Beliefs

There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal being, the creator, redeemer, preserver, and ruler of the universe. This eternal, triune God reveals himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being.

God is the center, sustainer, provider, and ruler of the universe. – Genesis 1-3; Exodus 3:5-6, 20:1-11; Matthew 6:9-15

Jesus is God, who came to earth to pay for our mistakes and sins. He has provided an example of how we are to live today. – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15-20

The Holy Spirit is also God and is the Person of God which the New Testament Church must encounter and seek guidance from. – John 3:5-8, 14:15-20; Romans 8:1-17

The Bible is the perfect, faithful words of God that provide us with guidance on matters of faith, both personal and church-wide. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Humans are the crowning achievement of creation, and therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. A person cannot fully understand his or her humanity apart from knowing and pursuing his or her Creator. Though loved by God, humans universally fall terribly short of what He expects. This shortfall points to our need for Christ and the salvation that He alone can bring. – Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 3, Psalm 139, Romans 3:23, 6:23

Salvation is God’s free offer to live forever in heaven and to have an abundant life here on earth. Salvation is a gift. It is the beginning point of our relationship with God. – John 3:16, 14:6, Romans 10:9, Philippians 1:6, 1 John 3:1-3

Biblical baptism is when the candidate is immersed into water, after salvation. This ceremonial act is not part of one’s salvation but is symbolic of the salvation already received. Entrance into voting membership here at Concord requires baptism. – Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2: 38; 8:34-39

• By immersion in mode – βαπτίζω (baptizó): immerse or engulfed in water
• Post-salvation in time; all that were baptized were believers
• Does not impart salvation – Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:5-8
• Symbolic in meaning of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ – Romans 6:6
• Only biblical prerequisite is confession of belief – Acts 8:34-38
• Once is sufficient – Ephesians 4:3-6

Communion does not impart salvation. The bread and the juice are symbolic in meaning. Attendance to the table is regulated by the participant. – 1 Corinthians 11:23-29, Acts 20:3-7

Attendance
It is the natural assumption of the New Testament that in order to benefit from the body, one must participate in the regular functions of the body. The Bible gives warnings to those who are absent from the body and conversely tells of the many benefits that exist for believers to enjoy when they are present. – Hebrews 9:19-25

Giving
Tithes and offerings are not in place to simply serve as a “billing” method for religious services rendered. God desires lordship in all the areas of our lives, which includes our personal finances. Financial giving is a way to express our loyalty to him in this area. – Malachi 3:8-12, 2 Corinthians 9:6-12