bibliology
Doctrine of Scripture
I believe the sixty-six books of the Bible, Genesis through Revelation, are the inspired, infallible,
inerrant, and preserved words of God. God’s Word has received attack from His enemies since
the day Adam and Eve fell to temptation in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:1–5 Satan
blatantly attacked the very words of God spoken to Adam and Eve by casting doubt on the
validity of what God said. Although Satan himself knew what God said was true, he performed a
gross act by tempting the first man and woman to doubt the words of their perfect Creator.
Since that day, immeasurable doubt has been placed on the authoritative words of God, and
ultimately, on the written Word of God. This is why a solid belief in the doctrine of Scripture is
essential to accurately navigate our lives, and it is this dependence on the truth of God’s Word
that is needed to combat the doubt authored by the devil. Just the first sentence of the first
chapter of Genesis is enough to set the Bible apart from any other book.
Inspiration
I believe the Bible is inspired by God. The wording of the entire Bible (verbal, plenary) is God-
breathed. The inspiration of Scripture was a divine act that took place as each book was
written. This is mentioned in 2 Peter 1:21 when Peter says the Holy Spirit “moved” men. The
authors who penned Scripture never claimed that they were inspired, but that Scripture itself
was inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; Rev. 1:10–11; 3:22). Inspiration means that God
spoke (or “breathed”) the words that men “moved by the Spirit” then wrote. There are
passages like Hebrews 4:12 that teach the Bible is living, and the Scriptural fact that God
inspired the Bible means that it is a living Book. I believe inspiration extended to the original
manuscripts alone. I reject “double inspiration,” which teaches that the English 1611 KJV is an
inspired English translation.
Inerrancy and Infallibility
I believe the Bible is inerrant, meaning that there is no error in any of its teaching (John 10:35).
Human beings are capable of being without error in certain parts of life. A person can take a
written test and achieve an inerrant score, 10 out of 10, for example. However, it is entirely
possible for a person to make a mistake on any given test. I also believe the Bible is infallible
and incapable of any error. The words of Scripture are from God, and Titus 1:2 teaches that God
“cannot lie.” This is an impossibility. No human being is capable of being infallible in any of our
earthly experiences. The infallibility of the Bible sets it apart from any other book written. This
divine work is exactly what happened during the inspiration of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet.
1:21).
Preservation
I believe the Bible is preserved in that it is everlasting: protected by God from any form of decay
as a result of time, distribution, or the multiplicity of copies. There is plenty of historical data to
support preservation of Scripture. Over five thousand manuscripts of the New Testament alone
have been discovered, and all these manuscripts are miraculously unified in their doctrine.
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There are historical events where copies of Scripture have been burned and those daring to
carry or copy Scripture were martyred. Attempts have also been made to distort the truth of
Scripture by writing alternative texts. All these things have failed to rid the world of the living
Word of God because He has promised it would be preserved (Ps. 119:89; Is. 40:8; Matt. 24:35).
This is an incredible act of God!
I believe the sixty-six books of the Bible we have today make up the finished and preserved
Word of God, with nothing needing to be added for revelation or clarity, also known as a closed
canon (Prov. 30:5–6; Gal. 1:6–9). The thirty-nine books of the Old Testament can be trusted as
the preserved Word of God because they were written by prophets of God, they were received
by priests of God who accepted their divine authority, and Jesus along with the apostles quoted
them as Scripture (Matt. 4:4; Mark 10:6–8; Luke 10:26–28). Likewise, the twenty-seven books
of the New Testament can be trusted as the preserved Word of God because the writers were
given apostolic authority and the books are unified in all their teaching (Mark 1:1; Luke 1:1–4;
John 16:13; Rom. 16:25–26; 1 Cor. 14:37).
Translation
I believe the accurate translation of God’s holy Word from the original manuscripts is not
confined to any single translation. If a modern translation of Scripture interprets the Greek and
Hebrew manuscripts in a literal style, it is a good and faithful translation. I personally use the
KJV, NASB, ESV, and NKJV (1 Cor. 3:22).
Theology Proper
Doctrine of God
The Person of God
I believe God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchanging (Ps. 90:2; Is. 40:28; John 4:4). God is
One but exists in three Persons Who are distinguished in Scripture: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
(Deut. 6:4; Is. 48:16; John 14:26; 1 Pet. 1:2). We know that all three Persons are eternal because
they were present “In the beginning” (Gen. 1:26; Is. 48:16). We know that all three Persons are
one God because they are all recognized as God (John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4), and they are unified in
substance, power, and glory (Matt. 28:19; John 10:30; 14:26; 2 Cor. 13:14).
Because God is infinite, He has incommunicable qualities (attributes) that we cannot
completely understand (Job 11:7–9). God is unchangeable, omnipresent, omniscient,
omnipotent, and perfect in holiness (James 1:17; Ps. 139:7–12; Heb. 4:13; Rev. 4:8; Matt.
19:26). These attributes should cause us to worship God, the very reason we were created. The
Holy Spirit says in Psalm 95:6 “Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord
our Maker.” The fact that God does not share these attributes means that He alone is worthy to
receive worship (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 6:1; Matt. 4:10). God also has communicable attributes. These
include love, wisdom, kindness, justice, and mercy (John 3:16; James 3:17; Rom. 11:22; Ps. 33:5;
Eph. 2:4). All people are familiar with these attributes of God, and we find these qualities in
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ourselves in a limited sense. We can love; we can attain a level of wisdom; we can show
kindness, justice, and mercy as well. Man can display these attributes because God made us in
His image (Gen. 1:26).
The Work of God
Because God created us to worship Him, He graciously reveals Himself and His character (Ps.
34:8; Prov. 8:17; John 17:3). Our knowledge of the workings of God is a wonderful gift from Him
as He reveals His work to us in general (natural) revelation and special revelation. General
revelation shows all men in all places of the world God’s “invisible attributes, His eternal power,
and divine nature” (Rom. 1:20). This revelation is enough to bring each person to an
understanding that God exists.
I believe the first chapter of the Bible teaches that God created the world from nothing in six
consecutive twenty-hour days (Gen 1). The book of Genesis is a crucial part of our Bible as it is
the foundation of the rest of Scripture. More specifically, Genesis 1–3 are the foundational
chapters in the book. If a person does not believe what Genesis 1–3 teaches about God and
man, he will leave room to doubt any part of the rest of the Bible. The creation account puts on
full display God’s incommunicable attributes. Genesis chapter 2 shows us the work of God in
designing man for work, then establishing the foundational truth of marriage. Genesis 3 records
for us the first sin of man, separating mankind from a holy God.
Since the final day of creation God has been accomplishing the work of providence by ordering
all things to happen according to His perfect will (Gen. 50:20; Prov. 16:9; Rom. 8:28; 11:36).
God’s providence is over all the earth, and every human being is under His ultimate control
(Prov. 16:9; 21:1; Dan. 4:35; Matt. 5:45).
We also see the work of God in special revelation. General revelation is enough to bring all men
to accountability before God as He reveals His existence to all. However, this general revelation
is not enough to bring man to a full knowledge of God’s plan to redeem sinful men. For this we
need His special revelation which is seen in His preserved Word. In the Bible alone God has
sufficiently given mankind all we need to know about Who He is, who we are, what He has
done, and what He will do (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:3). God’s special revelation testifies to the
redemptive work of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 5:39–40).
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Christology
Doctrine of Jesus Christ
Person of Christ
“What do you think about the Christ, whose Son is He?” Jesus asked this question about
Himself in Matthew 22:42. What a religion teaches about Jesus of Nazareth is will very often be
one proof that it is a false religion.
I believe Jesus is the eternal Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity. Scripture makes it
clear that Jesus is fully God (John 8:58; Rom. 9:5; Heb. 1:5; 13:8) and that He became fully man
(Matt. 20:28; John 8:40; 1 Tim. 2:5). John 1 is a foundational passage where the Bible teaches
the eternality and divinity of Christ. Verses 1–4 explain that Jesus, being God, created all things.
The writer of Hebrews explains that Christ is “the exact representation” of God’s nature, once
again proving the divinity of Christ (Ex. 3:14; John 1:1–4; Heb. 1:3). Christ also displayed divine
power over the natural world by performing many miracles in front of eyewitnesses (Matt. 8:3,
15, 32; 9:6–8; Mark 8:6–8; Luke 4:40; 7:10; John 2:1–11; 5:9; 6:19). The premier evidence of the
deity of Christ is His resurrection from the tomb (Matt. 28:2–6; John 11:25). Jesus promised us,
“because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). Christ’s resurrection is our guarantee and
foundational hope that we will be resurrected with Him (2 Cor. 4:14). Without the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead our doctrinal beliefs would be worthless (Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:12–
19).
Jesus was miraculously conceived by a virgin woman. He was incarnated into a body of flesh,
yet He retained His perfect deity (John 1:14; Col. 2:9). The virgin birth is very significant because
it fulfilled OT prophesy (Is. 7:14), and was necessary concerning the sinless character of Christ
which was needed for a perfect sacrifice (1 John 3:5). John tells us that to reject the incarnation
is to align with the spirit of the antichrist (1 John 4:2–3). This joining of divine and human
natures into one perfect Person is called the hypostatic union.
Work of Christ
Very often the work of Christ is considered under the three offices He holds as Mediator:
Prophet, Priest, and King. One thing that sets Jesus above all other prophets is that He teaches
with divine authority (Mark 1:22). Peter preaches in Acts 3 that the appointed Christ (v. 20) is
the Prophet that Moses foretold (v. 22), and that every OT prophet since Samuel prophesied
the same thing (v. 24). One of Jesus’ primary roles as Prophet was to proclaim the message
from God through His preaching ministry (Matt. 4:17). Jesus Himself claimed to be a Prophet
speaking for God (Matt. 13:57; John 8:26; 15:15; 17:8). The prophetic ministry of Christ was
authenticated in two ways: some of His prophesies have already come true (Matt. 16:21; John
2:19–21), and He performed miracles which proved He was a true Prophet (Matt. 8:3, 15, 32;
9:6–8; Mark 8:6–8; Luke 4:40; 7:10; John 2:1–11; 5:9; 6:19). Another thing that sets Christ
above all other prophets is that the prophets before communicated God’s words to people, but
Christ is the Word of God personified (John 1:1).
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The priests of the OT spoke to men from God, and primarily they spoke to God on behalf of
men. Leviticus 21 lays out the strict qualifications of the Jewish priests, but despite meeting all
the qualifications they were still imperfect priests and needed their own sin covered by sacrifice
(Heb. 7:27). They continually offered sacrifices for sin because the atonement by animal
sacrifice was not perfect (Heb. 10:1–2); in fact, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats
to take away sins” (10:4). Unlike the Jewish priests, Christ is sinless and did not need to offer
sacrifices for Himself (7:27). He is an eternal priest (7:17), and He acted as a perfect high Priest
by offering His body as a perfect sacrifice “once for all” (10:10). Perhaps the most significant
truth that sets Christ above all other priests is His substitutionary sacrifice. The satisfaction
offered by Christ’s sacrifice was not for Himself, but for all mankind (John 6:51; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2
Cor. 5:21). Surely this is the highest display of the mercy of God: that the Sovereign and the
Judge would not only allow a substitute for our punishment but be the provided substitute
Himself (John 5:22; 2 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 9:28; 1 John 2:2). Praise God for this mercy! Another way
Christ serves as high Priest is being our Mediator to God (John 17). Other Jewish priests
mediated for a limited time, but Scripture clearly teaches that Christ is the only Priest Who
continually intercedes before God on our behalf, and there is no other (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25).
Christ also displays His work as a King Who rules His people (Matt. 28:18; John 18:37; Col. 1:13).
Jesus currently reigns over His body, the Church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:18), and in the
hearts of His people (Col. 1:13). In Isaiah 45:23 Jesus promises, “That to Me every knee will
bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.” As King, Jesus will subdue us to Himself and will one
day cause all mankind to “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2:10). There is coming a day
when Jesus Christ will physically reign as King over all creation (Zech. 14:9; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev.
19:16), and He will conquer all His enemies and abolish death (Ps. 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:25–26).
Pneumatology
Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Person of the Holy Spirit
I believe in the personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit, the third Member of the Trinity (Matt.
28:19; Heb. 9:14). The Holy Spirit shows divine attributes like omnipotence in creation (Job
33:4), omniscience (John 14:26), and omnipresence (Ps. 139:7–10). He also displays attributes
of personality: He has a will (1 Cor. 12:11), He has intelligence (1 Cor. 2:10–11), and He
expresses emotion (Eph. 4:30). If we fail to recognize the Spirit as a divine Person, we will fall
short of worshipping Him as God (John 4:23–24).
Work of the Holy Spirit
I believe the Spirit works past, present, and future. Scripture teaches He was present in creation
(Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:30). He “overshadowed” Mary to have a miraculous conception (Matt. 1:18;
Luke 1:35), filled and led Christ (Luke 4:1), and anointed Jesus to “preach the Gospel” (Luke
4:18). The Spirit also empowered Christ during His earthly ministry (Matt. 12:28). Not only did
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He work in Christ, but also in God’s people. He has directed believers in the right way (Ps.
143:10; Is. 30:21) and has instructed them in truth (Neh. 9:20; Acts 8:29; 13:2; 1 Cor. 2:12). The
Spirit inspired the Word of God by moving men effectually as they wrote (2 Pet. 1:21).
The work of the Holy Spirit continues today. He is the means by which Christ baptizes believers
into “one body” at conversion (Matt. 3:11; 1 Cor. 12:13); He secures the believer’s salvation by
sealing him (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30); He indwells the believer for eternity (John 14:12;
Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16); He extensively controls and influences the believer by filling him (Acts
2:4; 4:31; 6:3–5; Eph. 5:18); and He gives spiritual gifts to each believer to serve the body of
Christ (1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 18; 1 Pet. 4:10). This work in the life of believers produces the fruit of the
Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23). The spiritual gifts include prophesy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving,
leading, and mercy (Rom. 12:6–8; 1 Cor. 12:8–11). I believe the cessationist position that
teaches the sign gifts (healing, prophesy, tongues, and miracles) were “partial” and are no
longer needed because the written Word of God communicates “perfect” truth to mankind (1
Cor. 13:8–13; Heb. 2:3–4).
Angelology
Doctrine of Angels
Ministering Spirits
I believe God created angels as eternal spiritual beings, powerful and majestic (Col. 1:16; Heb.
1:14; 2 Pet. 2:11). The angels are found in Scripture to praise (Is. 6:3), worship (Heb. 1:6), and
serve their Creator (Ps. 103:20). Scripture alludes to certain ranks among angels: the archangel
Michael (Jude 9), cherubim (Gen. 3:24), and seraphim (Is. 6:2, 6). God often employed angels to
be messengers of His word (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:26–38; Acts 8:26).
Unclean Spirits
Scripture calls Satan “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Sin originated with Lucifer and the angels
that fell with him (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:4) These fallen angels are now spiritual demons
who serve Satan (Matt. 12:24). These demons have been used by Satan to posses spiritually
vulnerable humans and control their faculties to perform supernatural and destructive things
(Mark 5:1–5; 9:17–18). The prince of the demons currently rules the unsaved of this world, and
his demonic angels work at his beckoning (1 John 5:19). Although the demons are terrifying
beings, they remain in full submission to God’s will and are unable to possess a child of God
(Mark 1:27; John 14:16–18; James 2:19).
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Anthropology
Doctrine of Man
Origin and Fall
I believe God created man in His image on the sixth day of creation and breathed into him the
breath of life, giving man an eternal soul (Gen. 1:26; 2:7; Job 33:4). God created Adam and Eve,
male and female, without sin and in perfect communion with Him (Gen. 1:27; Eccl. 7:29).
Despite their perfect condition, Adam and Eve both chose to adhere to Satan’s deception and
disobey the commandment of the Lord (Gen. 3:1–6). Eve was deceived and the first to rebel
against God, but Adam was held responsible by God because he represented the human race
(Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22; 1 Tim. 2:14). At the point of Adam’s rebellion, sin was imputed to all
mankind through him (Rom. 5:12).
Nature
Scripture teaches that man is made of two parts: material and immaterial (Gen. 2:7; Matt.
10:28; James 2:26). After the fall, man’s material part (the body) was marred by sin and subject
to decay and death (Gen. 3:19; 2 Kings 5:1; Job 2:7–8; Rom. 5:12; Rev. 21:4). Though distorted
by sin, people are capable of using their bodies to bring honor to God and are commanded to
do so (Rom. 12:1). Man also has an immaterial part that is referred to in Scripture as “soul” and
“spirit,” interchangeable terms describing the eternal part of man (Gen. 2:7; Job 32:8; Matt.
10:28; 1 Cor. 2:11).
Marriage
Through Adam and Eve, God initiated marriage to be only one male and one female joined
together in covenant (Prov. 2:16–17; Mal. 2:14). Although the husband and wife are equal in
importance (Gal. 3:28), God gives the husband the role of “head” (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:23) and
the wife as “helper” (Gen. 2:18). Husbands are instructed to love their wives in such a self-
sacrificing way that it mimics Christ’s love for His bride, the Church (Eph. 5:25, 28–29; 1 Pet.
3:7). Wives are instructed to submit themselves to their husbands in such a surrendered way
that it mimics the relationship the Church should have with Christ (Gen. 3:16; Eph. 5:24; Col.
3:18). Marriage is a permanent vow that is only severed by death (Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:39).
Divorce disfigures God’s intended permanence for marriage (Matt. 19:4–6), and it forces the
broken marriage to misrepresent the intended picture of the relationship between Christ and
the Church (Eph. 5:22–26). Scripture strongly teaches against remarriage after divorce and
labels it adultery, supporting the permanence of marriage designed by God (Mark 10:11–12;
Luke 16:18; Rom. 7:3). God created sexuality as something good and reserved exclusively for
marriage (Gen. 1:28; 2:24; Heb. 13:4). Scripture is clear that any sexual deviation from God’s
design (male and female in marriage) is a sin (Lev. 18:22–23; Deut. 5:18; Rom. 1:26–27; 1 Thes.
4:3–4).
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Hamartiology
Doctrine of Sin
I believe sin is any action, intention, or thought that misses the mark of God’s standards (1 John
3:4) and misrepresents His character (Rom. 3:23). God did not create sin; it was introduced to
the first man and woman by Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44; 1 John 3:8). When Adam
disobeyed God’s command, it was such a serious crime against His holiness that the guilt of
Adam’s sin was imputed to all mankind so that all people are born in sin and with a sin nature
(1 Kings 8:46; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1–3). Both man and Satan were given the eternal
penalty of death (Gen 2:17; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10). People experience pain and suffering
because of the Fall, yet God controls these experiences through providence (John 16:33; Rom.
5:3–4; James 1:2–4, 15–17). One day all of God’s people will be free from pain and suffering (Ps.
34:19; Rev. 21:4).
Though salvation through Christ is necessary to escape the eternal punishment of sin, countless
infants and mentally handicapped die before they are capable of understanding God’s existence
and their accountability to Him (Deut. 1:39). I believe God extends grace to infants and mentally
handicapped when they die. There are several passages that support this (Deut. 1:39; 2 Sam.
12:19–24; Jonah 4:11), but Christ’s words in John 9:41 are especially helpful.
All mankind is totally depraved. Scripture teaches that every aspect of our bodies and souls is
affected by sin (Gen. 6:5; Is. 64:6; Rom. 7:18; Titus 1:15).
The nature in all people to commit sin is called the flesh. Scripture teaches that the flesh
produces evil works (Gal. 5:19–21), is characterized by its desires (Gal. 5:24; Eph. 2:3; 1 John
2:16), and possesses no good thing (Rom. 7:18). The spiritual condition of an unsaved person is
that he is dead in sin and indulges in the lusts of his flesh (Eph. 2:1–5). This is a sad and
miserable state that people are in. They choose sin and its bondage over their Creator (Rom.
1:25; 3:10–12). Even if a person only committed one sin against God, that is enough to face
eternal punishment (James 2:10). The righteous wrath of God is on all sin, and no transgression
can go unpunished (Prov. 11:21; Eccl. 12:14; Rom. 6:23).
Soteriology
Doctrine of Salvation
“But God”
Even in the sad and miserable state all people are in, God loves us all and has given a wonderful
solution (John 3:16). The only reason God has provided a way of salvation from sin is because
He is divinely merciful (Eph. 2:4; Titus 3:5). In God’s mercy and because of His love He sent His
Son to live the sinless life required for the atonement of mankind (Heb. 4:15). Christ then bore
on the wretched cross all the sin humanity has ever committed and will commit (1 Pet. 3:18; 1
John 2:2). He willingly received the punishment for all the transgressions committed against His
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Father’s will (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8; Heb. 9:14). During the imputation of all our sin upon our
Savior, the Father turned His face away from His only Son (Matt. 27:46). God willingly
accomplished all this to make salvation available to mankind.
Before Salvation
I believe that Scripture teaches God has predestined and elected all those who come to Christ
for salvation (Luke 18:7; Rom. 8:29–30; Eph. 1:4–5). I do not believe God in eternity past chose
certain people to eventually come to saving faith because of their talents or merits; it was
simply “according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim.
1:9). Election encourages evangelism of the lost because we are promised that some will be
saved (Acts 18:9–11; 2 Tim. 2:10). Scripture clearly commands believers to evangelize all people
(Matt. 28:19–20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). God draws men to Himself for salvation and without His
effectual calling, no man would come to repentance (John 6:44; Rom. 3:11). At the same time, I
believe in free will. God’s offer of salvation is extended to all people, and the elect will willingly
come to repentance (John 3:16; Rom. 3:22–23; Titus 2:11; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 2:2). What an
amazing mystery that any sinner such as I would gain interest in the blood of my Savior!
At Salvation
I believe repentance is necessary for salvation (Matt. 4:17; Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19; 2 Pet. 3:9).
Repentance is not a work that a person contributes to his salvation; it is granted to him by God
(Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25). Repentance is when a person changes his mind and turns from sin,
realizing its seriousness (2 Chr. 7:14; Jer. 31:18–19; Acts 26:18; Rom. 3:20).
Grace Alone
I believe a person is saved by grace alone, without any earned favor before God (Eph. 2:8; Heb.
4:16; Titus 3:4–5). Grace is undeserved favor on those who deserve the wrath of God. The
origin of this grace is the eternal mercy of God (Luke 6:36; 1 Pet. 1:3). Because our salvation is
by grace alone, God alone receives the glory.
Faith Alone
I believe a person is saved through faith alone, free of any works (Rom. 3:28; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16;
Eph. 2:8–9; Heb. 11:2, 6). Faith is a confident hope we have in something we have not seen
(Heb. 11:1). Philippians 3:9 tells us the object of our faith is Christ. Our saving faith in Christ is
not a work, but a gift of God (Eph. 2:8).
Results of Salvation
Justified!
I believe a person is fully justified when by God’s grace and through faith he “confesses” that
Jesus is Lord and “believes” in His atoning work and His resurrection (Rom. 4:25; 5:1, 18). Only
through the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to a person will he be justified by God (Rom.
4:5; 2 Cor. 5:21). The word justified is a legal term that means being declared righteous, usually
by a judge. All people will stand before the judgement seat of a holy Judge and receive a
declaration (2 Cor. 5:10). Those who are saved will boldly approach the eternal throne and,
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being labeled justified because of the blood and righteousness of Jesus on their account, claim
their crown (Rom. 5:9; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:22; 10:19; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5). Clothed in Jesus’
righteousness, no believer needs to dread condemnation!
Freedom
A born-again person has experienced being set free from the bondage of sin (Rom. 8:1; Gal. 5:1;
Rev. 1:5). The sinner’s chains fall off and his heart is set free! Instead of sin reigning in the heart
of a Christian, the Lord Jesus promised that He would send the Comforter (Holy Spirit) to
“teach” and “guide” the believer to follow Him (John 14:26; John 16:13). Once freed from
slavery to sin, Christians are most honored to serve their wonderful Savior and live for the King
who gave Himself for them (Rom. 6:16, 22; 1 Cor. 7:22; Gal. 2:20).
Sanctification
Scripture teaches that all believers are sanctified in the sense that they are consecrated
positionally for Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11). We are also told that when Christian people come into
the heavenly presence of the Lord, they will receive total sanctification (1 Thes. 3:13). Between
these two events, Scripture makes it clear that believers are to progress in sanctification, which
is conformity to the image of Christ (John 17:17; Rom. 6:19; 1 Thes. 5:23–24; Heb. 12:14).
Romans 12:1–2 pictures very clearly what progressive sanctification should look like in a
believer. It is a transformational process. As a Christian continues to sacrifice his own desires
from the flesh and conform to Christ, he will progressively become less and less conformed to
the world. Progressive sanctification is not the cause of salvation; it is the fruit of it.
Eternal Security
I believe in the permanence and security of God’s salvation to those who come to Christ (John
6:37; 10:27–29; Rom. 11:29; 2 Cor. 1:22; Jude 1:1). John 10:27–29 assures us that if we know
Christ, both He and the Father will hold us forever. Scripture encourages us to remain faithful
through the trials we experience in our lives (Rom. 5:3–4; Heb. 10:36; James 1:2–4, 12).
Believers can be assured of their eternal security because of the power of God’s salvation, and
not man’s ability (John 10:28; 2 Tim. 1:12).
Ecclesiology
Doctrine of the Church
The Universal Church
I believe the universal Church is comprised of all born-again believers (Matt. 16:18). The Church
is the bride of Jesus Christ Who “lovingly gave Himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25). Acts 2 records
the beginning and early events of the Church. The Church is the body of Christ and Christ is the
head of His Church (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 1:22–23; Col. 1:18). The Church is to be a “pillar” of truth
by representing and proclaiming Christ (1 Tim. 3:15).
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With regards to the relationship between the Church and civil government, the people in the
Church are commanded in Scripture to submit to governmental laws (Rom. 13:1–5; Titus 3:1; 1
Pet. 2:13–15), pay taxes (Matt. 22:17–21; Rom. 13:6–7), and pray for the governmental leaders
(1 Tim. 2:1–2). The roles of the Church and civil government are different (Matt. 28:18–20;
Rom. 13:3–4); therefore, government should not interfere with the Church and the Church
should not use governmental power for ministry.
The Church did not exist in the OT. In Matthew 16:18 Christ promised to “build” His church,
obviously referring to something not yet started. The functioning entity of the Church could not
exist until the ascended Christ “gave gifts to men” and set up offices within the Church (Eph.
4:8–12). The universal Church stands distinct from the nation Israel.
The Local Church
I believe local churches are visible and local gatherings of Christian people devoted to the
following: God’s Word being taught, fellowship, ordinances, and prayer (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 1:2; 1
Thes. 1:1; Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7,14). Local churches are also instructed to evangelize the lost
and disciple those who come to Christ (Matt. 28:19–20).
Government
Scripture teaches an order of authority in the local church with Christ being the Head (Eph.
5:22; Col. 1:18). The local church should be congregational in its polity, which is especially
significant in matters regarding electing church leaders (Acts 6:3), church discipline (Matt.
18:17), and sending missionaries (Acts 15:3–4, 30, 33; 17:10, 14). The congregation is led by
two Scriptural offices: elders and deacons. Elders are also referred to as overseers (Acts 20:28;
Phil. 1:1). Elders must meet the Scriptural qualifications laid out in the NT (1 Tim 3:2–7; Titus
1:5–9). Their role is described by the term “shepherd” which is the idea of feeding the flock of
God (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:9). While we have biblical examples of the plurality of elders in NT
churches (Acts 14:23; 15:4; 20:17; Phil. 1:1; 1 Pet. 5:1), there are cases where a local church
may only have one elder due to several reasons including: financial limits; the small size of the
church; and the lack of qualified men. The second office is deacon. The deacons of a church
must also meet Scriptural qualifications (1 Tim. 3:8–10, 12) and are instructed to help meet the
material needs of those in the church (Acts 6:1–6).
Ordinances
Local churches are instructed to observe two ordinances: baptism and communion. Baptism is
reserved for the person who is already saved (Matt. 3:6; 28:19; Acts 2:38, 41; 16:14–15, 33–34),
and it should be done by immersion (as pictured in Rom. 6:1–4). The usage of the Greek word
baptizo in the NT points to immersion. Baptism is a one-time public declaration of the new
believer symbolizing their union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:1–4;
Col. 2:12). Communion (the Lord’s Supper) is a repeated ordinance in which the church
corporately remembers the atonement of Christ by eating and drinking physical elements to
symbolize His body and blood (Matt. 26:26–28; 1 Cor. 11:23–25). Every believer should
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examine himself to make sure he is not taking communion in an “unworthy manner” (1 Cor.
11:27–31). Both ordinances are for those who are already saved, and neither baptism nor
communion grants added grace to the believer.
Church Membership
Believers should join themselves to a local church in membership as a public identification with
the body of Christ before the world (John 13:35). While Scripture does not specifically teach the
process of membership, it clearly teaches commitment to the local church (Heb. 10:23–25). One
of the greatest benefits of joining a local church is knowing there is a body of brothers and sisters
committed to restoring an erring believer who wanders from the Lord (1 Cor. 5:13). Another
benefit to membership is that it naturally encourages participation and accountability (Heb.
10:25).
Eschatology
Doctrine of Last Things
Rapture
I believe in the glorious and imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 12:40). God’s people
pray for this (Rev. 22:20) and sing hymns in anticipation of this event. The souls of believers
who die before the rapture are immediately welcomed into heaven where they await the
rejoining of soul and body (Luke 23:43). The souls of those who die without knowing Christ are
sent to hell (Luke 16:19–31). Scripture teaches a pre-tribulational Rapture of God’s people
where “in a moment” the “dead in Christ will rise first” and living believers will then ascend
with Christ (1 Cor. 15:51–53; 1 Thes. 4:15–17; Rev. 3:10–11). Directly following the Rapture, the
earth will go through seven years of unparalleled judgment known as the Tribulation (Matt.
24:21; Rev. 6–18). The Tribulation will have two primary purposes: (1) God uses judgment to
convert the nation Israel (Jer. 30:7; 31:31–34; Dan. 12:1; Rom. 11:26); and (2) the wrath of God
will be displayed upon those who reject Him (1 Thes. 5:1–3; 2 Thes. 2:12; Rev. 6:15–17).
Tribulation and Millennium
After the seven-year Tribulation, heaven will open, and Jesus will return to earth leading a
heavenly army (Rev. 19:11–14). Upon Christ’s arrival on earth there will be a great battle
between the heavenly army and the nations of earth who have persecuted Israel (Rev. 16:13–
16). Christ will then cast the false prophet and the Antichrist, who have deceived mankind
during the Tribulation, into the eternal lake of fire (Rev. 19:19–20). This marks the beginning of
the Millennium, a literal one-thousand-year reign of Christ on earth with His people (2 Tim.
2:12; Rev. 20:1–6). The true nation of Israel (Gal. 3:29) will enjoy their land promise fulfilled
(Gen. 17:8; Eze. 36:24–38; Amos 9:14–15). Satan will be bound during this time and not allowed
to deceive (Rev. 20:2).
Following the Millennium, Satan will be released and deceive the nations to rebel against God
one last time. A glorious fire will rain from heaven and destroy God’s enemies. Satan, the
ultimate enemy of God, will finally be cast into hell to face his deserved and eternal torment
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(Rev. 20:7–10). Praise God! Then, all people who rejected God will receive their eternal
sentence of damnation in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11–15). Once God’s enemies are destroyed
along with sin forever, a new heaven and earth will come where all of God’s people will dwell
with Him for eternity (Rev. 21–22).