What Kind of Church is This?
First Christian Church is an independent, non-denominational Christian church. That simply means we are not affiliated with any denomination or outside governing body. We believe Jesus Christ is the head of the church. We believe that Bible instructs us the church to be overseen by a team of Elders who are part of the local church congregation.
We are a part of the Restoration Movement. In short, this is a movement of like-minded churches who are committed to walking out the Great Commission and pursuing unity in the body of Christ. For more information about the Restoration Movement and what churches like FCC believe and are a part of, download “What Kind of Church is This,” a resource from Christian Standard Media.
What We Believe
Jesus is the Way
First and foremost, we believe Jesus is for ALL people. We believe that He was fully God and fully human (Colossians 2:9) who stepped into humanity to redeem us from sin, death, and brokenness (Titus 2:11-14). We believe He came to live and die sacrificially on behalf of all people, so that everyone who trusts in Him can live a full, abundant life starting now (John 10:10) and continuing into eternity with God (John 3:16).
The Bible is God’s Truth
We believe the whole Bible is the perfect, inspired word of God given to teach, train, and equip us in everything we need to know about God and to live like He intended (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
People Are All in the Same Boat
We believe God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27) to do good and live the journey of following Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). However, we were also created with a free will and the ability to choose to rebel against God—a choice the Bible calls sin (James 1:14-15). At some point, we all have made sin our choice (Romans 3:23) which leads to death and are all in need of a Savior (Romans 6:23).
Salvation is God’s Free Gift
We believe salvation is the absolutely free and unearned gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) offered exclusively through Jesus (Acts 4:12). We believe salvation is available to every single person who accepts and follows Jesus as Lord and Savior (Romans 1:16). We believe God’s expectation is for us to express our declaration and decision of faith by repenting—turning away from sin—and being baptized (Acts 2:38).
The Holy Spirit Guides Us
We believe that God gives His Spirit—the Holy Spirit—to inhabit every part of our lives once we have called on Jesus for salvation (Acts 2:38). The Spirit is given to comfort and encourage us (Acts 9:31), to make us bold to share Jesus with our friends and family (2 Timothy 1:7-8), to convict and strengthen us when temptation hits (John 16:8, 13), and to provide God’s gifts for the common good of the Church (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Leaders Help Us
We believe God gave us elders to lead the church as well as guide and coach our pastoral staff (Acts 20:28-35). They mutually share in responsibility and authority in the church. They also enact discipline as necessary—having the tough conversations with or removing from ministry those trying to tear the church down—yet do so in love and humility, so that the body of Christ is ultimately strengthened (Galatians 6:1).
Spiritual Gifts Are Given to Every Person
We believe God gives leaders in the church to prepare all followers of Jesus for serving His kingdom. Because of this, there’s no such thing as an “inactive” member of the Church (Ephesians 4:12). You have a gift from God—probably a lot of them, actually—and He wants you to use your gift to make your church(and the world around you) a better place (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Eternity Awaits Us
We believe that the best is yet to come in your life (1 Corinthians 2:9), in the life of First Christian Church (1 Peter 2:9-12), and in the world (Isaiah 11:1-10)—no matter how dark it seems. We believe that Jesus is for all people, and that, for everyone who trusts Him with their lives, the best days are always ahead (Revelation 21:1-5).