Quick Facts About Us
Interdenominational, Bible believing, focused on people’s growth, vibrant and accepting, open to all, nursery, children’s and youth programs, discipleship for all ages, relevant preaching, contemporary music, prayer and support groups, intentional community outreach programs, full service recreation center.
Our Vision
We help people grow by making and deploying loving, mature and equipped followers of Christ for the sake of family, community and global transformation.
Process
Wherever you’re at in your faith journey, you’ll always be accepted as part of the Messiah Christian family. Our four-stage process of spiritual growth is designed to help you as you grow in deepening spiritual maturity and serving others. Growing spiritually does not happen when we know what Jesus says. It happens when we apply what He says and application happens best within the context of community.
Connect
Connect
Starting Point
Starting Point
Discipleship
Discipleship
Leadership Training
Leadership Training
Leadership
Dr. Stephen Van Fossen
Senior Pastor
Elders and Deacons
History
Beliefs
This doctrinal statement of beliefs reflects the broad, mainstream, evangelical tradition which is consistent with the teachings of the Bible and which has stood the test of history and experience. We specifically affirm the following doctrinal truths.
The Bible
WE BELIEVE that the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and that God moved the authors by the power of the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture. The Bible is, therefore, without error (inerrant) in its original manuscripts. God has supernaturally preserved the Bible, and it is the sole and final authority for faith and life, providing encouragement, guidance, comfort, and instruction for training in righteousness. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
The Trinity
WE BELIEVE in one true God eternally existing in three distinct persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) each of Whom is fully and equally God, possesses all of the divine nature and attributes, and is totally worthy of our worship and service. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 1:14, John 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14)
God The Father
WE BELIEVE that God the Father is the first person of the Trinity and is the eternal, unchanging all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, completely just and perfectly holy, sovereign Ruler and Sustainer of the universe. He is the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Father of all true believers. (Gen. 1:1; Eph. 4:6; John 1:12-13, John 5:19-21, John 17:1-5; Isa. 40:21-28, Isa. 43:10-13, Isa. 46:8-11; Rom. 8:14-16)
Jesus Christ
WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity and is the only begotten eternal Son of God Who became flesh to reveal God to man, to fulfill prophecy, and to become the Savior of the lost world. In becoming man, Jesus did not cease in any way to be God so that He is fully God and fully man inseparably united in one person forever. Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the Virgin Mary; lived a sinless life; died on the cross as the substitutionary, all-sufficient atoning sacrifice for all of the sins of all men of all time; was buried; bodily rose from the dead; physically ascended into heaven in His glorified, resurrected body; is seated at the right hand of the Father performing His ministry of intercession; will return in the air to claim His bride the church; and will come again to earth in bodily form, personally and visibly, to conclude human history and consummate God’s eternal plan by executing judgment and ushering in His Millennial Kingdom reign to be followed by the eternal state. (John 1:1,14,18; John 3:16; Luke 1:30-35; Phil. 2:5-8; Col. 2:3,9; Mark 10:45; Acts 2:22-24; John 1:29; Rom. 3:25-26; Heb. 10:5-14; 1 Pet. 2:24, 1 Pet. 3:18;John 20:20; Phil. 3:20-21; Heb. 1:3; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1; Acts 1:11; Heb. 9:28; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 2 Thes. 2:7; Matt. 24:44; Rev. 19:11-21; Rev. 21-22)
Holy Spirit
WE BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity Who specially came into the world on the day of Pentecost to glorify Christ and to enable people to receive the salvation wrought by Christ. He is the primary agent for the conviction of sin and for regeneration. Simultaneously with salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts new life, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (His church), permanently indwells the believer, and securely seals the believer unto the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit fills (directs and controls) those believers who are yielded to Him, enables believers to bear fruit, and empowers believers to live a life free from sin’s dominion. We also believe that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers for the purpose of edifying the church in accordance with the teachings of scripture. (1 Cor. 13:8, 1 Cor. 14:22;John 16:7-8; 1 Cor. 6:19, 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:13-14, Eph. 4:30; Gal. 5:16-17, Gal. 22-23; Rom. 8:5-13; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Rom. 12:3-8)
Salvation
WE BELIEVE that every Christian should live for Christ and not for himself and should, by the power of the indwelling Spirit, allow Christ to manifest His life through him to God’s glory. By ever-increasing obedience to the Word of God, each believer should mature and progressively become more like Jesus. In the power of the Spirit, each believer should live a holy life, not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, exercise his spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ, witness for Christ, be personally involved in making disciples to fulfill the Great Commission, perform good works and bear fruit to the glory of God. (Gal. 2:20; 1 Pet. 1:15-16, 1 Pet. 2:11; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Rom. 6:11-13; Eph. 2:10,Eph. 4:11-12, Eph. 4:22-24; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 1:10; John 15:8, 16)
The Church
WE BELIEVE that the church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and whose members are those who have truly received Christ by faith. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since all members of the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in love, harmony and unity, being intent on the same purpose and accepting those sectarian or denominational practices which are based on a sincere interpretation of the Bible, which do not relate to substantive doctrinal matters, and which do not in practice cause disunity or hinder the ministry. The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to lost men and to make disciples, and glorify God on earth. (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:20-23, Eph. 4:1-6, Eph. 4:12-16; Matt. 28:18-20; John 17; Col. 1:24-29)
Communion and Baptism
WE EXPRESS Spiritual truths through the use of physical symbols: Communion – the Lord’s Supper speaks of our sacred union with God through Christ, and Baptism – water baptism by immersion testifies to a heart cleansing by God’s grace and public witness of that inner work. (The Lord’s Supper: Matt 26:26-30; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-30; Mark 14: 17-25; John 13:1-38. Baptism: Matt 28:19; Acts 2: 41-42; Acts 8:12-23, 35-38; Acts 16: 13-15; Acts 16:30-33; Acts 8:18)