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WHAT WE BELIEVE

• At Vineyard Monroe, we’re a diverse community centered on the core beliefs that unite all Christians and keep us rooted in the historic Christian faith. We seek to major on the majors—holding firm to the essentials of the gospel—while giving freedom in the non-essentials and practicing love in all things.

• We’re part of a wider family of churches known as Vineyard USA (vineyardusa.org) and fully affirm the Vineyard USA Statement of Faith.

Statement of Faith

The Vineyard Statement of Faith provides the foundation for all that we are.

The Statement of Faith is based on the Bible. The Bible is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. However, since the Bible is a diverse collection of narrative stories, poetry, law, and letters, it is helpful to summarize its teaching in a concise form that can be comprehended by both those deeply rooted in the church and those who have little exposure to the Bible. This is the historical function that the ancient universal church creeds played in the first four hundred years of Christ-centered faith.

Our Statement of Faith is based on the conviction that the kingdom of God is the central theological motif that gives definition to all that we believe. It is a kingdom-of-God-centered theology. This statement is our best current understanding of the Bible from that kingdom perspective. Our prayer is that God will bless our sincere attempt to be humble ambassadors of His rule and reign and to be a people that practice the presence of God and proclaim His Gospel, so that His will may be done on Earth as it is in heaven. For the greater glory of God and the well-being of people!

STATEMENT OF FAITH

God the King and the Holy Trinity
We believe that God is the Eternal King. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory.

God the King: The Creator and Ruler
Of all things, we believe that God’s kingdom is everlasting. From His throne, through His Son, His eternal Word, God created, upholds and governs all that exists: the heavenly places, the angelic hosts, the universe, the earth, every living thing and human beings. God created all things very good.

Counterfeit Kingdom: Satan and Demonic Hosts
We believe that Satan, originally a great, good angel, rebelled against God, taking a host of angels with him. He was cast out of God’s presence and, as a usurper of God’s rule, established a counter-kingdom of darkness and evil on the earth.

The Kingdom in Creation, The Fall, and The Doctrine of Original Sin
We believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God’s judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God’s good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam’s original sin. Human beings are born in sin, subject to God’s judgment of death and captive to Satan’s kingdom of darkness.

God’s Providence, Kingdom Law and Covenants
We believe that God did not abandon His rule over the earth which He continues to uphold by His providence. In order to bring redemption, God established covenants which revealed His grace to sinful people. In the covenant with Abraham, God bound Himself to His people Israel, promising to deliver them from bondage to sin and Satan and to bless all the nations through them.

We believe that as King, God later redeemed His people by His mighty acts from bondage in Egypt and established His covenant through Moses, revealing His perfect will and our obligation to fulfill it. The law’s purpose is to order our fallen race and to make us conscious of our moral responsibility. By the work of God’s Spirit, it convicts us of our sin and God’s righteous judgment against us and brings us to Christ alone for salvation.

We believe that when Israel rejected God’s rule over her as King, God established the monarchy in Israel and made an unconditional covenant with David, promising that his heir would restore God’s kingdom and reign over His people as Messiah forever.

Christ the Mediator and Eternal King
We believe that in the fullness of time, God honored His covenants with Israel and His prophetic promises of salvation by sending His Son, Jesus, into the world. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, as fully God and fully human in one person, He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God’s Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, inaugurating God’s kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Gathering His disciples, He reconstituted God’s people as His Church to be the instrument of His kingdom.

After dying for the sins of the world, Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day, fulfilling the covenant of blessing given to Abraham. In His sinless, perfect life Jesus met the demands of the law and in His atoning death on the cross He took God’s judgment for sin which we deserve as law-breakers. By His death on the cross He also disarmed the demonic powers. The covenant with David was fulfilled in Jesus’ birth from David’s house, His Messianic ministry, His glorious resurrection from the dead, His ascent into heaven and His present rule at the right hand of the Father. As God’s Son and David’s heir, He is the eternal Messiah-King, advancing God’s reign throughout every generation and throughout the whole earth today.

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Church at Pentecost in power, baptizing believers into the Body of Christ and releasing the gifts of the Spirit to them. The Spirit brings the permanent indwelling presence of God to us for spiritual worship, personal sanctification, building up the Church, gifting us for ministry, and driving back the kingdom of Satan by the evangelization of the world through proclaiming the word of Jesus and doing the works of Jesus. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is our abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide. We believe in the filling or the empowering of the Holy Spirit, often a conscious experience, for ministry today. We believe in the present ministry of the Spirit and in the exercise of all of the biblical gifts of the Spirit. We practice the laying on of hands for the empowering of the Spirit, for healing, and for recognition and empowering of those whom God has ordained to lead and serve the Church.

The Sufficiency of Scripture
We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the human authors of Holy Scripture so that the Bible is without error in the original manuscripts. We receive the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments as our final, absolute authority, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

The Power of the Gospel over the Kingdom of Darkness
We believe that the whole world is under the domination of Satan and that all people are sinners by nature and choice. All people therefore are under God’s just judgment. Through the preaching of the Good News of Jesus and the Kingdom of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, God regenerates, justifies, adopts and sanctifies through Jesus by the Spirit all who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. By this they are released from Satan’s domain and enter into God’s kingdom reign.

The Church: Instrument of the Kingdom
We believe in the one, holy, universal Church. All who repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and form the living Body of Christ, of which He is the head and of which we are all members.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the Church: water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both are available to all believers.

The Kingdom of God and the Final Judgment
We believe that God’s kingdom has come in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, that it continues to come in the ministry of the Spirit through the Church, and that it will be consummated in the glorious, visible and triumphant appearing of Christ–His return to the earth as King. After Christ returns to reign, He will bring about the final defeat of Satan and all of his minions and works, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment and the eternal blessing of the righteous and eternal conscious punishment of the wicked. Finally, God will be all in all and His kingdom, His rule and reign, will be fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth, recreated by His mighty power, in which righteousness dwells and in which He will forever be worshipped.

Scripture references for our statement of faith

God the King and the Holy Trinity
Deuteronomy 33:27 • Isaiah 44:6 • Romans 1:20 • Psalm 95:3 • Isaiah 43:15 • Psalm 147:5 • Job 11:7-9 • James 1:17 • John 4:24 • Matthew 5:48 • Isaiah 6:3 • 1 Peter 1:15-16 • Psalm 104:24 • Proverbs 2:6 • Isaiah 28:29 • Exodus 33:19 • Psalm 31:19 • Psalm 33:5 • Psalm 89:14 • Isaiah 30:18 • Exodus 15:6 • Psalm 63:2 • 1 John 4:8 • Isaiah 43:13 • Isaiah 45:5 • 1 Corinthians 8:4 • Psalm 42:2 • Psalm 84:2 • Jeremiah 10:10 • John 1:18 • John 10:30 • John 14:9 • John 14:16-17 • John 14:26 • John 15:26 • 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 • John 1:1 • John 1:14 • 2 Corinthians 3:17 • Matthew 28:19-20 • 2 Corinthians 13:14 • Revelation 1:4 • Revelation 5:13 • Ephesians 3:14-21

God the King: The Creator and Ruler of all things
Psalm 45:6 • Psalm 145:13 • Daniel 4:3 • Psalm 93:1-2 • John 1:1-3 • 1 Corinthians 8:6 • Colossians 1:15-16 • Hebrews 1:1-2 • Genesis 1:1 • Psalm 95:3-5 • Colossians 1:17 • Hebrews 1:3 • Psalm 103:19 • Psalm 104:24-29 • Psalm 96:4-6 • Psalm 89:11 • Psalm 103:20-21 • Colossians 1:16-17 • Psalm 104:5 • Psalm 103:22 • Psalm 22:28 • Psalm 47:8 • Genesis 1:31 Counterfeit Kingdom: Satan and Demonic Hosts Revelation 12:7-9 • 2 Corinthians 11:14 • Colossians 1:13-14 • Ephesians 6:12 • Mark 3:22-26 • Ephesians 2:1-2 • 1 John 5:19

The Kingdom in Creation, The Fall and The Doctrine of Original Sin
Genesis 1:26-27 • Genesis 1:26 • Genesis 3:1 • Revelation 12:9 • Genesis 3:8 • Romans 1:21 • Romans 5:16 • Romans 5:12 • John 5:14 • 1 Corinthians 15:22 • John 8:44 • 1 John 5:19 • Romans 8:20-23 • Psalm 51:5 • Galatians 1:3-5 • Galatians 4:8-9 • Colossians 1:13 God’s Providence, Kingdom Law and Covenants Psalm 24:1 • Psalm 96:10 • Isaiah 40:22 • Hebrews 1:3 • Romans 9:4 • Ephesians 2:12 • Genesis 17:3-8 • Genesis 12:2-3 • Genesis 15:4-6 • Romans 4:3-5 • Romans 4:16 • Romans 4:20-25 • Galatians 3:6-9 • Galatians 3:13-14 • Exodus 15:3-18 • Exodus 19:3-6 • Exodus 24:3-4 • Exodus 24:7 • Romans 8:3-4 • Romans 8:12-14 • Deuteronomy 5:1-3 • Deuteronomy 30:15-18 • Galatians 3:23-25 • Psalm 25:8-10 • Romans 7:7 • John 15:26 • John 16:8-11 • 2 Corinthians 3:14-17 • Romans 7:13 • Galatians 3:19 • Galatians 3:21-22 • Romans 2:1-11 • Galatians 3:24 • Philippians 3:8-9 • 1 Samuel 8:6-8 • 1 Samuel 8:21-22 • 1 Samuel 9:15-16 • 1 Samuel 10:1 • 1 Samuel 10:24 • 2 Samuel 7:11b-16 • Psalm 89:34-37 • Isaiah 9:6-7 • Isaiah 11:1-5 • Jeremiah 23:5-6 • Ezekiel 34:23

Christ the Mediator and Eternal King
Mark 1:15 • Galatians 4:4 • Romans 1:2-4 • John 1:14 • John 1:17-18 • Luke 1:30-35 • John 1:14 • Philippians 2:5-7 • Romans 5:19 • 1 Corinthians 15:22 • 1 Peter 2:22 • 2 Corinthians 5:21 • Romans 8:29 • Luke 3:21-22 • Luke 4:16-21 • Mark 1:14-15 • Luke 11:20 • Luke 17:20-21 • Luke 4:1-13 • Luke 4:43 • Luke 4:40 • Luke 4:41 • Luke 7:14-17 • Mark 1:16-17 • Mark 3:13-15 • Matthew 16:18 • Luke 9:1-2 • Luke 10:1-17 • John 1:29 • John 6:51 • 1 John 4:9-10 • Mark 8:31 • 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 • Galatians 3:13-14 • Acts 3:14-15 • Hebrews 4:15 • Romans 5:18-19 • 1 Peter 2:24 • Galatians 3:13 • 2 Corinthians 5:21 • Romans 1:18 • Romans 1:32 • Romans 2:12 • 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 • Colossians 2:13-15 • Matthew 1:1 • Luke 1:68-72 • Luke 2:10-11 • Matthew 9:27 • Acts 2:24-28 • Acts 2:29-36 • Romans 1:1-4 • Hebrews 1:1-3 • 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 • Ephesians 1:19-23 • Revelation 5:5 The Ministry of the Holy Spirit Acts 1:8 • Acts 2:1-4 • 1 Corinthians 12:13 • 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 • John 14:16-17 • Romans 12:1 • Ephesians 5:18-20 • Romans 8:3-4 • 1 Corinthians 14:12 • 1 Corinthians 14:26 • Romans 12:4-6 • Luke 11:20 • 1 John 3:8b • Ephesians 6:10-20 • John 14:12-13 • Romans 15:18-19 • 1 Corinthians 4:20 • Romans 8:9-10 • John 16:7 • John 14:26 • John 16:13-15 • Romans 8:14 • Luke 24:49 • Acts 4:31 • Acts 8:18-19 • Acts 19:1-2 • 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 • 2 Corinthians 4:7 • 2 Corinthians 6:4-7 • Joel 2:28-29 • Acts 2:15-17 • 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 • 1 Corinthians 14:1 • 1 Corinthians 14:5 • 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 • Acts 8:14-17 • Acts 19:6 • Mark 1:41 • Luke 6:18b-19 • Mark 16:18 • Acts 13:1-3 • 1 Timothy 4:14 • 2 Timothy 1:6

The Sufficiency of Scripture
2 Timothy 3:16-17 • 2 Peter 1:20-21 • 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 • John 14:26 • Psalm 19:7-9 • Psalm 119:30 • Psalm 119:43 • Psalm 119:89 • Matthew 5:17-18 • John 3:34 • John 10:35 • 1 Thessalonians 2:13 • Revelation 22:6 • Luke 24:44 • 2 Peter 3:15-16 • Revelation 22:18-19 • Isaiah 40:8 • Matthew 24:35 • Matthew 7:21 • Matthew 7:24 • Luke 1:38 • James 1:22-25 The Power of the Gospel Over the Kingdom of Darkness Luke 4:5-7 • 1 John 5:19 • 1 Corinthians 15:22 • Ephesians 2:1-3 • Romans 1:21-23 • Romans 1:32 • Romans 1:18 • Romans 2:5 • 2 Corinthians 5:10 • Ephesians 5:6 • Mark 1:14-15 • Acts 8:12 • Acts 28:31 • Ephesians 5:5 • John 16:7-11 • John 3:5-8 • 1 Peter 1:23 • Romans 5:1-2 • Romans 5:9 • Romans 8:15 • Galatians 4:6 • Ephesians 5:25 • Hebrews 13:12 • 1 Peter 1:1-2 • Acts 2:38 • Romans 10:9 • 1 John 4:13-15 • Colossians 1:13-14 • Philippians 3:20

The Church: Instrument of the Kingdom
John 17:20-21 • Ephesians 4:3-6 • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 • Matthew 16:17-18 • 1 Corinthians 1:2 • Ephesians 2:18-19 • 1 Peter 2:9-10 • Titus 3:4-7 • Romans 12:4-5 • Ephesians 1:22 • Ephesians 5:23 • 1 Corinthians 12:27

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Matthew 28:19-20 • 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Kingdom of God and the Final Judgment
Daniel 7:13-14 • Matthew 4:23 • Matthew 12:28 • Matthew 6:10 • Matthew 10:7-8 • Matthew 24:14 • Mark 13:11 • John 15:26-27 • Romans 14:17-18 • Mark 13:26 • Acts 1:9-11 • 2 Thessalonians 2:8 • Revelation 19:11-16 • Matthew 25:31-32 • 1 Corinthians 15:23-25 • Revelation 20:10 • 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 • John 5:28-30 • Revelation 20:11-15 • Matthew 25:31-46 • 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 • 1 Timothy 6:13-16 • 2 Peter 3:13 • Revelation 21:5 • Revelation 21:27 • 1 Timothy 1:17 • Revelation 7:9-12