TURNING POINT CHURCH STATEMENT OF FAITH
God’s Word
We believe the Bible is God’s Word. It is accurate, authoritative and applicable to our everyday lives. We believe that (1) the Scriptures are God’s revelation of himself to mankind, (2) they are infallible (never wrong), and (3) they are the divinely authoritative guide for our faith, belief, and manner of living. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13,
2 Peter 1:21)
God's Person
We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things. He exists in three Persons, which is called the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is totally loving and completely holy. The Lord Jesus Christ is both God and man and is the only one who can reconcile us to God. (Isaiah 43:10, Genesis 1:1, Matthew 28:19)
The Lord Jesus Christ Is Fully God
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Fully God and has always existed. He became human by being born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit and lived a perfect life without sin. While on Earth, He worked many miracles through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In order to restore fallen mankind, He died on the cross as a substitute for the sins of every person. He was raised from the dead by the supernatural power of God. Since His resurrection, He has been exalted (honored), and is seated at the right hand of God. (Matthew 1:23, Hebrews 7:26, 1 Corinthians 15:3, Matthew 28:6, 1 Corinthians 6:14, Philippians 2:9-11)
God's Plan For Man
We believe sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives. In order to receive forgiveness, we must repent of our sins, believe in Jesus Christ and submit to His will for our lives. God wants to heal and transform us so that we can live healthy and powerful lives in order to help others more effectively. In order to live the holy, fruitful, and power-filled lives God intends for us, we need to be baptized in water, set our mind on Him and His purpose, and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance: Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:21; 3:19; 1 John 1:9)
Salvation: We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human effort. (Galatians 2:16; 3:8; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5)
Divine Healing: Divine healing from God is an integral part of the Gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided in the Atonement (Christ’s suffering and death for our reconciliation with God). Healing is a priviledge of all believers. (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:14-16)
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit: All believers are entitled to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and therefore should expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. The baptism in the Holy Spirit was the normal experience of all believers in the early Christian church. With the experience comes the provision of power for victorious Christian living and productive service. It also provides believers with specific spiritual gifts for more effective ministry. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is separate from salvation, and follows the new birth experience. With this baptism comes a deeper reverence for God, an intensified commitment to God and dedication to His work, and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for those who have not yet become believers. (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4,8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, Acts 8:12-17, Acts 11:14-16, John 7:37)
God's Plan For the Church
We believe God has individually equipped us and corporately gathered us as His living body so that we can successfully achieve His purpose for our lives, which is to worship God, strengthen the Church, and share the Gospel with the community in which we live.
The Sacraments of the Church: In fulfilling these spiritual acts, Christians are reminded of an important work that has already taken place in the heart of the believer.
Baptism in Water: The ordinance of baptism by immersion in water (not sprinkling) is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord are to be baptized. This act of baptism symbolically declares to everyone that the old sinful life and lifestyle of the baptized believer died with Christ at salvation and a new spiritual being has been raised with Christ (in His resurrection) to live a new life. (Matthew 28:19;
Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4)
Holy Communion: The Lord’s Supper or Communion, consisting of bread and the fruit of the vine (grape juice), is a memorial of Christ’s suffering and death. In eating and drinking the symbols of Christ’s suffering and death, the believer expresses his awareness that through salvation he, (1) has been made right with God, and (2) shares the divine nature of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. The ordinance also looks forward to Christ’s second coming for it is a reminder to proclaim the Lord’s death
“until He comes!” (1 Corinthians 11:26, 2 Peter 1:4)
The Church And Its Mission
The Church as described in the Bible consists of all people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as the only remedy for their sins. The Church includes all Christians and has no boundaries as to age, race, gender, or denomination. It is the body of Christ, the dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Church. He has made every provision for the fulfillment of “the Church’s” Great Commission. Each Christian is an integral part of that Church.
God’s purpose concerning mankind is;
(A) to seek and to save people who are lost in sin
(B) to be worshipped by all mankind
(C) to build a unified body of believers mature in faith and knowledge like His Son, Jesus.
(Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15, Ephesians 1:22-23, Hebrews 12:23, Ephesians 4:12, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 1 Corinthians 12:28, 14:12, Galatians 5:22-26, Colossians 1:29)
Biblical Marriage
We believe the Bible clearly teaches that marriage is a sacred vow between a born man and a born woman. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His Church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to Biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.
(Genesis 2:22-24, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:6-9, Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Corinthians 11:9)