We believe there is an objective reality, a truth that’s there whether we acknowledge it or not, and we want to make clear what we believe about reality. There are many things that can be known simply by observing them, but there are also things that can only be known by faith, and these are the most important things: Where did everything come from? Why do we exist? Why are things the way they are? Is history headed somewhere?
How people answer these questions reflects their fundamental beliefs about reality, and as a result, how they live.
This is true whether people verbalize their beliefs or not, and very often we can live out of beliefs without being conscious of them. We want to be conscious and aware of our faith, in order to live accordingly.
We also want to be clear with those interested in knowing what drives us and lies at the core of our lives and beliefs. At The Journey, Jesus is the heartbeat of everything we do. He’s what makes us go, he’s who we live for, the person that we orient our lives around. We want our church to embody his love for each other and our city. While the doctrines that express our faith in him aren’t everything, they help give shape to our faith.
In this statement, we focus on the core beliefs of Christianity derived from Scripture, faithfully summarized in the historic creeds, catechisms, and confessions of the Christian faith. We expect all members of The Journey to affirm and uphold this statement of faith.
Lastly, we are not God, but are limited by our human weaknesses, ignorance, biases, and sin in our expression of these doctrines. What we offer here then is not perfect or complete, and though we wholeheartedly affirm it, we remain open to further light, understanding, and correction.
We believe that there is only one true God eternally existing in three equally divine yet distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) who know, love, and glorify one another in complete harmony. As Sovereign Lord, the Triune God creates, sustains, and rules over everyone and everything with perfect love, wisdom, and power, and is thus worthy of all our worship.
Exodus 3:13-15; 34:6-7; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 5:43-45; John 15:26; 17:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14.
We believe that the Triune God has made himself known through the world he has made, the words he has spoken, and the Son he has sent to us. Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance over human words, God is clearly revealed in the Bible, which tells a unified story of his gracious work in human history. As God’s Word, the Bible is true, authoritative, and necessary for a right relationship with God and his world, and serves as the basis for all of our essential beliefs and practices.
Exodus 17:14; 24:3-4; Psalm 12:6; 19:1-3; 119:160; Nehemiah 9:1-38; John 1:1-3; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Luke 24:25-27, 44-47; Romans 1:19-20; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 1:1-3.
We believe that out of his love, wisdom, and power, God created all things, speaking them into existence. On earth he established a kingdom, where everything was very good, holy, and flourishing, sustained and cared for by him. As the crown of his creation, God made human beings, male and female, in his image, giving us stewardship over his kingdom, inviting us into his work, rest, and love.
Genesis 1:1-3; 1:26-31; Exodus 20:8-11; Psalm 8:1-9; 33:4-6; Proverbs 8:22-31; Isaiah 45:18; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17.
We believe that the first humans rejected God’s rule, alienating all humanity from God and fracturing the world placed under their care. As a result, the image of God is distorted in each one of us as we seek to live apart from our Creator, leaving all of creation marked by sin and death, under God’s righteous judgment, subject to spiritual forces of evil, and without hope in the world apart from God’s grace and mercy.
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7, 16-19; 6:5-6; Psalm 51:1-5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:18-25; 3:22-23; 5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12; James 1:14-15.
We believe that despite our rebellion against him, God has been working throughout history to rescue the world from ruin and renew human beings to their high and noble position as his image-bearers. God has ultimately rescued us from sin, his righteous judgment, and spiritual evil through his Son, Jesus Christ, the true image of God, who became human, dying in our place on the cross, rising from the grave, conquering death, and ascending to heaven where he reigns as King over all the earth. This is the gospel, or good news, of Jesus Christ. All who give their allegiance to him will receive forgiveness and new life with God.
Genesis 3:15; 9:1-17; 12:1-3; Exodus 2:23-25; 19:1-6; 2 Samuel 7:8-16; Jeremiah 34:14-16; Ezekiel 36:22-28; Matthew 1:20-23; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:16-22; Acts 3:22-39; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Colossians 1:12-14, 19-23; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 10:11-14; 2 Peter 1:3-4.
We believe that after ascending to heaven, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to renew the image of God in believers, enable us to grow in Christlikeness, and empower the church for ministry and mission. As the unseen yet active presence of God in the world, the Holy Spirit awakens the hearts and minds of people to love, trust, and hope in Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
Genesis 1:1-2; Ezekiel 36:25-27; John 3:5-8; 16:7-11; Acts 1:8; 2:1-21; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 5:23; 1 Peter 4:10-11; Titus 3:5.
We believe that all people from every place and age who have been rescued by Jesus are united together in his universal Church. The local church, as one expression of this worldwide Church, is a gathered body of those who are being renewed by the Holy Spirit, to worship God according to the Word of God, display the goodness of Jesus’s kingdom in their shared life, and declare the good news to all peoples in word and works until Jesus returns again.
Matthew 16:13-19; 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-47; 11:19-26; 13:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 3:7-12, 20-22; 4:11-16; Colossians 3:5-17; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:19-25; 1 Peter 2:9-10.
We believe that Jesus will return to fully establish his kingdom on earth, put an end to humanity’s rebellion, rightly judge all people, fix what is wrong in creation, and live with his people forever. As we wait in hope for the renewed heavens and earth, we partner now with the Holy Spirit in bringing transformation into every aspect of our lives.
Matthew 24:44; 25:26; Acts 1:9-11; 17:31; Romans 6:22; 8:19-22; 14:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 15:50-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 11:15; 21:1-22:5.
