The Bible

We believe the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings. It is the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of men and women, and the final authority for all Christian faith and life. (2 Timothy 3.16-17, 2 Peter 1.19-21, Matthew 5.17-18, John 10.34-36)

The Trinity

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6.4, Matthew 28.19, 2 Corinthians 13.14)

The Father

We believe in God the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He actively and mercifully intervenes in the affairs of humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all that come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Exodus 34.6-7, John 3.16, John 4.23-24, Ephesians 1.3)

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He rose bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He is now our High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of the Father. He will physically and visibly return to consummate history and rule and reign over the earth.  (John 1.1-18, Romans 4.25, Ephesians 1.15-23, Colossians 1.15-23, Hebrews 7.23-25)

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and the Son. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus by convicting non-Christians of their need for Christ; giving new birth to believing sinners; and indwelling, sanctifying, leading, teaching, and empowering believers for godly living and service. We believe that all Christians are to be filled with the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion. We also believe that all of the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible (Romans 12.6-8, Ephesians 4.11, 1 Corinthians 12.8-10, and 28-30) continue to be distributed by the Spirit today; that these gifts are divine provisions central to spiritual growth and effective ministry; and that these gifts are to be eagerly desired, faithfully developed, and lovingly exercised according to biblical guidelines. (John 3.3-8, John 14.15-27, John 16.5-15, Romans 8.9-17, 1 Corinthians 12-14, Galatians 5.16-26, Ephesians 5.18-21)

Humanity

We believe God created humanity in the image of God. We further believe men and women are sinners by nature and action and are therefore spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and place their trust in Jesus Christ are spiritually born again to new life by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1.27, Acts 2.38-39, Ephesians. 2.1-9, Romans 3.9-26, Romans 5.12-21)

Salvation

We believe that salvation is a free gift of God and is received by individuals through faith in Jesus Christ apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus and His resurrection provide the only grounds for the forgiveness of sins for all who believe and that only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Spirit, become children of God, and are given eternal life. (John 3.16-17, John 8.23-24, John 14.6, Acts 16.29-34, Romans 3.21-31, Romans 10.9-10, Ephesians 2.4-9, 1 Timothy 2.3-6, Titus 3.5-7)

The Church

We believe that the Church is composed of all people who through saving faith in Jesus Christ are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the head. (Ephesians 1.22, 2.14-22 and 4.1-5)

We believe the ordinances of the local church are believers’ baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Believers’ baptism is a testimony of the death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ; and the Lord’s Supper is a memorial service, setting forth in sacred and symbolic manner the death of Jesus and our salvation through faith in Him. All believers and only believers should participate in these ordinances. We believe that the Lord’s Supper and water baptism are divinely ordained to be observed by the church during this present age.  Though they are not to be regarded as means of salvation, they are regarded as means of grace.  (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:25-26, Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:3-4)

(Matthew 26.26-29, Matthew 28.19-20, Acts 2.38-39, Romans 6.3-4, 1 Corinthians 11.17-32, Colossians 2.11-12)

Christ’s Return

We believe that the personal and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ is our future hope and has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. (Matthew 24, John 14.1-4, 1 Thessalonians 4.16-18, Titus 2.11-14, Revelation 19-20)

Resurrection

We believe in the bodily resurrection from the dead: of the believer to everlasting joy with the Lord; of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting separation from God. (1 Corinthians 15.35-58, 2 Corinthians 5.1-10, 2 Thessalonians 1.5-10, Revelation 20-21) Kingdom of God We believe that the Kingdom of God has come in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, that it continues to come in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church, and that it will be consummated in the glorious, visible and triumphant appearing of Christ when He returns to the earth as King. We believe that after Christ returns He will bring about the ultimate defeat of Satan, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the eternal blessing of the righteous. At that time, the Kingdom of God will be completely fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth. (Matthew 4.23, Matthew 12.28, Mark 13.26, Acts 1.1-8, Acts 2.14-39, Romans 14.17-18, 1 Thessalonians 4.15-17, Revelation 19.11-16, Revelation 20.10, Revelation 21.1-5)

Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female.  These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27)  Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning:  the uniting of one man and one woman, as biologically designed by birth, in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture.  (Gen 2:18-25)  We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other.  (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4)  We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God.  (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10)

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of RiverStone Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the RiverStone Church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by RiverStone Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality.  (Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess 5:22)

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.  (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10, Cor 6:9-11)

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity.  (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31)  Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the Burn!