WE BELIEVE

1. We believe the 66 books of the Holy Bible are the complete, inspired, infallible, Word of God, inerrant in the original writings of both the Old and New Testaments, and is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith, life, and doctrine. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 19:7; Romans 16:25-26)

2. We believe there is one God, eternally existing in three distinct personalities as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17; John 1: 1-14, 14:16)

3. We believe that Jesus Christ is Deity and was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and is true God and true Man (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1,14)

4. We believe that man was created in the image of God, but by voluntary transgression, he fell and not only experiences physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God, is in need of salvation, and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Genesis 1:26-31; Romans 5:12-21; John 14:6)

5. We believe we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ’s atoning death through His shed blood, that He bodily resurrected and ascended into heaven, and that He will come again in power and glory. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

6. We believe that sanctification begins at salvation and is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to mature in the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Hebrews 2:11)

7. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells all believers who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them. The believer repents of his sins and relinquishes the authority of his life over to Him, thus making Jesus the Lord of his life, as well as Savior. (John 1:12, 14:17,23, 15:4; Romans 8:11; 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 7:21)

8. We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost. It is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His ascension, and is available to all believers who ask so that they may be empowered for the work of the ministry and to preach the Gospel thoughtout the entire world. (Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5-8; 2:1-4,17,38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38,44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6; Luke 11:13)

9. We believe the Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts that operate through individual believers to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures. (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10)

10. We believe that God created man, that He created them male and female, and that their gender is a gift from the Lord assigned at birth. As such, God created them different so as to complement and complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between one male and one female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. (Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:22; Matthew 19:4-6; John 4:16-18; Romans 1:26-27; Romans 1:18-32; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7)

11. We believe the Holy Spirit unites the body of Christ in the Lord Jesus, with no separation of ethnicity or social standing for we are all one in Him (Ephesians 4:11-16; Galatians 3:26-29; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, and is the sole and final source of all we believe. For the purpose of Living Stone Church, the lead pastor and the elders board are the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.