Statement of Faith
The following statement of faith outlines the essential theological principles and beliefs we believe are shared by every Christian Church. These statements summarize Living Waters Fellowship’s beliefs and guide its teachings and practices.
We believe in the eternal God, who has always existed and will never cease to be the true and living God, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. An eternal God who is infinitely holy, mighty, righteous, just, loving, gracious, and full of mercy.
We believe in one God, often described as the Trinity—one God in three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Each person is fully God, yet there is only one God.
Attributes of God
God is all-powerful; that is, His power is limitless, and He has authority and sovereignty over everything. He creates, sustains, and rules the universe. Nothing is beyond or outside God’s power and ability. (Revelation 19:6; Hebrews 1:3; Matthew 19:26; Jeremiah 32:27; Isaiah 44:24)
God is all-knowing and possesses complete, unlimited knowledge of the past, present, and future. God’s omniscience is both infinite and unconditional, encompassing all locations and events without exception, including understanding human thoughts and intentions. (1 John 3:20; Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:28; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 1:5)
We believe that God is not limited by space or time and is fully present everywhere, both in place and in time, simultaneously. Therefore, God is continuously involved with the entire universe, this world, and people’s lives, regardless of time or place. (Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 139:7-10; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 4:13; 13:5)
We believe in the perfect goodness of God—that His kindness and generosity are limitless. God lacks nothing, and His goodness is demonstrated through His “Agape,” unconditional love for humanity. God’s all-encompassing benevolence is fully revealed when Jesus willingly went to the cross to die for our sins, granting us eternal life with Him in heaven. (John 3:16; James 1:17; Psalm 100:5; Romans 8:28)
We believe in the divinity of Jesus, His incarnation, death, and resurrection. We also believe Jesus is both our Savior and Lord, and that He is the only way to salvation. (John 1:1-4; John 8:58; 10:30; 20:28; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; Titus 2:13)
We believe in Jesus, who is acknowledged as the Son of God, fully divine and the second person of the Godhead—Father, Son, Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 48:12-16; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
We believe in the Incarnation of Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, who is fully God and fully human, and who experiences life as we do. (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27, 34-35; Galatians 4:4)
We believe that Jesus died on the cross for humanity’s sins and rose on the third day, confirming victory over sin and death. And that by faith, we believe in His resurrection from the dead, which is essential for salvation, providing eternal life to all who believe. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5; 2 John 2:2; 19-22; Luke 24:46; Matthew 12:40)
We believe that Jesus will return to this earth, both personally and visibly, to complete His plan of salvation and judge the living and the dead, thus fulfilling God’s promise. (Hebrews 9:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-16; 2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 16:27; 24:44; 19:11-15)
We believe in the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and recognize Him as an essential part of the Christian faith. Therefore, we trust the Holy Spirit’s role in guiding, empowering, and sanctifying believers. (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Psalm 139:7; Zechariah 4:6; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
We believe in the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. We believe the Holy Spirit is our comforter and paraclete, the one who comes alongside us and guides our understanding and application of God’s Word. And we believe He empowers our lives through the fruit He produces: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (John 14:15-17, 26; Isaiah 11:2; John 16:13-15; Galatians 5:22-23)
We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, leading to repentance, transformation, and sanctification, and helping believers grow in holiness for the Lord. (John 16:7-11)
We believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in the Bible and in using these gifts within the Church. However, the use of these gifts should follow the conclusion of the Apostle Paul: “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints … (Therefore), let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40)
We believe the Holy Spirit reassures believers of their salvation and seals them until the day of redemption.
To Learn more about the Holy Spirit:
We believe the Bible to be the divinely inspired and the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. Additionally, it is useful, helpful, and beneficial for teaching what is true, reproving what isn’t, and providing correction and instruction on how to get and stay right with God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12)
We believe that the Bible is the ultimate authority for humanity on matters of faith and how to live out that faith, guiding believers on their journey. (John 5:39)
We believe that the Bible was divinely inspired, with the Holy Spirit guiding the authors to ensure its accuracy. (2 Peter 1:20-21; John 19:35; 21:24)
We believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, that it is free from errors in the original manuscripts, and that it is entirely truthful and trustworthy in matters of faith, conduct, doctrine, and historical accounts. (John 17:17; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Psalm 119:160)
We believe that the Bible is timeless, meaning it remains relevant and useful, offering wisdom and guidance across all aspects of modern life. (Psalm 119:105; Mark 13:31)
To Learn more about the Bible:
We believe that initially, God created man innocent and without sin. However, man chose to disobey God’s word and fell from grace into sin. As a result of that fall, sin was passed down through all succeeding generations. (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Isaiah 64:6)
We believe that because of sin, humanity is forever separated from God and is destined to die, with hell as their ultimate destination. However, this is no longer the fate for those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23; Hebrews 10:26-31)
We believe that the Law of Moses does not provide salvation, but rather it acts as a tutor to guide us to Christ and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone. (Galatians 3:23-25; Romans 5:1-2)
Key components:
To Learn more about Salvation:
We believe that Jesus Christ is the head, foundation, and cornerstone of the church. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Matthew 16:18; Matthew 21:42)
We believe the church is the body of Christ, a community of believers coming together to worship the Lord, hear God’s word taught, disciple believers, and reach out to the local community and the world with the gospel message of Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 4:16)
We believe in the local church as a place of prayer and fellowship, a place that encourages spiritual growth through the teaching of God’s Word, and motivates others to stand strong and remain steadfast as the Day of Christ’s return approaches. (Matthew 21:13; Titus 2:6-8; Colossians 3:16; 1 John 1:3, 7)
We believe that the church is a spiritual acute care hospital that provides active treatment and support for spiritual injuries, illnesses, and urgent and emergency needs. This also includes recovery and rehabilitation. (Jeremiah 30:17; Psalm 103:2-3; 107:19-21; 147:13; Exodus 15:26)
We believe the church is a spiritual training center. Once people begin healing, we focus on mentoring them in discipleship and God’s word, while also preparing them to reconnect with vision, mission, and purpose. (Ephesians 6:10-18; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Timothy 4:8; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Habakkuk 2:2; Ephesians 2:10)
To Learn more about the Church:
We believe in and take part in the sacraments of Water Baptism and Communion. We see them as essential and vital expressions of our faith.
We believe that water baptism by full immersion is a declaration of a person’s faith in Jesus Christ and symbolizes His death and resurrection in a believer’s life. We see it as an outward sign of an inward work that the Lord is doing within the hearts of those who believe. It follows the commandment given by Jesus to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:16: 28:19; Acts 2:38, 41; 8:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12)
We believe that Jesus established the practice of communion for believers to observe regularly to remember His death on the cross. We believe that the bread symbolizes Jesus’s body, which was broken for us, and the cup represents the blood Jesus shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16)
To Learn more about Water Baptism and Communion:
We believe in the Great Commission, which includes the two practices of evangelism and discipleship. (Matthew 28:18-20)
We believe in the ministry of evangelism, which involves sharing and proclaiming the gospel message of salvation, which comes only through grace by faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15; Mark 16:15; Romans 1:16; Matthew 9:37-38)
We believe in the ministry of discipleship, which involves helping followers of Jesus Christ grow in their faith. (Luke 9:23; 6:40; John 8:31; 13:34-35; 15:8; Ephesians 4:11-17; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
We believe in a three-tiered approach to discipleship.
We believe that giving our tithes and offerings is a spiritual act of worship and obedience to God’s Word. We believe that the tithe reflects what the Bible teaches, ten percent (10%) of the gross income. We also believe that offerings are gifts given above and beyond the tithe, which can be used for any designated purpose or to meet the overall needs of the church.
We believe that giving our time, talents, and treasures to the local church is a method ordained by God for supporting and spreading the gospel message. We also believe that giving as good stewards of God’s resources should be done cheerfully and willingly, showing our trust in God’s provision.
(Deuteronomy 14:22; Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:10; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Luke 6:38; Proverbs 3:9-10; 11:24; Matthew 23:23)
To Learn more about Giving:
We believe in the eternity of the human soul and spirit, and once physical death occurs, the soul and spirit will continue to exist in one of two places — Heaven or Hell. (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Luke 16:19-31; Romans 3:23; Matthew 25:46)
We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell, and that everyone who places their faith, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord. Those who reject Jesus’s gift of salvation will spend eternity separated from the Lord in Hell. (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:3, 22; 18:9; 25:31-34; Luke 12:5; John 3:18; 6:47; 17:3; Hebrews 12:23; I Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:10-11; 20:11-15).
To Learn more about Heaven and Hell:
We believe that because of the sinful nature within humans, they are spiritually lost. Therefore, everyone who is outside a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ will face God’s judgment. We also believe that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way for humanity to escape Hell and God’s judgment, and it will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven. (Luke 24:46-47; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7)
To Learn more about Judgment:
We believe marriage is authorized and defined by God in the Bible. Therefore, we hold that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, male and female, in a single covenant relationship as described in the Scriptures. (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:22-23; Mark 10:6-9)
We believe in God and the Holy Scriptures’ command that no intimate sexual activity should occur outside the biblical definition of marriage. Any sexual activity, identity, or expression that is not in accordance with this biblical definition opposes God’s natural plan and purpose for sex, including, but not limited to, fornication, adultery, personal gratification, pornography, and homosexuality. (Genesis 2:24; 19:1-17; Leviticus 18; Romans 1:26-29; Hebrews 13:4)
To Learn more about Homosexuality:
We believe that God creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Any rejection of a person’s biological gender is a rejection of the image of God in which they were created. (Genesis 1:26-27)
To learn more about Gender:
We believe that human life is sacred and created by God in His image and likeness. We affirm that all human life begins at conception and should be protected throughout a person’s entire life until natural death. Therefore, human life must be defended, protected, and valued, including issues like abortion and euthanasia. (Genesis 1:26; Psalm 139:13-16)
To learn more about Abortion and Euthanasia:
