Worship
It is our great privilege to worship the Triune God through Jesus Christ. He tells us in His word to worship Him in the splendor of holiness. We seek to model our worship at Grace upon the Scriptures.
“Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth!” Psalm 96:9
salvation
We believe man is made in the image of God and is supposed to mirror Him in the earth. However, since our father Adam plunged the whole human race into sin and misery, we are unable to honor God as we ought. But God, being rich in mercy, has given us His Son to redeem us from this sin and misery through His life, death, and bodily resurrection. We receive the work of Christ on our behalf by grace through faith alone.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
PREACHING
We receive this gift of God primarily through the preaching of Holy Scripture. We believe that Christ is the one speaking through the preaching of His word. Therefore, preaching is worthy of respect not because of the man in the pulpit but the one who has placed him there.
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17
SACRAMENTS
We believe there are only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We practice covenant baptism, which includes believers and their children, and we invite all evangelical Christians who are in good standing in a conservative, Bible believing church to partake with us. Our practice is to celebrate the Lord’s Supper once per month, as announced.
“In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead.“ Colossians 2:11-12
“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” 1 Corinthians 10:16
MINISTRY
We believe that the ministry is more than our corporate gatherings in worship and prayer. However, we certainly do not believe the ministry is less than those things. Corporate worship and prayer are the foundation because they place us in the context of the means of grace, under the blessing of God’s Spirit, where we can be most certain of His presence and equipping of us for His service in the earth. We encourage our families to worship together on the Lord’s Day (corporately) but also throughout the week in their homes through family worship. Ministry therefore flows out of these things and can never take the place of them lest we be guilty of seeking to build a kingdom and work other than that which Christ has given us.
“For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised.” Genesis 18:19
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
FELLOWSHIP
It has always been the practice of the people of God to come together in times of fellowship outside of the corporate worship services. Just as we fellowship with our own physical families more than simply on special occasions, we believe we are to do much the same with family of God. We encourage love of the brethren because it pleases the Lord of the Church and it is fruit of a life that belongs to God.
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” I John 4:20-21
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42