The following statements describe what we believe and practice about each of the primary attributes of the Christian faith.
We believe that the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God, in whole and in part, error-free in the original writings and the supreme authority of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus Christ. We further believe that there is but one true interpretation of any Biblical passage and this is only found when one accurately applies the literal-grammatical-historical method of interpretation. (Psalm 119:160; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21; Heb 1:1-2, 4:12)
We believe there is but one living and true God who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. We further believe that God is one in essence while existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though each person of the Godhead possesses precisely the same nature and attributes, each function differently in respect to God’s purposes and dealings with man. (Deut 4:39; 6:4; Mat 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14)
The first person of the Trinity orders and directs all things according to His own purpose, pleasure, and grace. The Father is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. He has decreed all things that come to pass for His own glory. He graciously involves Himself in the affairs of mankind, hears and answers prayer, and saves all men and women from sin and death who believe in Him through Jesus Christ. (2 Chron 29:11; Psalm 103:19; Mat 6:9; John 5:19-24; Eph 1:2-6)
The second person of the Trinity is both the eternal Son of God and the virgin-born Son of man. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, surrendered nothing of His deity during His earthly life. Having led a sinless life, He satisfied the Father’s justice concerning sin by His substitutionary death on the cross. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His physical ascension and His visible return to earth to establish His earthly kingdom. (John 1:14-18; Acts 1:11; Rom 3:24-26; 1 Cor 15:1-8; Col 2:9; Heb 2:17-18; Rev 20:11-15)
The third person of the Trinity executes the will of God in the world of men. It is the Holy Spirit who applies the salvation that Jesus Christ secured through His death on the cross. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the church to live a lifestyle pleasing to God, endowing it with spiritual gifts which equip believers to accomplish distinct ministries, planned beforehand by God the Father. (John 3:1-8, 15-16, 16:4-15; 1 Cor 12; Gal 5:16-25; Eph 1:13-14, 5:18-21)
We believe that God created two distinct biological genders (male and female) in His image to enjoy His fellowship and to fulfill His’s will on earth. Mankind sinned by a voluntary act of personal disobedience to the will of God; as a result, all men and women are spiritually dead and subject to the certainty of physical death. The fall of mankind was a non-repeatable historical fact; the effects of which are transmitted to every man and woman, each of whom is born with a sinful nature and sins habitually in thought, word, and deed. (Gen 1:26-27, 2:7, 3:3-4; Rom 1:18-32, 3:10-23; Eph 2:1-3)
We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as the only sufficient, substitutionary sacrifice. All who believe in Him are declared justified by the Father on the grounds of Jesus’ death and resurrection. All who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by grace, through faith, have been regenerated by, and baptized in, the Holy Spirit. Thereby, they forever become the children of God, and members of the one true church, the universal Body of Christ. This salvation will result in loving Jesus Christ by obeying His commands as the believer submits his life to the control of the Holy Spirit who directs the life of the believer in harmony with the Word of God. (John 1:12, 3:16, 5:24, 14:6, 15; Acts 4:12; Rom 3:21-26, 5:8; 1 Cor 15:1-4; Gal 3:26; Eph 1:7, 2:8-10; Titus 3:4-7; Heb 10:10-12; 1 John 5:11-13)
We believe that all who have been regenerated (“born again”) by the Holy Spirit belong to the one true global church and are directed by Scripture to commit themselves to local, visible churches. The local church is the only scriptural representation of Christ’s invisible Church and consists of regenerated believers. The local church is autonomous in its government and recognizes its own members for the Biblical offices of elder and deacon. Two ordinances have been committed to the local church: Baptism and Communion. The purpose of the church is to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. (Mat 16:13-28, 22:37-39, 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-47, 4:1-16; 1 Cor 11:23-29; Eph 2:19-22, 4:11-13; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 5:1-3)
We believe that God has established marriage as a lifelong, exclusive, covenantal relationship between one man and one woman and that all intimate sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or otherwise, is immoral and therefore sin (Gen 2:24-25; Exod 20:14, 17; Mat 19:4-6, 9; Rom 1:18-31; I Cor 6:9-10, 15-20; Jude 7). Marriage ceremonies conducted on NLC premises or by NLC staff/Elders should represent the establishment of this covenantal relationship. We believe that God providentially created the human race in His image, in the two genders of male and female and any conduct to adopt another version or definition of gender is immoral and sinful. (Gen. 1:27; Deut. 22:5)
We recognize there are those who struggle with same sex attraction, as well as feelings that are contrary to the biological gender that God created them to be. Our desire is to love you, pray for you, and encourage you to follow God’s instruction in His Word and to resist these temptations, just as we would for any believer struggling with any temptation or sin.
We believe that prophetic scriptures teach the imminent return of Jesus Christ. (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess 4:15-17) We believe the second coming of Christ will occur in a bodily, visible manner with great glory. (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Cor 15:20-28; Rev 20:1-4)
Within and under these guiding doctrinal statements, our core beliefs are as follows:
Gospel: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is central to everything we do (1 Cor 15:3-4; Gal 1:6-9; Phil 2:6-8; Titus 3:4-7).
Truth: The Bible is our anchor and compass (Ps 119:160; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21; Heb 1:1-2, 4:12).
Prayer: Prayer is crucial to all we say and do (Ps 145:18; Mat 6:5-13; Joh 15:7; Eph 6:18; Phil 4:6; 1 Thes 5:17; Jas 5:13, 16).
Relationships: We love, evangelize, disciple and serve together in the name of Jesus Christ and for His glory alone (John 6:43, 13:34; Gal 5:13, 6:2; Eph 4:2, 32; Rom 12:6; 1 Thess 5:11).
Accountability: We entrust our lives, attitudes, and actions to God and to one another (Mat 18:15-17; 1 Cor 5:1-12).
Generosity: We live selflessly through faithful stewardship of time, talent and treasure, recognizing that God is sovereign over all things (Psalm 112:9; Prov 19:17; Mal 3:10; Luke 6:38, 12:33; Gal 6:2; 2 Cor 9:5-7; 1 Jn 3:17).
Life Change: We celebrate the transforming power of Christ (Ps 35:9; Luke 15:7; Rom 12:15; 3 Jn 1:4).
Organic Growth: We prayerfully desire to grow in depth through our current ministry partners increasing in spiritual maturity. We also desire to grow in attendance through new believers and/or by believers who are new to our community (Acts 2).
Team: We serve effectively and efficiently through collaboration and cooperation with each other (Ecc 4:9; Prov 27:17; 1 Pet 4:10; Eph 4:11, 4:32; 1 Cor 1:10, 12:14; 3 John 1:8).
In any discussion of theology or doctrine, our approach is to embrace the teaching in Ephesians 4:2-6 (CSB):
“…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
[Additional references: Rom 14:1, 4a, 5b, 12, 22a; John 13:34-35; 1 Cor 13:2; 1 Tim 1:5]