Lakeside's Beliefs
Final Authority for matters of Belief and Conduct…
Lakeside’s Beliefs Statement does not exhaust the extent of our biblical beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible word of God, speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality and the proper conduct of men and women. It is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of our faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Elder Team is the final interpretative authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
We Believe in one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
God has always existed as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39). He is the source of all creation (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-2), which He sustains (Colossians 1:17) and is in the process of redeeming (Romans 8:19-22). God is perfect in His unity and diversity, co-existing in perfect community and harmony (John 14:9-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 5:1-12).
God can be known because He wants to be known. It is within His nature to know us, and He has hard-wired us to want to know Him by setting eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Many people know a lot about God without really knowing Him intimately and deeply. There are three fundamental and connected ways we can come to know God.
- God reveals Himself to people everywhere through observing His general revelation through creation. General revelation suggests that God reveals Himself in a very generic way through what He has created. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” The Apostle Paul echoes that view in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse.” So, we can know God generally through looking long and hard at what God has created.
- We can know God more concretely by exploring His written Word, the Bible, and receiving it as the Holy Spirit teaches and enables us to understand it and live it out. The Bible is God speaking His truth to us in human words. Through the Bible, we hear God’s articulate voice as we intentionally take time to know to Scripture. Through the Bible, we hear God’s articulate voice as we take the intentional time to listen to Scripture read, preached, and taught; as we read it for ourselves, study it, memorize it, meditate upon it, and obey it.
- We come to know God by embracing His special revelation, the Living Word, Jesus Christ. General revelation is helpful and true, but it is insufficient to bring us to the place where we can know that God put on flesh, lived among us, loved us, died for us on a cross for our sins, and triumphantly rose again. This way of knowing God comes through following and experiencing the life of Jesus. Through studying carefully, respectfully, and obediently His life (John 1:1, 12-14). Jesus’s own words state clearly that the only way to a relationship with God is through knowing Him–Jesus (John 14:6-7).
Who is the Father?
God represents Himself to us as the Father.
- He is all knowing, all powerful and exists eternally (Exodus 3:14-15; Psalm 90:1-6; Isaiah 40:13-14; 66:1; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Timothy 6:15-16).
- He created all things, holds all things together, and is in the process making all things right (Genesis 1:1; Job 41:11; Psalm 50:10-12; John. 1:1-2; Revelation 4:11).
- He loves us and longs for us to be in relationship with Him (1 John 1:3).
- He holds everything together and is in the process of redeeming everything (Colossians 1:17; Romans 8:19-22).
- He sent His Son Jesus to restore our relationship with Him and His Holy Spirit to help us live obedient lives (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 5:16, 45; 6:1, 4, 8, 9; Acts 17:24-28; James 1:17).
Who is the Son, Jesus?
God represents Himself to us as the Son.
- He existed in the beginning with God (John 1:1, 14).
- Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, the only Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, lived without sin, died for our sin, rose again, and is Savior and Lord (Matthew 1:18-20; Luke 2:11, 52; 23:23-24, 53; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 5:8-9).
- He is the Word become flesh (John 1:14), and He now holds all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).
- Only in Jesus can we be saved and made free from the curse of sin and death (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
- He ascended into heaven where He is now our high priest, intercessor, head of the Church, and has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18; Acts 1:9; Romans 8:34; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 4:14-5:10).
- Those who truly love Jesus, obey Him and take on the easy burden of His lordship and leadership in their lives (Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 1:26-35; 22:47-24:53; John 1:1, 14, 29; 3:16; 4:9; 20:24-29; Acts 1:9; Romans 5:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 1:15-19; 2:19; 3:11; Hebrews 4:15; Revelation 1:7-8; 11:15).
- He will return for a second time, gathering His followers, and judging those who have rejected Him. Sin will be no more and believers will live in fellowship with God forever. (Mark 13:32-37; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; Revelation 20:11-15)
Who is the Holy Spirit?
God represents Himself to us as the Holy Spirit.
- He is our Comforter, Guide, Teacher, and Helper, equipping us with spiritual gifts for service and transforms us into the likeness of Jesus (John 14:15-17; 15:25-26; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:1-27; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
- The Holy Spirit is the active presence of God in the world, always seeking to glorify Jesus (John 16:13-15).
- He convicts people of sin, righteousness, and pending judgment (John 16:5-15).
- He lives inside those who claim Jesus as their Lord (1 Corinthians 6:19; 3:16-17).
- The Spirit especially transforms us when we live in community with other Spirit-filled people (John 16:8; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Timothy 1:14).
We Believe in the Bible—God's Word
We seek to assert what the Scriptures clearly assert and allow freedom in other cases. We seek to understand divine intent, through authorial intent, and we seek to apply its teaching to the contemporary church and culture.
The Bible…
- shares the story of who God is and how God has and is making things right with human beings through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus and tells the stories of the people of God in many times and places and how God used their stories as a part of His story (Isaiah 40:8; Psalm 119:11, 105; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Mark 12:36; John 14:26; 16:12-15; Acts 1:16; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21);
- contains both the Old and New Testaments;
- is the uniquely inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:14-17 and 2 Peter 1:15-21), without error or contradiction in its original form. It is the rule of faith and practice for Christians. It is through Scripture that we know God’s will and Christ’s authority; and
- accomplishes all that God intends for it to accomplish (Isaiah 55:10-11; Jeremiah 20:9; Hebrews 4:12).
We Believe in the Gospel—The Good News of Salvation
Who are humans?
God specifically and directly created human beings in His image (Imago Dei). Human life is sacred, beginning at conception. Therefore, each person should be loved, nurtured, protected, and developed. God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as a male or female. These two distinct and complementary biological genders reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Throughout Scripture, the husband-wife relationship illustrates the covenant relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church (the Bride of Christ). The term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25).
Human beings were created by God to walk in fellowship with Him. However, all humanity (except Jesus) has sinned and falls short of the Glory of God, and therefore must rely on God's grace and forgiveness (Romans 3:23). Our sin has separated us from our Holy God (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6-7; Romans 3:23; 5:12-21; 6:23; 1 John 1:8). Only through faith in Jesus, and His work on the cross can we be right with God (Mathew 19:4-6, 9; Act 3:19-21; Romans 1:18-31; 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 15-20; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Jude 7).
How are we saved?
Salvation is by God alone through Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). God offers this salvation to every person along with the freedom to accept or reject His gift (John 3:16-18; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9)
We accept His gift of salvation by allegiance to Christ as Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:8-12; Romans 3:25-26) through the process involving:
- faith (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10),
- repentance (Matthew 4:17; Acts 3:19),
- confession (Romans 10:9-10),
- baptism (Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 2:38-41; 8:12; 10:47-48; Galatians 3:26-27), and
- growing in the Christian life (2 Corinthians 10:15; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Peter 2:2; Peter 3:18).
Baptism…
- mysteriously unites believers with the Holy Spirit who seals them as children of God for the day of Jesus' return (Acts 2:38);
- marks the beginning of our mission all the days of our life; and
- is a picture of our death to sin and resurrection to life through a watery grave (Isaiah 53:6; Acts 2:38; 4:12; Romans 3:23; 5:1-2, 9; 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 3:21; 1 John1:7).
We Believe in the Church—God's Redeemed People
What is the Church?
The Church is the collection of all God's people everywhere as expressed in local gatherings of believers in Jesus Christ, God's chosen vessel for spreading the knowledge of His Son throughout the world. Jesus is the head of the church and the Holy Spirit is present in those who believe.
The Church…
- is a Holy Spirit transformed community (Malachi 3:10; Matthew 16:13-18; 28:18-20; John 13:34-35; 15:17; Acts 2:14-47; Romans 12:16, 18; 13:8; 15:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 12:7; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 8:7; 13:11; Galatians 6:2; 5:13; Ephesians 4:2, 32; Philippians 2:2; Colossians 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 5:11, 13; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; Hebrews 10:24-25; 13:17; James 5:16; 1 Peter 1:15; 4:10; 1 John 4:7);
- is the body of Christ on earth (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; Ephesians 4:4-6; 5:22-33; 1 Timothy 3:15); and
- comprises the priesthood of all believers, in which every Jesus-follower serves as a minister (1 Peter 2:9-10).
What is the Church's mission?
God has made us partners in His effort to save the world (Matthew 28:16-20; John 20:21; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15).
The Church is the hope of the world through Christ:
The Church’s mission is the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
The Church's cultural mandate is to care for God's created order (Genesis 1:26; 2:15).
The Church's call is to love all people (John 15:12).
The Church…
- gathers regularly for worship;
- uses spiritual gifts to serve one another;
- loves, bears burdens with, accepts, forgives, seeks unity, seeks agreement, seeks peace, encourages, prays for, and spurs on one another;
- submits to the authority of the Elders;
- shares financially to support the ministries and mission of the Church;
- pursues personal holiness and obedience to God's Word; and
- strives together to fulfill the Great Commission.
The Lord’s Supper...
is the weekly meal in which the Christian community remembers and reenacts the saving story and work of Christ, celebrates the covenantal relationship with Him and with each other, and proclaims the resurrection and imminent return of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:17-34; Acts 20:7).
The Restoration Movement
Lakeside is a Christian community affiliated with other independent Christian churches and churches of Christ that arose from the Restoration Movement that began in the early 19th-century American frontier under the leadership of such men as Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell. Churches within the Stone-Campbell heritage seek to honor Jesus’ prayer in John 17, promoting world evangelism by practicing unity in the church, which is based upon the restoration of biblical authority and the essential elements of New Testament Christianity. The Restoration Movement refuses to embrace extra-biblical creeds as tests of fellowship, standing on the Scriptures alone as the foundation for faith and practice. Furthermore, each congregation is self-governing under Christ, so individual churches may differ from one another on non-essentials. We simply call ourselves Christians in order to point others to Christ (Psalm 119:105; Matthew 12:25; John 1:1; 14:6; 17; Acts 2:42; 9:2, 24:14; 1 Corinthians 3:3-4, 21-23; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:2).
Lakeside Employees and Volunteers…
To preserve the function and integrity of Lakeside as the local body of Christ and provide a biblical role model to her members and the community, all employees and those who serve as volunteers agree to and abide by all tenants of our Beliefs Statement (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).