Statement Of Faith

Mission Statement

We are an imperfect church, of imperfect people, seeking a relationship with the Only Perfect One!

Statement of Faith

As the Body of Christ at the Rock Church in Tomahawk, Wisconsin:

1. We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired by God, and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. (Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21)
2. We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7-12)
3. We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God; and that human beings are born with a sinful nature, and in case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word and deed. (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 3; John 5:40; Ephesians 2:1-3)
4. We believe that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, became flesh. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary and is both true God and true man. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-20; Luke 1:35-38; John 1:1-4, 14)
5. We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was sacrificed in our place on the cross and washed us from our sins in His own blood. All who by faith receive Him as their personal Savior are justified on the grounds of His death, burial and resurrection. They are born of the Holy Spirit, and thereby become the children of God. (John 1:12, 3:3-5, 3:16-17, 6:33; Romans 10:9-10; Titus 3:3-7; Revelation 1:5)
6. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His bodily ascension into heaven, and His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate. (Luke 24:36-46; Acts 1:9-11, 2:22-24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2)
7. We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, lives in (indwells) those who accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit works in the lives of Christians to enable us to become more like Christ. In this process called “sanctification”, we grow the “fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attributes enable us to follow Christ more closely and are a visible, external evidence and serve as a witness to all men. (Matthew 5:16; Luke 3:22; John 14:26; Galatians 5:22-25; Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 2:6)
8. We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, lives in (indwells) those who accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit works in the lives of Christians to enable us to become more like Christ. In this process called “sanctification”, we grow the “fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attributes enable us to follow Christ more closely and are a visible, external evidence and serve as a witness to all men. (Matthew 5:16; Luke 3:22; John 14:26; Galatians 5:22-25; Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 2:6)
9. We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, lives in (indwells) those who accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit works in the lives of Christians to enable us to become more like Christ. In this process called “sanctification”, we grow the “fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attributes enable us to follow Christ more closely and are a visible, external evidence and serve as a witness to all men. (Matthew 5:16; Luke 3:22; John 14:26; Galatians 5:22-25; Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 2:6)
10. We believe in “that Blessed Hope”, the personal and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent pre-millennial return to earth, with His saints, to establish His millennial kingdom. (Luke 12:40; John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; Revelation 20:1-6)
11. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; the saved to eternal life and blessedness, the unsaved to eternal conscious suffering and woe. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15)
12. We believe in the preaching of the Gospel to every person, and the teaching and edification of the individual members of the body of Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; Ephesians 4:11-16)
13. We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is precious in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to value all human life. (Genesis 1:27; Leviticus 24:17; Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:4-5)
14. We believe that God intentionally creates each person male or female. God also created marriage to reflect the design of creation, being exclusively between one man and one woman, and any sexual actions outside that intention are not aligned with God’s plan for human sexuality. (Genesis 1:27, 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-9; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-5; Hebrews 13:4)
15. We hold to an egalitarian view of church leadership. This means that we allow qualified men and women to teach, preach, and serve as both Elders and Deacons. This decision is based on extensive research into the original languages of the Bible, as well as the female role-models who were appointed by God to lead. (Judges 4:4-9; 2 Kings 22:8-20; Acts 18:24-26.) (An amplified statement is available upon request.)

This Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of all mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For more information, we encourage you to consult our Doctrinal Statement or contact our Pastor or Elders.