What We Believe
Our Mission
Faith Community exists to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.
Our Vision
We are pursuing
Christ's reign
In all of life
To advance
God's kingdom
In all the earth
For His glory
Core Values
* Key question: What core values are foundational to our church?
The reality of Christ’s Kingdom.
Jesus Christ is Lord over all. His Kingdom consists of His reign, His rule, His sovereignty. We are commanded to “Seek first the Kingdom.” One can only enter Christ’s Kingdom by submitting to Him as King. This is done when we repent of our sin and believe the Gospel of Christ. The Bible teaches that Christ is actively exercising His authority in such a way that all of God’s enemies are being brought into submission to Him. One day soon, Christ’s reign as Lord of lords and King of kings will be fully manifested in a public way to the glory of God the Father.
Personal growth toward spiritual maturity in Christ.
The leaders at Faith Community aim to lead in such a way “that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:12-13). As leaders, we are accountable to God for helping people understand and obey the whole will of God. That is, we want to do everything within our power to move each person who enters our circle of influence toward a lifestyle in keeping with the values of Jesus Christ. (Heb. 13:17; Acts 20:26-28; Col. 1:28-29)
Personal engagement in
Kingdom advancing activities.
Our goal is to see each person exercising the gifts the Holy Spirit has given them in a way that will advance the reign of Jesus Christ as Lord in the lives of people, within our communities, and over all the peoples of the world. We seek to “unleash lay people” with the recognition and affirmation that they are called of God to serve the purposes of His Kingdom. Christ actively serves as head of the church by giving timely gifts and convictions to His people in a way that suits His specific purpose for them.
Penetrate and impact the St. Croix Valley with Kingdom values.
We believe that we are called to make a difference. St. Croix Valley should be different because Faith Community exists. Our calling is to be the “light of the world” and the “salt of the earth” throughout our entire area. This will include evangelism, spiritual warfare, social actions and service in the name of Christ.
Authenticity of character.
We want to deal in reality: Real growth, real sins, real struggle. We are learning what it means to live under grace. We have no desire to perpetuate religious activity, which fosters denial. Authenticity is manifested by such Christ-honoring qualities as: humility, honesty, transparency, brokenness, sensitivity toward all people.
Process orientation.
We see being a Christian as a process and not an event. Following Christ is a pilgrimage with new discoveries at every turn. We find new joys, new sorrows, new ways in which we need to be broken, new ways to trust Him. Our conviction is that God’s grace is at work IN THE PROCESS and not just a means to avoid pain. God often uses pain for our growth. Genuine faith in Christ will necessarily progress in this process.
Integrated Body Life.
We are called to live as “one body” in Christ. We hold common values and a common purpose. Through shared experiences, we seek to strengthen our commitment to each other. Teamwork is valued over expertise. One of the key ways Christ reveals Himself to us is through each other.
Affective worship.
We believe that the Father is seeking a certain kind of worshiper: one who worships in spirit and in truth. Therefore, we emphasize the expression of affectionate love to God as well as a proclamation of His truth. We have found quality music to aid our quest to experience intimacy with God in worship. Worship is the only activity in which we engage as an end in itself. Everything else we do, we do in order that people would come to love God and express His worth through worship as a way of life. We live to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.
Biblically relevant preaching.
The power to convert a cold, dead heart to the life of the Spirit, lies in the Word of God properly taught and applied. Faith is born and nourished through the Word of God. We aim to demonstrate the relevance of the Bible to everyday life, but are much more concerned with understanding truth than being contemporary.
The sovereign nature of God.
We believe the God of the Bible is absolutely free. He is not bound by time, space, energy, satanic opposition or the will of human beings. All things exist because of Him and for Him. His purposes will most certainly be realized. He has promised to use His sovereign reign for the good of those who love Him and for the praise of His glory.
Remain pliable enough to take calculated risks.
It is okay to fail at Faith Community. We would rather applaud those who have tried and failed, than those who satisfy themselves with complacency. We esteem those who act on their dreams and who live out their convictions with creativity.
Statement of Faith
The Word of God.
We believe that the Bible is the fully inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
Mark 13:31; John 8:31-32; 20:31; Acts 20:32; II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21.
The Trinity.
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Gen. 1:1, 26; Matt. 28:19; John 1:1,3; 4:24; Rom. 1:19-20; Eph. 4:5,6.
God the Father.
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, judgment, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, that He justly executes His wrath upon those who disobey, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Matt. 23:9, Luke 10:21-22; John 3:16; 6:27 Rom. 1:7; I Tim. 1:1-2, 2:5-6; I Peter 1:3; Rev. 1:6.
Jesus Christ.
We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of God, He now is interceding for His people and one day soon will visibly return to earth.
Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28, 30-31; Acts 1:11; Rom. 5:6-8; 6:9-10; II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:4-5; I Peter 2:21-24; Heb. 7:25; 9:28; Mat. 20:28.
Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, that He is received by grace, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.
John 3:5-6; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-14; Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 3:16; Rom. 15:16.
Regeneration.
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that He sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and receive by faith Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are born again by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation, and receive eternal life.
Gen. 1:26; 2:17; 3:19; 5:2; Psalm 51:7; Prov. 28:13; Eccl. 2:11; Jer. 17:9; John 1:12-13; 3:14; 5:24 30; 8:12; 10:26-28; Rom. 3:19-20; 5:19; 8:1; 9:22; II Cor. 5:17; II Thess. 1:9; I John 1:9; James 1:14; Rev. 20:10, 14-15; 21:1-8.
The Church.
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
Acts 1:8; 2:41-42; Eph. 2:19-22; 5:19-21; Heb. 10:23-25.
Christian Conduct.
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow-man; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of the time and possessions God has given him; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
John 14:15, 23-24; Rom. 12:1-2; I Cor. 10:31; II Cor. 9:6-13; Eph. 4:13; Col. 1:9-10, 28; Heb. 12:1-2; I John 2:3-6.
The Ordinances.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for remembrance of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered by born again believers walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ until His return.
Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor. 11:23-16.
Religious Liberty.
We believe that every human being ought to have direct relations with God, and is ultimately responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by an ecclesiastical or political authority; that, therefore, the institutionalized church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from the dictation or patronage of the other.
Rom. 14:7-9, 12: I Tim. 2:5.
Church Cooperation.
We believe that local churches can further promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time.
Acts 15:36, 41: 16:5; I Cor. 16:1; Gal. 1:1-3; Rev. 1:4, 10-11.
This church is affiliated with the Great Lakes Baptist Conference and the Baptist General Conference, and may likewise cooperate with inter-denominational fellowships on a voluntary, independent basis.
The Last Things.
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgement, the eternal happiness of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked. These last things have a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. Matt. 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Cor. 4:5; 15:20-24, 35-38; Phil. 3:20; I Thess. 4:14-18; II Thess. 1:6-10; II Tim: 4:1; Titus 2:13; Rev. 20:4-15.