Faith is a person’s response to God’s initiative revealed in His written word (the Bible) and in His saving Word (Jesus). Therefore, faith is dependent upon what we believe and in Whom we believe. This statement of beliefs outlines what SouthPointe considers to be our essential beliefs. We desire unity in our essential beliefs.
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe God inspired the Bible and it is entirely true, trustworthy and authoritative for all matters of faith and practice. It is the standard by which we know what to believe and how to live.
THERE IS ONE GOD
We believe there is one eternal God. He exists in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is the creator of all things visible and invisible and reigns supreme over all things. He is full of love and he is good.
PEOPLE REJECTED GOD’S LOVE (Sin)
We believe God created people in His image. He considered them very good and God had a perfect relationship with them….but people willfully sinned against God. Sin is a universal human condition and separates all people from God. People are lost and without hope apart from Jesus. All people are subject to spiritual and physical death because of the nature of sin.
GOD SENT JESUS
We believe God chose to make a way to restore the broken relationship (caused by sin) between people and Himself. Out of His great love, God sent his only son Jesus to earth. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born by the virgin Mary. He is fully God and fully human. He lived a perfect life without sin and consequently is the only sacrifice worthy and acceptable to remove the sins of everyone who believes.
JESUS DIED AND THEN DEFEATED DEATH (Salvation)
Jesus was crucified, died and was buried...but He rose again bodily from the dead on the third day, thus defeating death and sin. Jesus’ death and resurrection guarantees that all people may obtain salvation (forgiveness of sins and eternal life) through their faith in Him. We believe salvation is only through Jesus Christ and that one receives God’s grace by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and putting one’s faith in Christ. We respond to God’s grace by repenting of sin, confessing Christ and being immersed into Christ.
JESUS WILL RETURN
After his time on earth, Jesus ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father. He will return to earth to judge both the living and the dead.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
God sent the Holy Spirit, who is an active and operative part of the triune God, to indwell every believer. The Holy Spirit fills all believers with His love enabling them to continually become more like Christ (Sanctification). Special spiritual gifts are given to every believer for the good of the Church, and the spread of the Gospel.
THE CHURCH
The Church was founded by Jesus and consists of all Christians everywhere. Every church and every believer has a great commission from Jesus to share his love and make disciples of all people.
BAPTISM
Baptism is given by Jesus as a divine command. Believers are immersed in water as an act of obedience in response to faith in Jesus Christ.
COMMUNION
Jesus established the Lord’s supper as a practice of remembrance whereby believers when meeting together eat and drink the elements as a symbolic reminder of the Jesus’ death.
PRAYER
God calls us to pray. We have direct access to pray to Him both corporately and individually.