We believe the 66 books of the Bible tell the unified story of God’s revelation of himself to humanity. It is the true story of the world’s creation, redemption, and restoration through Jesus Christ. We affirm the Bible’s divine inspiration through human authors, its truthfulness, and authority as the written word of God. We believe that it is without error in all that it affirms as the only infallible source of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Disciples of Jesus are to immerse themselves in the Scriptures through lifelong meditation so that it shapes our identity, purpose, and activity in this world (Psalm 1:1-6; Psalm 119; John 8:31-32).

We believe in one God who exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7; Matthew 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The uniqueness of the Christian faith is found in our shared confession of God’s trinitarian nature (Matthew 28:18-20). The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct persons without division of nature, essence, or being. Each is fully God, co-existent, coequal, and co-eternal.

We believe in God the Father, the creator of heaven and earth. He created out of his great love and for his own glory and continues to govern and care for the world in his goodness and power (Revelation 4:11).

We believe in the Son, Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). He is the eternal Word made flesh (John 1:14), conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38). He is the only Savior for the sins of the world (John 1:29), accomplishing our salvation through his perfect and vicarious life, death, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). After his resurrection he ascended to the right hand of the Father where he rules as King and intercedes for his people until he returns to complete the renewal of all creation (Romans 8:34).

We believe in the Holy Spirit, eternally one with the Father and the Son, who convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). He is the divine agent by whom believers are brought into the Kingdom of God. The Spirit is God’s empowering presence, calling, indwelling, transforming, sanctifying, guiding, teaching, gifting, equipping, and enabling believers to enjoy communion with God (John 14:16-17; John 15:4-5; John 15:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26).

We believe that God made humanity, both male and female, in his own image as the crown of his creation (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:5-8). He created humanity for loving communion with himself and community with one another. He also endowed them with the privilege and responsibility of serving as his representatives in lovingly caring for and ruling over all of creation. Because they are created in the image of God, each human being possesses immense dignity and value and is worthy of respect, honor, and love.

We believe that God’s world has been fractured by sin. Despite being created in the image of God, humanity rejected him by giving into the temptation of the Satan (Genesis 3:1-7). The result of sin is death and separation from God (Genesis 3:24), which is now the basic condition of humanity. All of creation is broken as a result of humanity’s sin. We are responsible before God for our sin, yet we are unable to liberate ourselves from its penalty and power. We are individually and collectively deserving of God’s wrath apart from his intervention and salvation (Romans 3:10-18).

We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace received through faith in Christ alone. In his grace, God has rescued us from the power of the enemy by defeating sin and death through the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:1-11; Colossians 2:13-15). This salvation is effectual for those who receive it by faith (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:9). Those who are in Christ have been given new life (Romans 6:4), are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), and are predestined to be conformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). We are freed once and for all from the penalty of sin (justification), progressively from the power of sin (sanctification), and finally from the presence of sin forever at Christ’s return (glorification). This salvation is also cosmic in nature, bringing renewal not only to individual human beings but also to the whole of creation as God brings his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; Revelation 21:1-6).

We believe that the church is the family of God made up of followers of Jesus from every age, ethnicity, and language (Revelation 7:9). We are the people for God’s own possession whom he has called out as his representatives and agents for his mission in the world (1 Peter 2:9). This global and spiritual family is made visible through locally gathered congregations of believers who together commit to following Jesus, worshiping him, being formed into his image, making disciples, loving their neighbors, doing justice, and joining God in the work of renewing all things. In so doing, the church becomes a living picture of the reality of God’s coming kingdom.

We believe that Jesus Christ will return visibly and physically to finally and fully bring his kingdom to earth, renew all creation, and dwell with his people forever. The dead will be resurrected bodily, the Satan will be defeated, and the final judgment will take place (Revelation 20:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22). The redeemed will be glorified to be with him forever, while the unredeemed will be separated forever from his loving presence (Revelation 21:1-8). God’s people from every age, ethnicity, and language will live and reign with him forever in the new heaven and earth, where sorrow is turned to joy, death is no more, and the whole creation is restored (Revelation 22:1-5). With the universal church we say, “Amen. Come Lord Jesus!”

We believe that God designed marriage to be a committed, covenantal relationship between one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:18-25). Marriage is a gift from God given to be a picture of his love and commitment to his people (Ephesians 5:22-33). God’s intention for sex is for it to be within the context of this covenantal union of husband and wife. To unmarried people God has given the gift of celibacy, which is a gift of equal value to marriage and is to be exercised for the sake of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:12; 1 Corinthians 7:25-35).

We also believe that God created humanity as two, equal, distinct, complementary genders who together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:27). Every person is fearfully and wonderfully made male or female.

We acknowledge that same-sex attraction, questions of gender identity, and other struggles around orientation and sexual identity are very real and present for many. Though we do not believe these feelings are from God, we also do not believe they make someone more broken than anyone else. We welcome all people to participate in the community at New City Church and believe the grace of Jesus is sufficient for anyone to follow him faithfully.