OUR BELIEFS

The Bible


The Bible is God’s Word to mankind. It was written by human writers under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, with God as its ultimate author. The Word of God is the supreme source of truth for Christian belief and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error. The Bible is infallible, inerrant, and absolutely true. Where it speaks, we listen and obey.

Additionally, the Bible reveals God’s covenant: the promises and provisions of His covenant, the requirements for keeping it, the consequences of violating or rejecting it, and the unfolding story of that covenant throughout human history. Because God is faithful and trustworthy, we can depend on and believe His Word.

Psalm 12:6, Proverbs 30:5, 2 Timothy 1:13, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2Peter 1:20-21


God

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God. 

Genesis 1:1, Genesis 26-27, Genesis 3:22, Psalm 90:2, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2


The Father / Abba / Yahweh

While many words can be used to describe the attributes of God such as All-Mighty, All-knowing, Ever-Present, and Righteous-Judge, the fact that Jesus introduced God as Father speaks to God being, above all, relational. Rather than being distant and removed from man and ruling the universe from some far-away throne, God is loving and personal. So relational is God the Father that ultimately God gave His only Son to satisfy His just and righteous requirements on behalf of sinful man in order to bring redemption and to restore relationship. Through receiving this gift of God, we receive sonship and God the Father adopts believers into relationship with himself, into His family and makes us joint-heirs with Christ and heirs to God's glory. 

Luke 1:35, Matthew 3:17, Romans 8:15-17, John 15:1-2, Hebrews 12:7-11, John 1:12


Jesus

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father. Jesus is the gift of God to us. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again someday to claim His own and take them to Heaven. He is "true God" and "true man."

Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:22-23, John 1:1-5, John 14:10-30, Acts 1:9-11, Romans 1:3-4, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 1 Timothy 6:14-15, Titus 2:1, Hebrews 4:14-15


The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, witnessing, with understanding of spiritual truth, and with guidance in doing what is right. As Christians, we seek to live under His influence daily. The Holy Spirit convicts, regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and adopts us as we enter the kingdom of God as His sons and daughters. The Holy Spirit is the gift of God the Father given to the church on the day of Pentecost to empower believers to do the words and works of Jesus that they might have God’s power to be His witnesses. 

John 14:16-17, John 16:7-13, Acts 1:8, Romans 5:5, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 5:18, Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:4

PEOPLE

People are made in the image of God, to be like Him in character. Man was created to know and worship God and to be in relationship with Him. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin". This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life. However, God valued people to such an extent that He offers salvation, redemption, and restoration to them through His Son; therefore, we must do the same. At Lifechanger Church, we value people and believe that through the discipleship process, people have the potential to discover who they are in Christ and to experience transformation into His image.

Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23

We believe that we are saved by God’s grace, through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Anyone can be restored to fellowship with God through repenting, believing, and receiving Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

Salvation is God’s free gift to us. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ and God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus and His ruler-ship in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ as Lord of his life. This life change is evidenced by repentance, confession, baptism by immersion, a life committed to His service, and connection to the church.

John 1:12, 14:6; Romans 5:1, 6:23; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5

SALVATION

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

To be “baptized with the Holy Spirit” is spoken of in the New Testament by God to John the Baptist, by John the Baptist himself, and by Jesus just before His ascension into Heaven. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred initially on the Day of Pentecost following Jesus’ resurrection and like the original outpouring is an experience with God that is characteristically evidenced by speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives the ability. He inspires and we speak. At Lifechanger Church we believe that a person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit and then the Holy Spirit begins to manifest Himself through that member of the Body of Christ. Historically the church has called these manifestations “gifts of the Spirit”. Nine examples are given in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and manifestations (gifts) operating through a believer benefit the church and are given to strengthen the Body of Christ. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit also has personal benefits for the individual to edify and strengthen the person Baptized in the Holy Spirit, to assist in prayer, faith and worship. At Lifechanger Church, while the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is fully embraced and encouraged as an asset to the person and to the church, it is not viewed as necessary for salvation, fellowship, service, or membership.

Acts 2:2-4, 10:44-46, 19:6

We believe there will be a literal return of Christ and a judgment day. We also believe there will be a literal rapture (a catching up of the saints). How and when this will happen has been a source of great debate. We believe the details are in God’s hands and this is not a salvation issue.

Matthew 12:36; John 5:22, 16:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; 2 Peter 3:7; Jude 6

THE END TIMES

ETERNITY

People will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or exist eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is eternal death in Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Revelation 20:15

“Christ loves us, and by His death He has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests to serve God” - Revelation 1:6. “You are ... the King’s priests, God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God.” 1 Peter 2:9. The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to “full-time” Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through Bible reading/study, prayer, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Every Christian is to be a disciple developing relational environments in which they share their faith with those around them by word and action.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF EVERY BELIEVER

THE CHURCH

The church is the body and bride of Christ also the household of faith. It is a living temple where God dwells in His people. We believe that everyone that has received Christ is a member of the church. We believe that the church exists throughout the world, and is witnessed and experienced in local autonomous gatherings of believers.

God has designed the local church like a physical body, with Jesus Christ as the head. God gifts each of His children in unique and special ways to serve and build up the body and is not for personal benefit or glory, but to bring glory to God, as well as to encourage and build up the church. We are “interdependent”, needing and relying on each other with no individual part entirely self-sufficient. Together we are the body of Christ which is a clear demonstration of true diversity. There is no division as we all have equal concern and need for each other though having differing functions. We all must be the part God has designed us to be, if not, the body suffers.

Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 14:4; Acts 2:4, 10:45-46; Eph. 4:16; Rom. 12: 4-5; Eph. 5:24-32; Gal. 6:10; 1 Peter 2:4-5; Cor. 3:16; Acts 14:23; Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:20-23, 4:3-10; Col. 3:14-15

COMMUNION

Communion at Lifechanger Church is defined as Scripture defines it. “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

Communion is a memorial, a new covenant, and a proclamation. It is a sacred event for those who have a vital, biblical relationship with Jesus. “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Scripture speaks plainly of this solemn time by stating, “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 11:26-30.

Communion is therefore; (1) a time to remember and gratefully acknowledge the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, (2) a time to examine our hearts and lives and to repent of any personal sin, covenant violation, or breach with others, (3) and a time to celebrate our connection and commitment to one another in the Body of Christ, the Church. 

We take communion on a regular basis in our services and any true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is welcome to participate.

In Exodus 15:25 God says of Himself, “I am the Lord who heals you.” Jesus, who fully represented God the Father during His earthly ministry, went about teaching, preaching and healing and sent his disciples to do the same.

At Lifechanger Church we believe it is the plain teaching of scriptures that God is a healer. His healing is of the whole person spirit, soul, and body.

Matthew 4:23; Acts 10:38; Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24

HEALING

TWO KINGDOMS - WE ARE AT WAR

At Lifechanger Church we believe the Bible teaches that the Church is at war. This warfare is between God and the devil. Jesus Christ defeated the devil at the cross; consequently, Christians must embrace the Lordship of Jesus to effectively resist the devil. This resistance comes from the authority Christ has given the Church and it is generally exercised by individuals while walking with Christ on a daily basis. Eph. 6:11-18; 2 Cor. 10:3-5

The devil is resisted in many different ways:
1. Responding to different situations with the opposite spirit.
2. By recognizing the attack and saying the words of resistance in the name of Jesus.
3. By choosing to walk in love and surrendering personal rights.

Joshua 24:15; Acts 19:11-20; 1 John 3:8; 2 Cor. 4:4; Matthew 4:23-24; 2 Peter 1:3-4

At Lifechanger Church we believe the Bible plainly teaches that marriage is a union of one man and one woman for life. This then eliminates any possibility of polygamy or homosexual relationships being included in the traditional Biblical view of marriage.

1 Cor. 7:2; Eph. 5:23-33; 1 Tim 3:2,12; Titus 1:6

MARRIAGE

STEWARDSHIP

We practice tithing to support the church, the body of Christ, as God’s Word commands. We recognize that giving 10% of our income is the biblical standard of giving to the local church. Everything over 10% is an “offering of gratitude” for the great things God does for us everyday. A tithe of everything a person produces belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.

The offering is a privilege to give and is in addition to the tithe. Jesus taught about tithing: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Matthew 23:23. We also recognize that we must be good stewards of our time and our talents as the Lord has blessed us with these things as well.

Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:7-12

Lifechanger Church is a non-denominational Christian church. While not connected to a denomination, Lifechanger Church is a part of a fellowship of churches, Independent Assemblies, in which member churches are autonomous. Lifechanger Church is “Pastor-Led” with a legally recognized corporate board.

Ephesians 4:10-12; Jeremiah 3:15

LEADERSHIP MODEL