Our Beliefs

There is an expectation in Scripture that there are no “lone-ranger” Christians. While Christians all belong to the people of God through their salvation and adoption as sons and daughters (sometimes called the ‘universal church’), God expects that we live that out in a community of believers where we live for encouragement, equipping, and accountability. Each group must be clear on their beliefs so we can rightly care for one another and know the expectations we have for each other. Our core beliefs are seen in our Partner Affirmation of Faith.

  • We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament, is the authoritative and powerful word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

    2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31–32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32

  • We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; and that these are the same divine essence, are equal in every divine perfection, and they execute distinct but harmonious roles in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

    Genesis 1:1–26; John 1:1–3; Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4 John 4:24; Romans 1:19–20; Ephesians 4:5–6; 1 Peter 1:2

  • We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that he infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that he concerns himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that he hears and answers prayer, and that he saves from sin and death all who come to him through Jesus Christ.

    Genesis 1:1–2; Luke 10:21–22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1–2; 2:5–6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6

  • We believe in Jesus Christ, God's unique and eternal Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in his substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for his people, and personal, visible return and reign.

    Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30–31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9–10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16

  • We believe in the Holy Spirit sent by the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, distributing gifts as he wills for the edification of the church, and that he is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.

    John 14:16–7,26; 15:26–27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26; 1 John 2:27

  • We believe that man was created by God in his own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. We believe that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become a new creation, delivered from condemnation, and receiving eternal life.

    Genesis. 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 9:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Rev. 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1

  • We believe in the universal church; a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers united in Jesus Christ, baptized, and associated for worship, work, discipleship, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of announcing and embodying the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.

    Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25

  • We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of all peoples; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity and life in Christ.

    1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; 1 John 2:3-6; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10

  • We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christians should be baptized in the name of the triune God and regularly share in the Lord’s Supper to commemorate his death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

  • We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the final establishment of his kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment of all people, the eternal damnation of the wicked and the eternal joy of the righteous in God’s presence.

    Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:4-6,11-15

Additionally, our partners all joyfully covenant with one another each partner meeting. This covenant is available upon request. The Elders have also written their own affirmation of faith that is in line with our Partner Affirmation but is more robust and explicit in several areas. All elders of Main Street Church agree with and teach in accordance with our Main Street Church Elder Affirmation of Faith (available upon request).