Sharing a common thread running through our ministries.

What We Believe

Like a rudder sets a course for a ship, what a church believes determines its direction and destination.

At its core, our belief is that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and that through His death our relationship with God is reconciled. This belief about Jesus steers our actions as a church.

We also believe that followers of Jesus continually seek to enhance their relationship with Him. Followers of Jesus share five characteristics of a vital faith:

Regular participation in worship
Daily devotion and personal prayer
Personal growth through Bible study and group learning opportunities
Stewardship of God’s blessings, tithing our time, talents and treasures
Sharing God’s love in mission and service to others.

Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is affiliated with North American Lutheran Church (NALC).

Statement of Faith

We believe in the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge one God in these three persons.

We believe that God the Father created the universe. He is loving, compassionate, just and kind. His deepest desire is to live in an intimate relationship with all people.

We believe that, because of His desire to live in a relationship with us, God became a human being. Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, is fully God and fully man. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus made it possible for all people to live in a relationship with God. We believe that Jesus Christ in the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Through Him and Him alone can people enter into a relationship with God.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus Christ among us. Through Him God loves us, empowers us and lives in us. The Spirit gives gifts to all believers. We believe in all the gifts of the Spirit and encourage their use.

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Through it, God reveals Himself to us. The entire Bible is God-breathed and God-inspired. The Old and New Testaments are the norm and guide upon which we base our faith.

We believe that the church, be it a local congregation or the worldwide fellowship of believers, is the body of Christ. As His Body, we are called to worship Him, serve Him and be the vehicle through which the Good News in its fullness is shared with the world.

We affirm and identify with the confessions of the Lutheran Church. We affirm the centrality of grace alone, faith alone, and Word alone.

We believe in and practice the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. We believe that through the waters of Baptism, God comes to us to adopt us as His children. Through Baptism, God gives the gift of new life. We affirm the baptism of infants.

We believe that through the Lord’s Supper, God comes to love us and forgives us. It is a meal of renewal. Jesus is really present in the meal.

We believe in the worth and value of the human being. Created in God’s image, humans have dignity. Their worth is dependant not on accomplishments, but on God’s love. Because God sees humanity as worth dying for, we affirm and acknowledge the dignity of humans.

At the same time, we acknowledge that humanity is separated from God because of sin. We joyfully proclaim the good news that because of Jesus Christ, forgiveness is a possibility. It is that forgiveness that restores fallen humanity’s worth.

We believe in and anticipate the return of Jesus Christ. Though we don’t know the day or hour, we joyfully proclaim His soon return to inspire all people to make the most of life today.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION: 
"What We Believe." Community Church of Joy. Community Church of Joy, n.d. Web. 21 Sep 2010. 
<http://www.joyonline.org/about/whatwebelieve.php>.