Essentials

These ten items are the fundamental elements of our Essentials. To learn a bit more about our heart behind each one, click the button below

 

1. Primacy of God’s Word

2. Christian Essentials

3. The Family

4. The Significance of Each One

5. Relationships of Grace

6. Leadership

7. Worship

8. For, Not Against

9. Vision—Its Structure and Expression

10. Outreach

Statement of Faith

The Word of God

The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testament, is the Inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original documents and of final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Trinity

There is one God, eternally existent in three Persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is all-knowing, all- powerful, just, merciful, wise, unchangeable, and gracious.

1 Timothy 2:5; John1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:16-17

The Person of Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man, fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, perfect in His Person and eternal in His being.

Hebrews 1:1-4; John 1:1-3; Matthew 1:18-25

Mankind

We believe that mankind was created in the image of God and was originally without sin. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, all of mankind are now sinners both by nature and by choice and are unable to remedy their own lost condition.

Genesis 3; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 5:6

The Works of Christ

Jesus Christ died on a cross to rescue us from our helpless state, paying the penalty for our sin, and He rose from the dead on the third day, ascended into Heaven , and now sits at God's right hand as our Mediator.

Romans 5:1-11; 1Corinthians 15:1-19; 1John 2:1-2

The Church

The Church, consisting of God’s elect, began with the descent of the Holy Spirit on believers at Pentecost. The miracle of God’s grace frees believers to love as Christ loved, leading to unity, greater knowledge of Christ, maturity, and the expression of gifting for the benefit of the Church.

Matthew 16:13-20; Acts 2; Acts 5:11

Salvation & the Spirit

Because salvation is a work of God’s grace, believers are eternally secure and released from relying on their own abilities and merits to earn acceptance from God and others.

John 10:27-29; Ephesians 2:4-10

Eternal Security

By God’s grace, those who trust in the work of Christ for their salvation inherit eternal life and are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

1 John 5:13; Ephesians 1:11-14

Miracle of Grace

The miracle of God’s grace frees believers to love as Christ loved, leading to unity, greater knowledge of Christ, maturity and the expression of gifting for the benefit of the Church.

2 Timothy 1:5-7; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7,12-14

The Return Of Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ will return soon, and there will be a resurrection of the saved to eternal life, and of the lost to eternal and conscious judgment.

Titus 2:11-14; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 20:15

LEadership

We are committed to the New Testament example of the role of elders as church over-shepherds. These elders are vitally involved in the ministry life of Open Door and are committed to prayer, the Word of God, sacrificial shepherding, and serving. They are selected by trusted leadership and are identified by the biblical qualifications found in 1Timothy and Titus. The gift of pastoring is not synonymous with the role of elder. The pastors in the church function out of their giftedness while the elders are responsible to shepherd the flock of God. We also appoint male and female staff members and deacons to help with the serving of the needs of the church. Every role is vital to the health of the church and a part of the biblical design provided in scripture.