What Do We Believe?

Abundant Life Church is a Bible-based church. We wholeheartedly accept the Holy Scriptures as the final authority on all matters of doctrine, faith, character and conduct. The Bible is a book of life-changing principles which are consistently applicable for every generation and in every culture.

We believe the Bible teaches the following doctrines and beliefs:

GOD

We believe the one eternal God is revealed to us in Scripture as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is infinite in power and holy in nature, attributes and purpose; possessing absolute deity without division of substance, nature or being. It is a challenge for our limited human minds to comprehend the complexity of His existence and the mystery of His incarnation. We can only know what the Father has revealed to us, through His Word, by the Holy Spirit. Our church does not claim to understand everything there is to know about God, but we believe He is infinitely greater and more wonderful than any one of us can imagine. Together, we are sincerely endeavoring to know Him in a deeper way...and we believe Jesus is the way.

JESUS CHRIST

We believe every human being can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. He is the only way to God; the one Mediator between God and man. Jesus is wholly God and wholly man. He is God manifested in flesh. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. As a man, Jesus lived a sinless life and ministered to others in the power and anointing of the Father. As our spotless Lamb, Jesus was crucified and died for the sins of all people, rising again victoriously on the third day. He has ascended to the throne of God, where He now reigns at the right hand of all authority and power, forever interceding as our High Priest and Advocate. We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the promise of His second coming inspires us for dynamic and zealous service for Him while waiting for His return. Every knee will one day bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

SIN

We believe all people have sinned and are in need of salvation. There must be atonement for our sin or we will be judged by God and condemned to eternal damnation and punishment. We believe salvation from sin can only be received by grace through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

FAITH & SALVATION

God has given each person a measure of faith compelling us to seek reconciliation with Him through repentance and obedience. We must truly believe in the atoning work of Calvary in order to be saved. We must acknowledge our sin and forsake it. We must confess with our mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord and embrace Him as our Risen Savior. Grace is received as we believe and obey the Gospel, identifying with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. We must never forget that salvation is a free gift which cannot be earned through our own efforts or good works; it is solely a result of God’s mercy, and our reconciliation with Him can only happen through faith in what Christ has already accomplished for us on the Cross.

WATER BAPTISM

Those who turn away from sin (repent) to believe and follow Christ are instructed to be baptized in the name of the Lord. We believe water baptism is more than physical cleansing or public confession. It brings remission of sins and the answer of a good conscience before God and man. We are symbolically buried with Christ in baptism, rising again to walk with Him in the newness of spiritual life. We believe baptism is an ordinance that should take place in accordance with the instructions of Jesus Christ and the precedents established by His followers.

HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM

We believe the infilling of the Holy Spirit is promised by Jesus to all who believe. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is demonstrated through the initial evidence of tongues and confirmed by great joy and the subsequent gifts of the Spirit given for the edification of the Body. One who is genuinely Spirit-filled will begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit with a changed life and attitude. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide us in our daily walk.

HOLINESS & CHRISTIAN LIVING

First and foremost, we are commanded to love God and others. Our love for others is an expression of our love for God. Every believer is called to a life of peace, moral purity and integrity. We must walk in the Spirit and put on the mind of Christ in order to overcome our sinful human nature. We believe this can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit as He sanctifies and cleanses our hearts from unholy desires and ambitions. The more we know God, the more His holiness affects every aspect of our lives. As we daily endeavor to become more like Jesus Christ in principle and in practice, our lifestyle, attitudes and priorities will be influenced by the Holy Spirit's powerful work inside of us.

THE BODY OF CHRIST: THE CHURCH

We believe the Church is “called out” of the world as the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit. As part of the present day Body of Christ, we profess to be Christians in the sense that we want to be more like Jesus Christ and join with His Body. We do not subscribe to Christianity as a set of man-made religious traditions or a political system of imposing our values on others. We believe His Body is much larger than one congregation, group or sect. The Church is not merely a denomination, organization or building, but the collective relationship and ministry of all believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized into His Body. Though diverse in our individual gifts and callings, we are together the temple of the Holy Spirit and children of God according to His promise. Every single believer has a unique purpose and place in Christ. Regardless of nationality, culture, race, gender, ethnicity or social standing, we all belong to Christ and are equally valuable to Him as members of His Body.