OUR BELIEFS

At The Rock we care about spending time with Jesus, learning from Jesus, in order to be more like him and share the life of God that he reveals. Actions speak louder than words, but here are some of our core beliefs that guide us:

About God
We believe that God is relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe that the one God exists eternally as three persons and each person is fully God. We believe that Triune God is the Creator and that in the tri-unity, God embodies communion. God is love and because of this, has offered humanity an invitation to enter into this communion.

About The Father
We believe the Father is God, the life-giver and law-giver. He is a loving Father, creating humanity and adopting them into His family.  We believe God the Father is the Redeemer, who planned the pathway to salvation and sent His Son, Jesus, to carry out His work. Because God the Father has provided a covenantal pathway for humanity to enter into a relationship with Him, we relate to God as Father through our relationship with Jesus, His Son. 

About the Son
We believe that Jesus is God. He came to usher in God’s Kingdom and taught of love, justice, and forgiveness. Condemned to die, Jesus’ broken body was destroyed through a vicious death on the cross.  And yet, having now paid the ransom for humanity’s depravity, Jesus rose from the grave as the victor, having conquered sin and death. We believe He is alive, as God raised him from the dead. Jesus ascended to heaven's glory and will return to end sin and death.  We believe the gospel is the narrative of Jesus. It’s His story. 

About the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and is equal with the Father and the Son.  In the Holy Spirit, the Trinity enters into the lives of each believer.  We believe the Holy Spirit reminds us that God is not far off.  The Spirit is mysterious and transformative, yet intimately involved with us. The Holy Spirit joins us to Jesus, the Son, and we share in everything, including union and communion with God.  

About Humanity
We believe that humanity is made in the image of God. Humans bear the reflection of the Creator, unlike anything created before them. We believe that God transcends human gender. God gives value to all, offering humans an invitation to share in creating and cultivating culture. Though humans were made for image-bearing, they chose to sin against God, creating a separation in the relationship between God and humanity. God patiently endured humanity’s rebellion, resulting in an offering of redemption through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

About the Church
We believe that the Church is the reflection of the Triune God and a representation of the Gospel. As the Body of Christ, His Bride, we believe God chose to build His Church around people. As he ascended into Heaven, Jesus told His disciples they would be His witnesses.  He didn’t leave a written creed, an epitaph, or a hymn; instead, He left a lasting relationship that He established with His friends and His community. Jesus left a people whom he entrusted to embody his message and be the Church to a fallen world. We believe the Trinity is our foundation for community and the way for the Church to fulfill its mission on earth. The Church collectively embodies the gospel message, working together to point people towards Jesus.

About the Gospel
We believe that the Gospel is the Good News about Jesus.  It’s His story.  The Gospel is the complete message of the Scriptures all wrapped up in Jesus. It’s the narrative that Triune God ushered in redemption at the very sight of humanity’s sin and failings. At its very core, the Gospel is an invitation into a reconciled relationship with God.

About The Bible
We believe the Bible tells the unified story of Jesus and the relationship between God and humanity. The Bible was written by human authors, having been guided and influenced by the Holy Spirit. The story of the Bible begins with narrating the creation of the world. It then moves into explaining the fall of humanity. From there, the Bible communicates Gospel redemption through Jesus.  And finally, the narrative ends with the hope of an eternal restoration and ultimate peace. The arch of the Bible begins and ends with Triune God and the desire for restored and redeemed relationship with humanity.