"Who Are We"

The North Pointe church is a group of people of various backgrounds, personalities, ages and ethnicities.  We have come together as a church family because of our common belief in Jesus Christ.  We have had our lives re-defined by God’s story of love and redemption, especially the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  The following are what we consider to be the core beliefs to which we hold as a church family.

Core Beliefs

·        God

There is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He is the Creator of all life and the Supreme Ruler of the universe.  We learn about God through His creation, His Word (the Bible), and His Son (Jesus Christ).  God loves us more than we can imagine. (Acts 17:22-28; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 4:6)

·        Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God.  He became flesh and blood without ceasing to be God.  Jesus came to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God.  He performed miraculous acts, lived a sinless life, and provided life-changing teachings.  In complete submission to God the Father and with selfless love for mankind, Jesus willingly died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice, atoning for our sins.  On the third day after his death he arose from the dead showing his victory over sin and death.  He appeared to his followers and then ascended into heaven where he now sits at the right hand of God serving as our mediator.  As the Savior of the world, Jesus desires the deepest of relationship with every person. (Luke 4:43; John 1:1-14; John 3:16; Philippians 2:5-11)

·        Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and God the Son.  He makes people aware of their need for Christ.  He indwells and empowers the believer.  He provides help to do what is right, strength to serve Jesus, direction for living life God’s way and comfort in times of need. (John 14:16-17; John 16:7-13; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:18)

·        Humanity

Human beings are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation.  Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.”  This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life. (Gen. 1-3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Acts 17:24-28; Romans 3:22-24)

·        Salvation

God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to offer his righteous life as atonement for our sin.  All have sinned, but all can be saved.  Salvation is a free gift of God received through faith and expressed through confession, repentance, and baptism.  This gift of God’s love is grace.  Through His grace we can have a relationship with God and the hope of eternal life.  Salvation also means to be rescued.  God “rescues” us from many problems, including empty lives, selfish attitudes and harmful relationships. (Psalm 37:39-40; John 3:16-18, Acts 2:38; Romans 3:22-26; Romans 10:9). 

·        Bible

The Bible is the inspired, written word of God and is the final authority in life and doctrine.  It tells us who God is, how He relates to us, and what His plans are for us.  While parts of it are straightforward, other parts are more difficult to interpret.  Nevertheless, it is the authority or standard for living our lives according to God’s will for us. (Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119:105,160; John 17:17; Acts 8:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20:21)

·        Church

The church is the body of Christ through which Jesus continues to carry out His mission on earth.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church is called to love one another and the world.  The church is to use its God-given gifts and abilities to serve others, share the good news of Jesus Christ, encouraging each other to become fully devoted followers of Christ. (John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:11-16)

·        Christian Life

As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to love all people with the love of Christ, to die to ourselves and to live lives of the highest standards of ethics and morality, imitating Christ himself. We are empowered to imitate Christ by practicing spiritual disciplines including Bible study, prayer and worshiping God together. (Matthew 5:20; Mark 8:34-35; Mark 12:30-31; Romans 6:1-4)

·        Christ’s Return

Christ will one day return, conquer all evil and judge each person.  Unbelievers will be separated from God in hell and believers will be welcomed into God's eternal presence. (Acts 1:11; Acts 17:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 21-22)

The North Pointe church is committed to following the Bible and its teachings.  We honestly admit that we do not have all the answers nor always understand every biblical teaching perfectly.  Our goal is to hold firmly to what we believe while remaining humble and open to other valid interpretations and points of view.  This list of core beliefs does not include every possible belief we have as a collective body or as individuals.  It is presented to show what we hold as central to our faith.