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what we believe

That guides everything we do.

1.

Salvation

 

We believe that when a person genuinely believes in and confesses with their mouth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died on the cross for their sin, was raised from the dead to ascend to the right hand of the Father, they will be saved from the wrath to come and live eternally in Heaven. This authentic heart belief in Jesus allows God to justify a person and declare them as righteous because He has accepted the blood that was shed as a result of Jesus Christ's death on the cross. We believe this is the only path to Heaven.

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John 14:6, Acts 4:12, John 3:3,16, Eph 2:8-9, Romans 10:9-10,

1 John 5:13

2.

The Triune God

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We believe in the triune God which consists of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God but three distinct persons. We also believe that after a person believes in Jesus and is justified, the Holy Spirit of God indwells a new believer and acts as a change agent to help sanctify them and conform them into the image of Jesus Christ.

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 John 14:16-17, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, John 16:13-14, 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:4, Romans 8:14–17, 1 Corinthians 2:12, Galatians 5:22–23, Ephesians 1:13–14

3.

The Bible

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We believe that the Word of God is perfect, without error, is inspired by God, written by men, and is our final authority for all matters related to this life and the life to come.

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2 Timothy 3:16-17,  2 Peter 1:21

4.

Forgiveness

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We believe all those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ are commanded by God to forgive those who have sinned against them because we have been forgiven for everything. We also believe God expects us to confess and repent, with godly sorrow, of our own sin as we are convicted by the Holy Spirit.

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Mat 18:35, Mat 6:15, Mark 11:25, 1 John 1:9, 2 Cor 7:10-11

5.

Reconciliation & Restoration

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We believe all those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ are commanded by God to reconcile with those they have wronged and those who have wronged them by lovingly confronting the sin that has broken fellowship in their relationship. We believe that forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration (trust-building/confidence) are three separate events. We also believe accountability is crucial to the reconciliation process but needs to be done in a loving, restorative way. We also believe sin, in many cases, brings undesired consequences such as loss of trust, health problems, financial implications, and sometimes other legal consequences. Some of those consequences may be temporary and some may be permanent. But praise be to God, the King Redeemer, who is able to restore anyone from any depth of depravity when they turn their heart back to Him. 

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Matthew 18:15-16,21-22, Luke 17:3-4, Math 5:22-23, Maty 6:12, Gal 6:1, Romans 15:14, Col 3:16, 2 Thes 3:14-15, Luke 19:8, Romans 5:10, 2 Cor 5:18

6.

the great commission and commandment

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We believe all those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ are commanded by God to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost and disciple new believers. We believe Christians are also commanded to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and love others as themselves.

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Matthew 28:19–20, Matthew 22:37–40

7.

Marriage

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Definition

We believe that a Christian marriage is a commitment to be partners for life made between one man and one woman where at least one of them is a follower of Jesus Christ. We define a man and a woman as two people who were biologically designed (even if unable to do so due to medical issues) to create life. We believe that God's design for marriage is that when a man and a woman agree to enter into marriage it should endure until the end of their natural lives.

 

When Divorce is Allowed

We understand we live in a fallen world and people do sin. We believe that divorce is permissible by God when either the husband or wife has committed sexual immorality or adultery with another person and broken the vows that they promised to each other before God to be faithful to each other. We also believe that while someone may have biblical grounds for divorce they have even more biblical grounds to love. While divorce may be biblically permissible we do not believe it is mandatory when the one who committed adultery has authentically repented of the sin and has made things right with all parties involved and is committed to restoring trust and the person who was hurt believes the other to be repentful.

 

We also believe that if a spouse who is not a believer in Jesus Christ and wants to divorce the spouse who is a believer, or abandons the believer, the believing spouse is free to remarry. We also confirm based on God's Word that the believing spouse is not biblically justified to divorce the unbelieving spouse just because they are not a follower of Jesus Christ and do not espouse the same Christian values or beliefs.

 

When Separation is Necessary and How it Must Be Implemented

We believe in the right for the husband or the wife to ask for separation as long as it is part of a larger plan to reconcile the entire family, including children, under the oversight and guidance of their pastor and other key disciplers or counselors. A reconciliation plan must be shown to the husband and wife and agreed to by all so that everyone can see a path to a reconciled and restored marriage.  Bold and Free offers this type of family reconciliation plan which you can read about here. We believe separation is necessary sometimes as part of a reconciliation plan when either the husband or wife does not feel emotionally, physically, or financially safe as a result of repetitive abusive, criminal, destructive, or irresponsible behavior committed by the husband or the wife.

 

When to involve Governmental Authorities

We believe that either the husband or the wife should be able to protect themselves, or their children, from further harm by taking full advantage of the judicial system, including legal separation, protective orders, children's protective services, the police, and any other agency available to them where they live.

 

Dealing with Rebellion

We also believe that if either the husband or the wife refuses to participate in a family reconciliation plan that is guided by their pastor and other key disciplers, and counselors and refuses to repent of any abusive, criminal, destructive, or irresponsible behavior they are declaring to their spouse and the church that they do not want to be obedient to God's Word, or want a reconciled and restored marriage that honors God. We consider this type of rebellion as the equivalent of abandonment and communicating to the other spouse that they do not want to continue in the marriage.

 

Divorce used as a Weapon

We wholeheartedly disagree with using divorce, separation, or the judicial system as a means to punish one another or their children.

 

The Impossible

We absolutely believe in the redemptive work of Christ, the illumination and cleansing of the Word of God in our lives, and the sanctifying, changing from the inside out ability of the Holy Spirit. We, without any doubt or reservation, believe that no situation is beyond redemption, healing, reconciliation, and restoration. We have seen God create new relationships from ones that had been burned beyond recognition by the fire of infidelity, physical, emotional, and financial abuse, addictions as well as other types of destructive sins. We believe the only thing required for God to do a miracle in the lives of two believers and their children is for the husband and the wife to have obedient hearts who are willing to do whatever God is asking them to do. And that obedience starts with authentic repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

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Gen 2:24, 1 Cor 13:4-7, Eph 5:25,33, Mat 19:4-6, Col 3:18-19, Mar 10:6-9, 1 Cor 7:2-11, 2 Cor 7:10-11, Psalm 119:9, 1 Thes 5:23

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© 2020 - Bold and Free Ministries

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