The Trinity

We believe in one God that exists in three persons --- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Though each is equally God, each has His own unique attributes.

God the Father creates and sustains His creation.

God the Son, Jesus Christ, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified and died on a cross, and rose from the dead so that we might become inheritors of His grace and salvation;

God the Holy Spirit is received by those who come into the faith and gives the believer a source of assurance, strength, and wisdom, while also endowing the believer with gifts for the building of the Church.

Genesis 1:1-2:2; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-5; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16

The Bible

We believe that God has revealed Himself fully in His Word as it has come to us in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament. We hold that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, that it is infallible in the original manuscripts, and that it is the final authority on all matters of faith and practice.

2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 30:5

The Church

We believe that the union of all believers makes up Christ’s Church, and those who make up this body have acknowledged Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Bible commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word, the observance of Baptism and Holy Communion, fellowship, service to the body through the use of spiritual gifts and the sharing of our faith with the rest of the world.

Matthew 16:18-19, 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:15-18

Salvation

We believe that the central purpose of our faith is to call all people into fellowship with Jesus Christ. Because of man’s sinfulness, he has been separated from God and it’s only through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection that he can be reconciled again. Therefore, there is only one way to salvation and that is through the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The gift of God’s grace is freely given to all those willing to accept it and cannot be earned through works or good deeds.

John 3:16, 14:6; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 10:9-13; James 4:9-10; Titus 3:5

Family

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. Moreover, we believe that the only marriage ordained by God, and practiced by this church, is the union of one man and one woman. Children are a heritage from God. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through Christian lifestyle examples.

Genesis 1:26-28, 2:24; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18, 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4

Our Purpose & Covenant

We believe that God has called First Reformed Church to walk together in the ways of our Lord while responding to His purpose and will. That purpose will be carried out as we concentrate on five areas of ministry seen in the New Testament Church. They are: Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship, Service, and Fellowship. As did those who came before us, we depend on the Holy Spirit to lead and empower us. As a Protestant Christian church, we recognize and practice the two sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and we find our faith expressed well in the “Apostle’s Creed,” which the Christian Church has used for many centuries.

As members of First Reformed Church, having received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we covenant together to commit ourselves fully to the beliefs stated above and devote ourselves to those things which make for harmony and growth in the fellowship. And we agree to support the testimony of this church by attending faithfully, giving regularly and living the godly life Christ has called us to follow.

Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-47, Romans 14:19; 1 Peter 1:22; Hebrews 10:25; Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 16:2