Statement of faith
We believe that there is one God, who is eternal and reveals himself as three distinct personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Col. 1:15-17
We believe that God the father is all powerful, all knowing and all wise. He reigns with providential care over the universe and the flow of human history is according to His purposes and plan.
We believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, was born of a virgin, is wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose from the grave and ascended into Heaven.
John 1:14, John 3:16, Matthew 4, Luke 4, Hebrews 4:15, 2 Corinthians 5:21
We believe the Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit indwells the believer at the moment of spiritual birth, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ and is God the Father’s seal guaranteeing our eternal inheritance. He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment; the believer’s Guide to and Teacher of truth, Counselor and Comforter.
Ephesians 1, John 14-17
We believe in the literal, bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth.
Revelation 19:1-2, 16
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit without any error, the sole authority for life, and the primary tool the Holy Spirit uses to grow people toward Christlikeness.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21
We believe that human beings are a special creation of God, made in His image with the eternal capacity to know God.
Genesis 1:26-27
We believe that all mankind fell through the sin of the first man, Adam, and that all men are sinners in need of salvation.
Genesis 3:15, Romans 5:12-15
We believe that salvation is a gift of grace from God, received through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is available to all through faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father and eternal life.
Romans 6:23, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-10, John 1:12
We believe that every person who truly is saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 10:27-30, Ephesians 1:13-14, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 10:10, 14
We believe that those persons who die without faith in Jesus Christ spend eternity in Hell and those persons who die with their sins forgiven, through faith in Christ, spend eternity in Heaven.
John 3:15, Revelation 20:14-15
We believe that water baptism is in obedience to the command of Christ, and is by immersion after salvation.
Romans 6:3-10, Acts 8:34-38, Mark 1:9-11
We believe that the local church is the local body of baptized believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the head. The church is God’s only plan to fulfill the Great Commission.
Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:14-16, 1 Cor. 12:27-28
We believe that each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2:5-6, Hebrews 10:19-22
We believe in the separation of church and state, but not in the separation of God and government. While the government does not speak for God, God controls government. Submission to God includes submission to government, except when government places itself between us and God. E.g. Daniel, 1 Peter 2:13-17, Matt. 22:15-22, Romans 13:1-7
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman; that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, premarital sex, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)We believe all persons are made in the image and likeness of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They also deserve to know the truth of God's Word. Accordingly, Ridgedale Church professes and recognizes, consistent with God's Word as found in the Bible, that the human person exists as either male or female. An individual's sex or gender is an immutable characteristic and is manifest in the body as a biological reality. Because we exist as male or female, efforts to "change" one's sex should be rejected as contrary to God's plan and contrary to our nature and dignity as persons. Similarly, the complementary nature of male and female is further expressed in God's design for marriage as a sacred, life-long union of one man and one woman. Children are begotten from the martial union of a man and woman and, while some grow up in single parent households or in households impacted by divorce, God's plan for us in marriage was for the mutual love of husband and wife and to provide a safe and loving environment for children under the care of a mother and father. Accordingly, the church does not recognize unions of persons other than the lawful marriage of one man and one woman as lawful marriage and, therefore, such unions are contrary to God's Word as revealed in the Bible.
Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Col. 1:15-17
We believe that God the father is all powerful, all knowing and all wise. He reigns with providential care over the universe and the flow of human history is according to His purposes and plan.
We believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, was born of a virgin, is wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose from the grave and ascended into Heaven.
John 1:14, John 3:16, Matthew 4, Luke 4, Hebrews 4:15, 2 Corinthians 5:21
We believe the Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit indwells the believer at the moment of spiritual birth, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ and is God the Father’s seal guaranteeing our eternal inheritance. He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment; the believer’s Guide to and Teacher of truth, Counselor and Comforter.
Ephesians 1, John 14-17
We believe in the literal, bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth.
Revelation 19:1-2, 16
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit without any error, the sole authority for life, and the primary tool the Holy Spirit uses to grow people toward Christlikeness.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21
We believe that human beings are a special creation of God, made in His image with the eternal capacity to know God.
Genesis 1:26-27
We believe that all mankind fell through the sin of the first man, Adam, and that all men are sinners in need of salvation.
Genesis 3:15, Romans 5:12-15
We believe that salvation is a gift of grace from God, received through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is available to all through faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father and eternal life.
Romans 6:23, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-10, John 1:12
We believe that every person who truly is saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 10:27-30, Ephesians 1:13-14, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 10:10, 14
We believe that those persons who die without faith in Jesus Christ spend eternity in Hell and those persons who die with their sins forgiven, through faith in Christ, spend eternity in Heaven.
John 3:15, Revelation 20:14-15
We believe that water baptism is in obedience to the command of Christ, and is by immersion after salvation.
Romans 6:3-10, Acts 8:34-38, Mark 1:9-11
We believe that the local church is the local body of baptized believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the head. The church is God’s only plan to fulfill the Great Commission.
Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:14-16, 1 Cor. 12:27-28
We believe that each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2:5-6, Hebrews 10:19-22
We believe in the separation of church and state, but not in the separation of God and government. While the government does not speak for God, God controls government. Submission to God includes submission to government, except when government places itself between us and God. E.g. Daniel, 1 Peter 2:13-17, Matt. 22:15-22, Romans 13:1-7
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman; that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, premarital sex, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)We believe all persons are made in the image and likeness of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They also deserve to know the truth of God's Word. Accordingly, Ridgedale Church professes and recognizes, consistent with God's Word as found in the Bible, that the human person exists as either male or female. An individual's sex or gender is an immutable characteristic and is manifest in the body as a biological reality. Because we exist as male or female, efforts to "change" one's sex should be rejected as contrary to God's plan and contrary to our nature and dignity as persons. Similarly, the complementary nature of male and female is further expressed in God's design for marriage as a sacred, life-long union of one man and one woman. Children are begotten from the martial union of a man and woman and, while some grow up in single parent households or in households impacted by divorce, God's plan for us in marriage was for the mutual love of husband and wife and to provide a safe and loving environment for children under the care of a mother and father. Accordingly, the church does not recognize unions of persons other than the lawful marriage of one man and one woman as lawful marriage and, therefore, such unions are contrary to God's Word as revealed in the Bible.