Vision, Values & Beliefs

We believe that there is one infinite God, who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, perfectly righteous and holy, and incomparably loving. God is eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1; John 10:3033; John 14:10-17; Ephesians 4:4-6)

We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, fully God and fully human. (Philippians 2:5-8) We believe in His appearance on earth through a virgin birth (Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-7), His sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), His miracles, His death to take away the sins of the world and restore humankind toward right relationship with God (Romans 4:25) His bodily resurrection (Luke 24:2-7), His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19) and His personal return to earth in power and glory to complete the work of bringing the Kingdom of God to earth as it exists in heaven. (2 Peter 3:3-13)

We believe in the active ministry of the Holy Spirit who ushers in the experiential presence of God and who empowers the Christian for witness and service (Acts 1:8). We believe that all the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit are operative and necessary for the church. (Galatians 5:22-23; I Corinthians 12:8-10)

We believe that the Bible is the Holy Spirit-inspired, authoritative Word of God and that it is completely reliable and infallible. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

We believe Jesus Christ, alone, is the way, the truth and the life of God. (John 14:6). We believe that salvation is solely by grace, through faith in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by the shedding of his blood on the cross for all humanity. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:25; I Peter 3:18) We believe that anyone who confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in their heart that God raised him from the dead, will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

We believe that God wants all people to be saved and that all come to the knowledge of Him. (I Tim 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9) We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost. Those who are saved to eternal life with God, and those who are lost to punishment and eternal death and separation from God. We believe that those who accept Jesus as Lord and savior will be joined with Him now and forever and those who reject Jesus will be separated from Him now and forever. (Matthew 25:31-46)

We believe in one universal church that is the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12.12) We believe that Christ is its head. (Colossians 1:18) We believe that all who are born again by the blood of Jesus and by the Spirit are its members. (John 3:5-8) We believe the church’s purposes are offering love and worship to God (1 Chronicles 16:23-31; Hebrews 12:28-29); providing fellowship, love, ministry, and instruction to itself (Acts 4:32-35); extending love, evangelism and service to the world by joining Jesus in bringing His Kingdom on earth through our ministry as His ambassadors of reconciliation to all others. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in the presence and ministry of angels, the reality of the devil and demonic beings, and the legitimacy and necessity for spiritual warfare over and for our nations, cultures, cities, families and individuals so that the purposes for which God created every human (Psalm 139) and established every nation (Acts 17:26-27) may find their fulfillments.

We believe in the power of prayer to connect to the heart of the Father and experience His love and acceptance. We believe prayer enables us to communicate directly with God and God to communicate directly with us as we listen. (John 10:27-28; John 16:23; Jeremiah 33:3) We believe that prayer transforms our physical and spiritual reality and has the power to bring healing, restoration, and meaningful change in our world and our community. (Mark 11:22-24)

We believe in the sanctity of life from conception to death. (Psalm 139:13-16)

We believe God has designed the beautiful gift of sexual intimacy to be shared in the sacred covenant marriage relationship between a husband and wife. We further believe that all intimate sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or otherwise, is immoral and therefore sin. (Genesis 2:24-25; Exodus 20:14, 17, 22:19; Leviticus 18:22-23, 20:13, 15-16; Matthew 19:4-6, 9; Romans 1:18-31; I Corinthians 6:9-10, 15-20; I Timothy 1:8-11, Jude 7)

We believe men and women are equally created in the image of God, and that God uniquely, wonderfully, and immutably creates each person as male or female (Genesis 1:27). These two distinct genders together reflect the image and nature of God, and we believe men and women augment each other in the service of God’s Kingdom and in the working of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 11:11-12); therefore both should be encouraged and released in all aspects of the ministry of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 14:26).

In marriage and in the church, we believe God works within the distinctiveness and uniqueness of men and women for order and harmony, and He calls men and women to love and serve one another; He calls those who lead to be greater servants (Mark 10:4345). We believe the Biblical role of elder/overseer is reserved for men in the church (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9). However, through their husbands, the wives of the Elders 10 Belmont Church Bylaws (August 01,2023) also have a distinct and unique voice in the shaping and shepherding of the body of Belmont Church.

We believe Gentile followers of Jesus do not replace Israel in the promises of God. (Romans 1:16) As ingrafted branches on God’s tree, Gentiles now share both the nature and the continuing promise with the Jewish people who have been rooted in God. Therefore, we believe we should love, encourage, comfort and stand with Jewish people throughout the world. (Romans 11:11-26)

God poured out His Spirit on all people, young and old, men and women on the day of Pentecost (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18). We affirm that the Spirit continues His work today in both men and women, and we believe He calls, anoints, and releases both men and women to the good works He has prepared for each to do (Ephesians 2:10), as He determines (1 Corinthians 12:11). We believe that when Jesus ascended, He gave spiritual gifts to His people, enabling some to serve as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the purpose of equipping the church and bringing the body of Christ into maturity. (Ephesians 4:1-11) We believe that He continues to give these ministry gifts today.

We believe that God has entrusted to His church both the message and ministry of reconciliation through the power of the Gospel to tear down dividing walls in our culture and society based on racial, ethnic, socioeconomic or denominational backgrounds. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Proverbs 31:8-9; Isaiah 1:17; Micah 6:8)