Throughout the ages, Christian congregations have agreed to acknowledge certain biblical truths as central to their faith and practice. The statement of faith below serves to provide Heaston Community Church with the biblical parameters by which it defines itself as a gathered assembly representing Jesus Christ. A. The Holy Scriptures—We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of man, and the divine and final authority for Christian faith and practice (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:21; 1 Cor 2:13; Matt 24:35; Heb 4:12; Rev 22:18-19). B. The Godhead—We believe there is one, only one, living and true God, subsisting in three persons called the Trinity—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, each having precisely the same nature and attributes, and worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence and obedience (Gen 1:26; Matt 28:19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor 13:14; Heb 1:1-3). C. God the Father—We believe in God the Father, all-present, perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power; who created the universe by His spoken word and concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men. He hears and answers prayer and gives eternal life to all who come to Him through personal faith in His Son, Jesus Christ (Gen 1:1; 1 Chron 29:11-12; Psa 33:6-22; Jer 33:3; John 1:12). D. Jesus Christ—We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became fully man without ceasing to be fully God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born in human form through the miracle of the virgin birth. His sinless life made Him the only worthy sacrifice to take away the penalty of our sin by shedding His blood and dying in our place on the cross. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the Father, and His bodily, imminent return to the earth according to His promise in the Scriptures (John 1:1, 14, 18; Luke 1:26-38; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess 4:16-17; Rev 20:4-6; John 14:6). E. The Holy Spirit—We believe that the person of the Holy Spirit came from God to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement. It is He who gives new birth to those who trust Christ. He baptizes them into the Church, the Body of Christ; indwells them permanently; and seals them unto the day of redemption. He ministers to the Body of Christ as its comforter, counselor and guide. He bestows spiritual gifts upon each person as He wills, and empowers them for service (John 15:26-27, 16:7-15, 14:16-17; Eph 1:13, 4:30; 1 Cor 12:4-11, 13; Eph 5:18; Acts 4:31). F. Man—We believe that all men by nature and by choice are sinners and are condemned to die, deserving the eternal wrath of God. But God in His mercy and perfect love sent His only Son into the world to bear that wrath on our behalf, so that whoever places his trust and faith in Jesus Christ alone not only escapes the penalty of sin, but is given full rights and privileges as God’s child (John 1:12; Rom 3:23, 5:8, 12, 6:23, 8:16-17; 1 John 3:1-2; Eph 1:5). G. Salvation—We believe that salvation is a gift of God, which He freely gives by His grace, and is received by man through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. By thus trusting Him we escape the wrath of God and pass from death to life (Eph 2:8-9; John 1:12, 3:16, 5:24; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 3:18; Rom 6:23, 10:9-10). H. Security of Believers—We believe that all true believers are kept secure in Christ forever (Rom 8:1, 29-39; John 10:27-30; 1 Pet 1:3-5,23). I. The Christian Life—We believe that we are called to a holy life, to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, having our minds set on things above rather than the temporal things of this world. Thus, we are to relate to the world as strangers and pilgrims, ambassadors of Christ and His witnesses, having as our primary purpose in life to make Christ known to the whole world, starting at home. We are to relate to one another in love according to the command of Christ that all men will know that we are His disciples (1 Pet 1:14-16, 22; Rom 8:5-8, 6:11-14, 12:10-21; Gal 5:16; 1 Pet 2:11; 2 Cor 5:20; Acts 1:8; Matt 28:19-20; John 13:34-35). J. The Church—We believe that the church is a living and spiritual body of which Christ is head and of which all spiritually regenerated people are members. We believe that a local church is an assembly of believers united in a common faith, practicing love, and intent on the purpose of the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples of all nations. We believe that the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper were given to the church respectively as public testimony of personal commitment to Christ, and in remembrance of the shedding of His blood, His death, burial and resurrection to life (Eph 1:22-23, 5:23; Col 1:18; Rom 12:4-5; Philippians 1:27; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Matt 28:19; Col 1:12).