Strands Christian Church | Greenville SC[[@Headword:C3]]

Our Beliefs

[[@Headword:God]]GOD {{field-on:topic}}We believe the one true God exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As the Bible attests, everything and every person is God’s creation. (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Matthew 28:19; John 5:26; John 14:9-17; I Corinthians 8:6; I Corinthians 12:3-6) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:Jesus]]JESUS{{field-on:topic}} We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, fully God and fully human, who lived, suffered, died and was raised from death to life as our advocate with the Father. Those who receive God’s gracious gift of salvation in Christ through repentance and faith find assurance of new life in Him. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:1-14; John 11:29-34; Romans 1:1-4; Colossians 1:15-22; Hebrews 1:1-14) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:Holy Spirit]]HOLY SPIRIT{{field-on:topic}} We believe in the transforming power of God the Holy Spirit who gives new life to all believers and conforms them to the likeness of Christ. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to the people of God and empowers them to use those gifts to bring glory and honor to God. (I Samuel 16:13; Psalm 51:11; Joel 2:28-29; John 14:26, 16:7-15; Romans 8:9, 14; I Corinthians 12:3-6; Galatians 5:22, 23) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:Bible]]BIBLE{{field-on:topic}} We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Scripture is the true and authoritative rule of faith for all Christian belief and practice, and Jesus Christ is the interpretative principle. (Psalm 19:7-11, 119:11, 89, 105, 140; Acts 17:11; II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:20-21) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:salvation]]SALVATION{{field-on:topic}} We believe that all people are created with dignity and value in the image of God, to live in a vital relationship with God. Through our sin (rebellion against God), we break our intended relationship with God and we experience the destructive consequences of that broken relationship, spiritually and socially, in this life and beyond. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue us from these consequences and to restore our broken relationships with God and others, through Christ’s death on a cross, a perfect act of redemption for each of us. Salvation comes to people on the basis of God’s grace through their faith in Jesus alone. They receive the free gift of forgiveness and are spiritually reborn through repenting of their sin and belief in Jesus Christ. Good works and a holy life, although totally unable to save anyone, are the natural product of repentant, believing people. (Acts 3:19, 4:12; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-10; II Corinthians 5:17-20; Ephesians 2:8-10;) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:church]]CHURCH{{field-on:topic}} We believe that the Church is the gathered community of believers united in Jesus Christ throughout history and throughout the world who are led by the Holy Spirit to worship and serve God. (Matthew 4:10, 16:15-18; Acts 2:41-42, 47; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:25) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:ordinances]]ORDINANCES{{field-on:topic}} We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are exemplified and commanded by Jesus. Through these, we are identified with and reminded of the love of God, the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:13-17, 26:26-30, 28:19-20; Romans 6:3-4; I Corinthians 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:mission]]MISSION{{field-on:topic}} We believe that Christ-followers are called individually and collectively to serve, worship, pray, study the Bible and obey its commands. As agents of reconciliation, we are urged by the Spirit to go throughout the world sharing the mystery of Christ and encouraging all people to become devoted followers of Him. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8, 2:43-47, 13:1-3; Ephesians 4:11-16) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:service]]SERVICE{{field-on:topic}} We believe that God, who is love, has concern for the poor and oppressed. We, as Christians, are called to respond to Gods mercy by acts of love and grace toward all people, by promoting justice, working for peace and reaching out to everyone in need. (Isaiah 56:1; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:3-12, 25:31-46; James 1:27) {{field-off:topic}}

[[@Headword:Kingdom of God]]KINGDOM OF GOD{{field-on:topic}} We believe the Kingdom of God is both here and now and will find ultimate completion when Jesus Christ returns to judge between those who are in Christ and those who have rejected Him. The Christian hope that sustains the believer is that Jesus Christ will usher in an everlasting reign of peace, justice and eternal joy. (Matthew 19:16, 25:41, 46; John 3:15, 16, 36, 10:27-30, 17:3; I Peter 1:3-9; I John 5:11, 13) {{field-off:topic}}