WHAT WE BELIEVE
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We look forward to meeting YOU!
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Living Hope Church, Yucca Valley is associated with the Evangelical Free Churches of America. Living Hope Church Yucca Valley is an interdependent church, committed to serve our Lord Jesus under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and obedience to the Word of God.
As a member church of EFCA, we cooperate with other EFCA fellowships and ministries, as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission, which Christ has entrusted to His Church. EFCA serves over 50 countries. Living Hope/EFCYV has served the community since 1960. See our History page for further information about the local church. |
What We Believe - Statement of Faith
Living Hope Church is a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America - Statement of Faith
The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of autonomous churches united around these theological convictions:
God
1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.
The Bible
2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
The Human Condition
3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
Jesus Christ
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
The Work of Christ
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
The Holy Spirit
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
The Church
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
Christian Living
8. We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
Christ’s Return
9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
Response and Eternal Destiny
10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.
Use of the EFCA Statement of Faith
We consider the EFCA Statement of Faith (SOF) public domain. The EFCA has always been committed to ministry broader than the EFCA, those who are likewise committed to the gospel, which we hope is crystalized in our SOF. There is no copyright, however for the sake of integrity and avoiding being accused of plagiarism, we encourage you to cite that the text is the EFCA Statement of Faith. This can be done by linking directly to this web page or standard source citation.
Core Values
Bible Centered
We believe the Bible is the truth, inspired by God, living and active to all generations and is our final authority in all matters in faith and practice.
Prayer
Prayer is communication with God through the Holy Spirit. Prayer is critical to our personal relationship with God and function as the body of Christ.
Worship
We glorify God by gathering together to recognize His love for us and express our love for Him in song, words and deeds.
Love One Another
As a church family, we commit to love one another as Jesus Christ loved us.
Heartfelt Relationship with Jesus Christ
Out personal relationship with Jesus Christ is ever-growing daily, moment, joyous and life changing.
Living Hope Church is a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America - Statement of Faith
The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of autonomous churches united around these theological convictions:
God
1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.
The Bible
2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
The Human Condition
3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
Jesus Christ
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
The Work of Christ
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
The Holy Spirit
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
The Church
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
Christian Living
8. We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
Christ’s Return
9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
Response and Eternal Destiny
10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.
Use of the EFCA Statement of Faith
We consider the EFCA Statement of Faith (SOF) public domain. The EFCA has always been committed to ministry broader than the EFCA, those who are likewise committed to the gospel, which we hope is crystalized in our SOF. There is no copyright, however for the sake of integrity and avoiding being accused of plagiarism, we encourage you to cite that the text is the EFCA Statement of Faith. This can be done by linking directly to this web page or standard source citation.
Core Values
Bible Centered
We believe the Bible is the truth, inspired by God, living and active to all generations and is our final authority in all matters in faith and practice.
Prayer
Prayer is communication with God through the Holy Spirit. Prayer is critical to our personal relationship with God and function as the body of Christ.
Worship
We glorify God by gathering together to recognize His love for us and express our love for Him in song, words and deeds.
Love One Another
As a church family, we commit to love one another as Jesus Christ loved us.
Heartfelt Relationship with Jesus Christ
Out personal relationship with Jesus Christ is ever-growing daily, moment, joyous and life changing.
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Jesus is our Chief Shepherd
John 10:14 (NIV)
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me..."
John 10:14 (NIV)
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me..."