Our StoryStatement of Faith
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Statement of FaithAbout the Trinity.
We believe there is only one true God, eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is equal in every divine attribute, executing different but harmonious roles in creation, providence, and redemption. God is naturally a relational God who enjoys loving fellowship within the Godhead and extends a loving relationship to us through faith in Jesus Christ and in unity with the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1-2; John 1:1-3; Isaiah 45:5; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). About God The Father. We believe in God the Father, who is infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, immutable, and perfect in holiness, wisdom, justice, and love. We believe He is a personal God and sovereign in the affairs of humanity and that He saves men and women from sin and death in His grace and mercy. (Psalm 139; Isaiah 40:28-31; Acts 17:24-31). About Jesus Christ the Son. We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who became a man without ceasing to be God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was born of a virgin. His life was sinless, and His death provided substitutionary atonement for the sins of humanity. We believe in His bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, and priestly intercession for all believers. (Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 7:22-28). About the Holy Spirit. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who illuminates, indwells, sanctifies, and empowers all believers until the day of redemption, providing each with various gifts for service and who is an abiding helper, teacher, guide, and comforter. We believe He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 14:16-17, 14:26, 16:7-15; 1Corinthians 12:4-7; Ephesians 1:13-14). About the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, wholly truthful and trustworthy, pointing to life in God through Jesus Christ. God and His Word are our supreme authority and sufficient for understanding all faith, doctrine, and conduct matters. Our only resource for critical discernment in this world is the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit as He helps us understand the Bible, our source of truth. Therefore, we view Scripture as foundational for all we do. It is a resource God has graciously provided us, containing the message to humanity that He Himself put forth. It is inerrant in the original documents as God inspired men to write its contents and infallible in the sense that it contains nothing that would lead to error, falsehood, or untruth when soundly interpreted through the Holy Spirit. (Psalm 19:7-11; Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 24:44; John 5:39; Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; 2 Peter 1:4-5, 1:20-21). About Authentic Community. We believe that life was never meant to be lived alone. It was meant to be lived in an authentic community daily with other followers of Jesus. This community inspires spiritual growth and is attractive to those who don't know Jesus. (John 13:34-35; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 1:11-12; Romans 12:9-13). About Contagious Generosity. We believe it is our calling to be generous with all that we have. Everything we have has been given to us by God, so we approach our time, possessions, and resources with an attitude of stewardship, not ownership. We believe that generosity is contagious, and as we flood our city with the generosity of Christ, others will want to join in! (Proverbs 11:24; Luke 6:37-38; 2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Timothy 6:17-19). About Missions. We believe that missions are NOT a program through which we are engaged but a lifestyle by which we are defined. We firmly believe that God has strategically brought people into our lives, whether neighbors, co-workers, family members, or strangers, so that we can help them experience the presence and power of God. It is through missional living that the Gospel is proclaimed, and the Church grows. (Micah 6:8; Matthew 25:31-40; 1 Corinthians 9:19-22; 1 John 3:17-18). About Church Multiplication. We believe that to reach the varied groups of people in this world, there must be varying expressions of Christ's Church. We also know that church planting is the greatest way for people to come to know Christ. Because of these facts, we will be a church that continues to plant churches in and around Montana and assist other church plants worldwide. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 13:2-3; Romans 15:19-21) About People Development And Deployment. We believe everything rises and falls on leadership, and everyone can lead. Whether it is to lead one's family, friends, a business, or a small group, everyone can lead. We want to help develop the leader within a person and then deploy them to God's mission for their life. (Exodus 18:13-26; Matthew 20:26; Luke 10:1-9; Acts 6:1-7; Titus 2:1-8). About Angels and Satan. We believe in angels of God as well as fallen angels (demons), including satan, who fell from favor with God to become the enemy of both God and humanity. We believe satan exists and that he is the temporary ruler of this world. He is wholly evil and is a tempter and deceiver of humanity, blinding the unbeliever with spiritual darkness. We believe that believers have power through Christ over satan and his host of demons, who will eventually be judged and punished forever. (Isaiah 14:12-20; Luke 10:18-19; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15; Ephesians 6:10-18; Revelation 12:10-12, 20:10). About Humanity. We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all of its dimensions, from conception through earthly death. We are, therefore, called to defend, protect, and value all human life, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, married or single, young or old. We believe that all humanity is created in the image of God, male and female alike, but, due to disobedience against God's good and just authority, has incurred a sinful nature. Since the fall of man through Adam, humanity has been sinful by nature and by choice, as well as subject to the power of satan. We believe humanity has no power to change its fallen state but can only be redeemed by the power of God through Jesus Christ. Finally, we believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior and attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture or the doctrines of Polson Community Church. (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 51:5, 139; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31; John 15:4-5; Romans 3:10-18, 3:23). About Gender We believe both the image and roles of men and women flow from the essence of God's Trinitarian identity. There is mutual submission within the Trinity even though there are differing roles within the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all equally and fully God, but each has a different role. Jesus submits to the Father, and the Holy Spirit submits to both the Father and Jesus. We believe both Adam and Eve were created in God's image, being equal before God as persons, and that God ordained the role distinctions within biblical manhood and womanhood as part of His creation before the fall and was not a result of sin. (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-25, 3:1-24; 1Timothy 2:12-15). We believe Adam and Eve were created uniquely male and female and that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as biologically male or female when He knits them together in their mother's womb. These two distinct and complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. We also believe that every man and woman is first and foremost defined by their natural birth. (Genesis 1:26-27; Matthew 6:7-14, 26:39; John 5:19-29, 14:1-14, 14: 28, 17:20-21; Acts 1:6-8, 7:54-56; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Ephesians 5:21-33; Revelation 4-5). We believe both the Old Testament and New Testament reveal the equally high value and dignity created by God in the distinct roles of men and women within marriage and the Church. (Genesis 2:18-24; Proverbs 5:15-19, 31:10-31; Mark 10:2-12; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Peter 3:1-7; 1 Corinthians 11:1-13, 14:26-39; 1 Timothy 2:12-15, 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). About Marriage and Morality. We believe the term "marriage" has only one meaning: uniting one biological man and one biological woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a biological man and a biological woman who are married to one another. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage. (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 6:18, 7:2-5; Ephesians 5:22-33, Hebrews 13:4). We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and the use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1Corinthians 6:9-10). We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Polson Community Church as a local body of Christ and to provide a biblical role and model to our members and community, all persons employed by Polson Community Church in any capacity or who serve in Church leadership must agree to and abide by our Statements on Gender, Marriage, and Morality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22). |