I. ABOUT GOD

We believe in one God who eternally and equally exists as three distinct persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. God the Father is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. We believe that He is limitless in power, knowledge, wisdom, love, holiness, and in sovereignty to do as He wills. We believe that God has revealed himself as the Father of the redeemed. (Genesis 1:1, Genesis 26, Genesis 27; Genesis 3:22, Jeremiah 32:17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 1:7; Ephesians 3:20; Psalm 139:1-4; 1 Samuel 2:6-9; Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 9:6;  John 1:1; Acts 5:3; Acts 14-15; Hebrews 9:14; John 4:24; Psalms 90:2, Matthew 28:19, 1 Peter 1:2, 2 Corinthians 13:14)

II. ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is the second person of the Trinity and is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless, human life, and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory where he sits at the right hand of God the Father. He will return to earth again to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Mankind can receive Salvation and Eternal Life ONLY through faith in Jesus Christ, as there is no other way for mankind to be saved. (Matthew 1:22, Matthew 23, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, John 14:10-30, Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 15, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 1 Corinthians 4, Romans 1:3, Romans 4, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Timothy 6:14, 1 Timothy 15, Titus 2:13)

MORE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST:

• We believe that Jesus Christ was literally conceived and born of a virgin named Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26-33).

• We confess that all of humanity has fallen short of God's glory, is spiritually depraved, and is in need of salvation. God desired to reconcile this and thus Jesus Christ came to the earth as a part of God’s plan to redeem His creation. (John 3:16; Romans 3:23-24; 1Co 6:9-11).

• We proclaim in accordance with Holy Scripture that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; thereby, being qualified to forgive our sins with His blood. (1 Pet. 2:22, 1 Jn. 3:5).

• We declare that salvation is in none other than through the name, person, work, life, death, resurrection, and grace of Jesus Christ alone.  Further we believe that Jesus Christ was literally (bodily) resurrected from the dead and is alive forever more, ruling with the Father. (Jn. 14:6; Jn. 3:16; Jn. 10:17-18; Rom. 1:4; Rom.5:8).

• We testify that Christ is the supreme authority, above all people, governments, nations, and laws (Phil. 2:9; Col. 1:18, 2:10; Eph. 1:22; Heb 1:4).

• We joyfully observe Christ as the Head of the Church.  He alone should govern it (Eph.1:22, 5:23; Col. 1:18, 2:10).

III. ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. (2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, John 14:16, John 17, Act 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:18)

IV. ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is “inspired” (literally translated God-breathed) by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. We hold all 66 books of the Protestant Bible as the only inspired and infallible word of God; defined further as acceptable and sacred Holy Scripture. We do not acknowledge the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Gnostic Gospels, Book of Mormon, or anything of the like as inspired scripture. (Galatians 1:18, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20, 2 Peter 21, 2 Timothy 1:13, Psalms 119:105, Psalms 160, Psalms 12:6, Proverbs 30:5)

V. ABOUT HUMANITY

We believe that man was created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him but became alienated from that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, humans are totally incapable of coming back into a right relationship with God by their own effort. (Genesis 1:27, Psalms 8:3-6, Isaiah 53:6a, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:1, Isaiah 2)

 MORE ON MANKIND’S STATE:

• We earnestly await Christ's return to gather His people, both the living and the dead. (Matt. 24:30-36; John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:21-23; 1 Thes 4:16-17)

• We believe all Christians live their lives according to the example of Jesus Christ who loved and selflessly served others. (Jn. 13:3-16; Ph.2:3-8)

VI. ABOUT SALVATION
We believe that salvation is a gift of God to the world. Human beings can never make up for sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by placing their faith in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can people be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into their life by faith and is validated by the producing of “works” consistent with said salvation. (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8, Ephesians 9, James 2, John 3:16, John 14:6, John 15; John 1:12, Titus 3:5, Galatians 3:26, Romans 5:1)

VII. ABOUT ETERNITY

We believe that people were created to live forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is to live in Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. (John 3:16; John 2:25; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15)

MORE ON ETERNITY:

• We believe that those who die refusing God's grace, and who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ nor live a life that produces fruit consistent with said profession, are sentenced to a literal place called Hell (Psalm 9:17; Psalm 73:12-19; Dan. 12:3; Matt. 25:46; Luke 16:23.26; Jn. 12:48; 2 Thes. 1:8-9).

• We confirm that those who accept God’s grace by placing their faith in Jesus Christ, and subsequently live a life producing fruit consistent with that specific faith decision, belong to Christ & will inherit eternal life (Dan. 12:2-3; Matt. 25:46; John 3:16, 17:3; 2 Cor. 4:17; 2 Tim. 2:10).

VIII. ABOUT THE CHURCH
We believe the Church is the Body of Christ, the family of God made up of every Christian on earth. It is expressed through local congregations of Christians. It is a place where the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to use their gifts in reaching non-Christians with God’s salvation message, and in helping other believers grow spiritually. The Church is led by the Holy Spirit through the pastors and elders He has established. (Acts 2; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2:10, 19, 4:11-13)

IX. ABOUT CHURCH PRACTICES

We regard worship as the very foundation upon which every rite of the Christian faith stands. We baptize with water as a testimony of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, and as is demonstrated in Scripture, is the first act of obedience and evidence of conversion a Christian performs. We observe communion (the bread and the cup) as a means to remember our Lord, His death, burial, and resurrection. (Exodus 20:3; Matthew 22:38; John 4:23; Revelation 4; Mathew 28:19; Acts 2:38-41; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24)

X. LAST DAYS

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord. (Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13) 

XI. ABOUT CURRENT/RELEVANT SOCIAL ISSUES

There is absolutely nothing about the nature of God nor any provision in Scripture that allows for racism, discrimination, or prejudice behavior and/or speech to exist in the Church or in the heart of a Christian. It is not debatable, nor tolerated in any way at Generations Church. (Leviticus 19:33-34; 1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:31; Acts 10:34-36, 17:26; Romans 10:12-13; 1 Corinthians 12:13; James 2:1, 8-9; 1 John 2:11)

We believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. We DO NOT acknowledge nor does Scripture affirm any other marital union. Marriage is a covenantal relationship, strictly and specifically between one man, one woman, and God. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

We believe cohabitation, defined as when a man and woman who are dating, live together, but are not married, is not condoned nor is it in obedience to God’s standard. God established that a man “shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh,” and Jesus addressed the issue as well. Cohabiting gives the impression that a couple is married which is not truthful and lacks integrity. It also leads others to believe you are behaving as married people do, which to do so would be sin, and, whether you are or are not, the decision is not above reproach as Scripture teaches Christians should be. (Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 19:11; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:3-5; John 4:17-18)

We believe that a Christian who actively chooses to participate in sin as a regular part of their life, contradicts God’s word in regard to what it means to produce evidence of authentic life change. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” He also said, “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.” In other words, when we become Christians by placing our faith in Jesus Christ, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit compels us toward God’s righteous standard. It does not mean we are free from sin, but it does mean that sin is no longer who we are or what we regularly do; especially when we are made aware that a behavior/etc. is sin. Our response to sin is to confess it and repent of it. Repent means to turn away from and live differently. When we stumble or make mistakes from that point on, God’s grace covers us. (John 14:15; Matthew 7:15-23; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 7:14-8:2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:16-25; James 5:16)

We believe that gender is not a debatable issue nor is it negotiable due to it having been determined by God during creation that human beings were specifically created by God as ONLY male and female. (Genesis 5:1b-2a, Matthew. 19:4-5)

We believe pregnancy and the decision to keep a child or have an abortion is not an issue of choice, but one of sovereignty. God and God alone gives life which begins at the moment of conception, and God alone decides when life is over. As a result, to abort an unborn child for any reason other than to save the life of the mother, is against the standard of God, and therefore, sin. And, while “Christians should display radical compassion toward ALL women who find themselves in a frightening pregnancy situation (1 Corinthians 16:14 and 1 John 4:8), our compassion must look different than that of the world.” (1 Samuel 2:6; Psalm 51 & 139; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Isaiah 49:1b; Luke 1; Hebrews 9:27) 

None of the above mentioned issues prohibit anyone from attending Generations Church for the purpose of building relationships with other members and attenders.