Beliefs

We all have diverse church experiences with different traditions and stances on some doctrinal statements. Though we may have different experiences and perspectives, at Avenue Church, we have unity in the beliefs that are essential to the Christian Faith, uphold liberty in the beliefs that are non-essential, and maintain love in all things.

HOLY BIBLE

The Holy Bible is the authoritative Word of God. It is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. It is inspired, infallible and without error. It contains all clear directions for living a fulfilling Christian Life.

(II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26)

GOD

There is one God and creator of all things. He has always been and will always be revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in Power, Glory, and Authority.

(I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).

JESUS CHRIST

On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, and died on the cross for mankind. He is the only man to ever have lived a sinless life. He paid the price for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory.

(John 1:1,14, 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 2:5)

VIRGIN BIRTH

Jesus Christ was conceived when the Holy Spirit came over Mary, who was a virgin; therefore, He is the Son of God.

(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Luke 1:27-35)

RESURRECTION

Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. He ascended into heaven, where He sits at the Father's right hand.

(Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Romans 8:34, Colossians 3:1)

MANKIND

God created Mankind in His Image as the pinnacle of creation to be in a loving relationship with. Man separated himself from God, and sin entered the world through disobedience to God’s way. As a result of one man’s sin, all are born separated from God. We are unable to repair the relationship through our own efforts. Our only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

(Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21)

SALVATION

Only the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, can provide forgiveness and payment for the penalty of our sins and repair our broken relationship with God. God freely offers salvation to those who place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ. Salvation cannot be earned through good works of our own. It is a gift from God through the sacrifice of Jesus.

(John 3:16,Romans 5:6-9, Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9)

JESUS CHRIST INDWELLS ALL BELIEVERS

Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside us by His Holy Spirit. We give authority to Him in our life, making Jesus the Lord of our life as well as Savior.

(Ezekiel 36:27; John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:9-11)

SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is the ongoing process of submitting to God’s Word and His Spirit to complete the development of Christ's character in our lives.

(Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; II Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, I Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; II Thessalonians 2:1-3; Hebrews 2:11)

WATER BAPTISM

All new believers should follow Jesus into the waters of Baptism through submersion. It is a public confession of faith in Jesus and a visual demonstration of death, burial, and resurrection in the life of a believer.

(Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:4-11)

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Given at Pentecost and available today, it is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to edify the believer and empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth.

(Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible’s lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives earnestly. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters or for personal attention.

(Romans 1:11, 12 :4-8; I Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; Hebrews 2:4; Ephesians 4:16;I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6-7; I Peter 4:10)

THE CHURCH

The Church is a local community of believers unified through faith in Christ and committed to His teachings. It equips individuals to obey His commands and share the gospel in their world. The Universal Church should work together in love and unity with the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

(John 17:11, 20-23; Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; 4:12; Hebrews 12:23)

GENDER IDENTITY

Gender is not a by-product of individual choice, but is rather a result of God’s design. Scripture clearly and simply teaches that God has designed human beings as exclusively male or female without the ability to change that. It is fixed in the womb.

(Genisis 1:27, Psalm 139:13)

MARRIAGE

Marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman, instituted by and publicly entered into before God. Any sexual activity or behavior outside of this commitment of marriage is a sin.

(Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Mark 10:5-9; Ephesians 5:25-3)

ETERNITY

Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. After living one life on earth, all will be judged and will exist either eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. The result of being eternally separated from God is Hell or being eternally in union with Him in Heaven.

(John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 20:15)

SECOND COMING

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures.

(Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)