STATEMENT OF FAITH

THE WORD OF GOD

The Bible—both Old and New Testaments—is the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original documents, and the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17)

THE TRINITY

There is one God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is all-knowing, all-powerful, just, merciful, wise, unchangeable, and gracious. (1 Timothy 2:5; John 1:1‑3; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:16‑17)

THE PERSON OF CHRIST

Jesus Christ is both 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

Humanity was created in the image of God and initially without sin. Through the sin of Adam and Eve, all people are now sinners by nature and by choice, and are unable to remedy their lost condition on their own. (Genesis 3; Ephesians 2:1‑3; Romans 5:6)

THE WORKS OF CHRIST

Jesus Christ died on the cross to rescue us from our helpless state by paying the penalty for our sin. 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; 1 Corinthians 15:1‑19; 1 John 2:1‑2)

THE CHURCH

The Church began with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Through grace, believers are freed to love as Christ loved; this leads to unity, maturity in Christ, and the use of spiritual gifts for the benefit of the Church. (Matthew 16:13‑20; Acts 2; Acts 5:11)

SALVATION & THE SPIRIT

Salvation is a work of God’s grace; believers are eternally secure and need not rely on their own merits to gain acceptance from God or others. (John 10:27‑29; Ephesians 2:4‑10)

ETERNAL SECURITY

Those who trust in Christ for salvation inherit eternal life and are sealed with the Holy Spirit. (1 John 5:13; Ephesians 1:11‑14)

MIRACLE OF GRACE

God’s grace enables believers to love as Christ loved, resulting in unity, spiritual maturity, and the exercise of spiritual gifts for the Church’s benefit. (2 Timothy 1:5‑7; 1 Corinthians 12:4‑7,12‑14)

THE RETURN OF CHRIST

The Lord Jesus Christ will return soon. There will be a resurrection—of the saved to eternal life, the lost to eternal 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.

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