statement of faith
read our statement of faith to learn the values we hold as christian counselors
The Bible, God’s word to us, is central to our relationship with God and each other. While there are some areas where sincere Christians agree to disagree (Romans 14:1-15:7; 2 Timothy 2:23-24; Titus 3:9), the Bible makes clear that certain truths are essential convictions of the Christian faith. We created our own statement of faith based on the convictions we consider:
About God
God is the loving Creator of all that exists, both seen and unseen. God is eternal and completely good, knowing all things, having all power and majesty. God exists as the Trinity, in three distinct persons, yet one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God passionately desires a relationship with us and towards this end continually invites us into a relationship of faith, friendship, learning, and service. (Genesis 1:1; John 14:6-9; 15-17; 16:7-15; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 4:9-10)
About Jesus Christ
God expressed himself in human form through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God. He is the perfect reflection of God’s character and glory. Born of the Virgin Mary, he lived an exemplary, sinless life and offered himself as the only perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. All who believe in him are declared righteous on the basis of his death.
He rose physically from the dead, ascended to heaven and will return again to earth to reign forever with those who are his. (Colossians 1:13-23; 2:8-14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Matthew 22:36-40; 1:18-25; John 1:1; 8:40,58; 11:33; 14:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-8; Acts 1:9-11; 10:42-43; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Romans 5:8-10)
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, sent from God to live inside all who believe in Jesus Christ, teaches, comforts, and empowers us, giving each follower diverse gifts, fostering unity, interdependence, productivity, Christ-like character, love among Christians and charity towards those in our communities.
The believer receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. The empowering of the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father, is available for every Christian. (Acts 1:8; 2:4; Romans 5:5; 8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 3:16; 4:3-4; 5:18; John 14:26; 16:7-14)
About the Bible
We believe that God speaks to us in the Bible. It is our privilege to seek to understand God’s message and we are blessed by applying it responsibly to our lives. The Bible is our standard and authority in all we say and do. We believe that God inspired the authors of the Bible to write what they wrote and therefore through their writings we can read what God wants us to understand and live out.
The Bible is trustworthy and the final authority on all matters to which it speaks. We believe that God’s unchangeable Biblical message ought to be presented in relevant and contemporary ways, free of religious jargon and understandable to the people of our community. (Matthew 5:17-19; 2 Timothy 3:16; 3:14-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2; Peter 1:16-21; 2 Peter 3:14-18; Joshua 1:7-8; Acts 17:11; Psalms 19:7-11; 119:9-16,105)
About Humans and Salvation
All people are created with dignity and value in the image of God, to live in a vital relationship with God. However, through our sin (failing to live by God’s moral standards), we break our intended relationship with God, fall short and we experience the destructive consequences of that broken relationship, spiritually and socially, in this life and beyond. However, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue us from those consequences and to restore our broken relationships with God and others, through Christ’s death on the cross, a perfect act of redemption for each of us.
Salvation comes to people on the basis of God’s grace through their faith in Jesus alone. They receive the free gift of forgiveness and are spiritually reborn through repenting of their sin and believing in Jesus Christ. Good works and a holy life, although totally unable to save anyone, is the natural product of repentant, believing people. (I Peter 2:24; 3:18; Romans 3:9-28; 6:23; 10:9-10; John 3:16; 5:24; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:3-8; James 2:14-26)