Victory Fellowship Church Statement Of Faith
God
We believe in one God who eternally exists in three distinct persons (The Trinity): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. God the Father is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. We believe that He is limitless in power, knowledge, wisdom, love, and holiness. We also believe that He has revealed himself as the Father of the redeemed. Genesis 1:26-27; Psalms 90:2, 97; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is the second person of the Trinity and is co-equal with the Father. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory where He sits at the right hand of the Father. He will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
Holy Spirit
He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. All believers are entitled to and should passionately expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25
Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. 2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalms 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5
Mankind
We believe that man was created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him but became alienated from that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man is totally incapable of coming back into a right relationship with God by his own effort. Genesis 1:27; Psalms 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8
Salvation
The Word of God declares clearly that salvation is a free gift from God, based on the merits of the death of His Son, and is appropriated by faith. Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. Salvation is brought about through personal repentance (to turn from your sin and intend to lead a new life in Christ through the Holy Spirit), belief on the Lord Jesus (justification), and a personal acceptance of Him into one’s life as Lord and Savior (regeneration). Salvation is to be accompanied by baptism which is a response to the command given by Jesus Himself as a condition of discipleship. The new life in Christ includes the privileges of adoption and inheritance in the Kingdom of God’s Son. Salvation should produce an active lifestyle of loving obedience and service to Jesus Christ our Savior. Romans 5:1, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12, 3:16-17, 10:29, 14:6; Titus 3:5-7; Galatians 3:26; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14
Church
We believe the church is the Body of Christ, the family of God made up of every Christian. It is expressed through local congregations of Christians. It is a place where the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to use their gifts in reaching non-Christians with God’s salvation message, and in helping each other grow spiritually. The church is led by the Holy Spirit through the pastors and elders He has established. Acts 2; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2:19, 4:11-13
Eternity
We believe that we were created by God to be eternal beings. We will either exist eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation or exist eternally separated from God by sin. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. To be eternally separated from God is to live in Hell. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.
John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15
Marriage
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Victory Fellowship as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the Victory Fellowship members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Victory Fellowship in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Victory Fellowship. Genesis 2:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31
Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Victory Fellowship’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Elders is Victory Fellowship’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
We believe in one God who eternally exists in three distinct persons (The Trinity): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. God the Father is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. We believe that He is limitless in power, knowledge, wisdom, love, and holiness. We also believe that He has revealed himself as the Father of the redeemed. Genesis 1:26-27; Psalms 90:2, 97; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is the second person of the Trinity and is co-equal with the Father. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory where He sits at the right hand of the Father. He will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
Holy Spirit
He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. All believers are entitled to and should passionately expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25
Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. 2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalms 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5
Mankind
We believe that man was created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him but became alienated from that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man is totally incapable of coming back into a right relationship with God by his own effort. Genesis 1:27; Psalms 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8
Salvation
The Word of God declares clearly that salvation is a free gift from God, based on the merits of the death of His Son, and is appropriated by faith. Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. Salvation is brought about through personal repentance (to turn from your sin and intend to lead a new life in Christ through the Holy Spirit), belief on the Lord Jesus (justification), and a personal acceptance of Him into one’s life as Lord and Savior (regeneration). Salvation is to be accompanied by baptism which is a response to the command given by Jesus Himself as a condition of discipleship. The new life in Christ includes the privileges of adoption and inheritance in the Kingdom of God’s Son. Salvation should produce an active lifestyle of loving obedience and service to Jesus Christ our Savior. Romans 5:1, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12, 3:16-17, 10:29, 14:6; Titus 3:5-7; Galatians 3:26; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14
Church
We believe the church is the Body of Christ, the family of God made up of every Christian. It is expressed through local congregations of Christians. It is a place where the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to use their gifts in reaching non-Christians with God’s salvation message, and in helping each other grow spiritually. The church is led by the Holy Spirit through the pastors and elders He has established. Acts 2; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2:19, 4:11-13
Eternity
We believe that we were created by God to be eternal beings. We will either exist eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation or exist eternally separated from God by sin. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. To be eternally separated from God is to live in Hell. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.
John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15
Marriage
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Victory Fellowship as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the Victory Fellowship members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Victory Fellowship in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Victory Fellowship. Genesis 2:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31
Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Victory Fellowship’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Elders is Victory Fellowship’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
