WHAT WE BELIEVE

While Northway Church is a Southern Baptist Fellowship, our church has become more "cross-denominational" in nature. We allow grace toward one another on many issues that often divide the Church of Jesus Christ.

We therefore hold to the Apostle's Creed as a simple form of expressing what we believe:

The Apostles' Creed
We believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, [meaning God's universal body of believers]
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

We further devote ourselves to living out The Jesus Way, faithfully obeying all that He commanded.

The Creed of The Jesus Way β€œThe aim of my life is to be like Christ.”
  • Abide Continuously "I will love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, cultivating divine intimacy, and practicing His presence at all times.”
  • Surrender Daily "I will regularly invite the Holy Spirit to search my heart, repenting where necessary, and making adjustments to ensure that His will takes priority in my life-on earth as in heaven.”
  • Love Selflessly "I will consider others more important than myself, striving to show mercy, and doing what is best for all those I encounter.”
  • Live Peacefully "I will eliminate hurry and worry, practice patience and long-suffering, and trust God for outcomes in all my endeavors.”
  • Serve Sacrificially "I will serve others in practical ways, following the example of Jesus who went around doing good and washed His disciples' feet.”
  • Forgive Freely "I will practice forbearance, and forgive those who wrong me, just as I have been forgiven.”
  • Give Generously "I will cheerfully share my gifts, talents, and resources for the sake of others.”
  • Fellowship Regularly "I will unite myself with other Jesus followers, caring and sharing, living in harmony, and joining forces for the sake of the Kingdom.”
  • Act Justly β€œI will seek justice for the oppressed and act with integrity in all my dealings.”
  • Share Hope Intentionally "Through my actions and words, I will invite others to discover the life they were meant to live-the good news of the Kingdom Gospel."
Finally, most specifically we hold to these 12 Core Beliefs:
THE TRINITY
We believe God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that He is a being of unimaginably wonderful power, goodness, and love. Psalm 118:1, Psalm 145:1–9, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14
CREATION
We believe the world exists because God created it, that it belongs to Him and therefore we should cherish and care for it. Genesis 1:1, Psalm 24:1–2, Isaiah 40:25–26, 1 Corinthians 10:26
PEOPLE
We believe all human beings have dignity because they were created by God in His own image, and great worth because they are valued by God beyond our ability to measure. Genesis 1:27, 31, Psalm 8:3–6, John 3:16, Romans 5:8
SIN
We believe this world also has pain and suffering because human beings have fallen and sinned, and are estranged from God, from each other, from ourselves, and from creation. Genesis 3:17, Romans 3:23, Colossians 1:21, Titus 3:3
GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PLAN
We believe God does not intend for sin and suffering to get the last word, but is at work to redeem and reconcile what He has made. Isaiah 11:6–9, Colossians 1:21–23, Revelation 21:1–5
JESUS
We believe God has expressed himself uniquely in His Son Jesus, who lived, taught, died, and rose again for our sakes. Jesus is our master and teacher and savior and friend, and now reigns forever with the Father and the Holy Spirit. John 14:6–7, Acts 2:32, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, Ephesians 2:13, Colossians 1:15–20, Philippians 2:5–11, 1 Timothy 2:5–6
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Spirit of Christ is now available so we can be closer to God than the air we breathe, reminding us of Jesus’ teachings and empowering us to be His witnesses. John 14:26, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:26, Galatians 3:14, Ephesians 1:13–14
THE BIBLE
We believe God has revealed the truth about Himself in the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which are our unique and authoritative guides in faith and action. Matthew 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Timothy 3:16–17
THE CHURCH
We believe the Church is the community through which God wants to bring love, healing, and growth to the human race, to which He invites everyone who is willing to follow Jesus to join. Matthew 18:18–20, John 1:12–13, Acts 1:8, Galatians 3:28, 1 Peter 2:9
DISCIPLES
We believe Jesus calls whosoever will to repent, believe, follow, and obey. It is a surrendered life, apprenticed to the Master with clear standards and responsibilities. Most supreme and central are the four love commands: God, neighbors, fellow disciples, and even our enemies. Ultimately, disciples are called to make disciples. Mark 1:14-15, Luke 9:23-25, Matthew 4:18-20, Matthew 11:28-29, Luke 6:40, John 8:31, John 13:15, Matthew 28:16-20
THE KINGDOM
We believe that Jesus is King and that he is fully supreme to rule and reign over His Kingdom. The Kingdom is where what God wants to be done is being done the way He wants it to be done. Most often, His Kingdom purposes are accomplished in partnership with His people. Psalm 145:8-13, Matthew 4:17, Matthew 4:23, Matthew 6:9-10, Matthew 6:33, Luke 4:18-21, Acts 8:12, Acts 28:30-31
ETERNITY
We live in hope because one day Jesus will return, love and justice will prevail, and God will set the world right. Matthew 24:30–31, Luke 12:40, Romans 8:37–39, Revelation 21:1–5