The Garden

Beliefs

Scripture

We believe that the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament were divinely inspired and written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Together, they form the infallible Word of God and serve as the ultimate authority in matters of faith, conduct, and daily living. The Bible remains relevant today, as it is both living and powerful, speaking to every aspect of the human experience. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21) 

THE TRIUNE GOD (ELOHIM)

We believe in one true God who created all things, both seen and unseen. He is the eternal, self-existent "I AM," revealed in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is fully God—co-eternal and co-equal—while fulfilling unique roles in perfect unity. (Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:18-19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

YAHWEH, THE FATHER

We believe in Yahweh the father, who is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, and completely worthy of our trust, worship and adoration. Above all He is holy. He is compassionate, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love. He desires a personal relationship with His imagers and works all things according to His perfect will. In Him we live, move, and have our being. He is faithful to his promises and saves all who come to Him through Messiah Jesus. (Exodus 34:6; Leviticus 19:2; Psalm 145:8-9; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16; Acts 17:28; Ephesians 1:11)

JESUS CHRIST, THE SON

We believe Jesus is fully man and fully God and that he is the only answer for the broken human condition. Jesus is the promised Messiah (Christ) foretold in the Old Testament, fulfilling the mandate to reveal God’s glory and bring salvation to all nations. He was incarnated as human, through virgin birth, lived a sinless and perfect life, was crucified, buried and resurrected. And by His life, death and resurrection, we are redeemed by grace and invited into a new way of being. After his resurrection, he ascended to the right hand of the father and will one day return to make all things new. (Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:20; Mark 16:19; John 1:1, 14; 3:16; 17:1-5; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Revelation 21:5)

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father to empower believers to proclaim the good news of Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross. Through Him, followers of Jesus are united with Christ in baptism and adopted into God’s family. The Spirit glorifies Christ in all He does—guiding believers into truth, convicting the world of sin, teaching, and comforting. Received at salvation, He strengthens us in weakness and empowers us to live bold, victorious, Christ-like lives through His ongoing presence and filling. He also gives spiritual gifts according to His will, equipping the Church to glorify God, serve others, and advance His mission in the world. (Genesis 1:2; John 14:25-26; 16:7-11; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9-11, 26; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11)

SIN AND THE FALL OF HUMANITY

We believe that humanity was created in the image of God and appointed to be representatives to rule God’s good world on his behalf. As reflections of God's character, humanity was called to reflect His nature in the world while also stewarding and cultivating the boundless potential God had woven into the creation. Humanity was created for fellowship with God but, when tempted by Satan in the garden, chose to sin. In seeking to define good and evil on their own terms, humanity brought both spiritual death—separation from God—and physical death into the world. Because we are born into the flesh, which remains unredeemed, we too, by our own will, continue to fall into sin, just as humanity did from the beginning.

SALVATION AND THE WORK OF MESSIAH JESUS

Humanity’s hope for redemption is made possible solely through the life, death, and resurrection of Messiah Jesus. This gift of redemption, which cannot be earned or achieved, is offered to all through Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross and is received by placing faith in God, expressed through loyal belief, and affirming that Jesus’ death and resurrection are the full and sufficient payment for our sin. Those who accept God’s offer of grace through faith are born again, justified, regenerated, and adopted into His family. They become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, are continually filled with the Holy Spirit, and partake in the eternal kingdom of God to come.

THE CHURCH AND GOD’S KINGDOM

We believe that the church is a community of believers centered around the risen Jesus, who are learning, sharing, and growing in the character and habits that Jesus modeled during His earthly ministry and that Yahweh reveals throughout the entirety of Scripture. The church, both at the corporate and individual level, has the vital responsibility of bearing witness to the good news of Jesus. Jesus saw the church as the aggressor against the powers of darkness and the vehicle for expanding the Kingdom of God on earth. Jesus commissioned the church to partner with Him in the redemption of all things. As the church, we now live in the tension of the "already but not yet," living in expectation, seeking, and partnering with God to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven.

CHRIST’S RETURN AND THE NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH

We believe in the personal, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Upon His return, of which we do not know the time, Christ will bring judgement, renew the heavens and the earth, and reign as King forever. We believe Yahweh will redeem all of creation and humanity will dwell with Him for eternity. The imminent return of Christ calls us to live with godliness and a steadfast commitment to the mission of the Gospel.

HELL

We believe that those who reject God’s offer of grace and forgiveness, and whose names are not written in the Book of Life, will be raised to face judgment at the resurrection of the wicked. They will be cast into the "lake of fire" with Satan and all the powers of darkness, where they will remain for all eternity.

MARRIAGE

We believe God has ordained marriage as a sacred covenant between one biological man, one biological woman, and Himself. God’s purpose in this is for marriage to serve as a symbol of two distinct things coming together to reflect something new. Human marriage, as defined by Jesus, is a lifelong covenantal union between two sexually distinct but equal persons. It serves as a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church, and as a temporary reflection of a far greater cosmic reality – the ultimate union of heaven and earth. 

GENDER

We believe that from creation, God designed humanity with two distinct biological sexes: male and female. Scripture affirms that biological sex and gender are not separate but divinely ordained. Humanity was made in God's image, and any effort to redefine or alter this distinction reflects the brokenness brought by sin and the fall.

RIGHT TO LIFE

We believe that all human life is valuable and sacred, beginning at conception and continuing until natural death. As stewards of life, God has entrusted us with the responsibility to protect the worth and dignity of every human being from conception to death. Therefore, we oppose the taking of innocent life in all forms, including abortion and euthanasia. At the same time, we recognize that decisions surrounding these issues can be deeply challenging, and there are no easy answers. We seek to support individuals in discerning God’s purposes and guidance in these matters.

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

We believe that men and women are created equal in the image of God. While they are equal, their distinct genders reflect an essential aspect of personhood and God’s image. We believe both men and women are vital to the health and ministry of the Church. We believe that godly men and women should be empowered to lead within the Church as God raises up leaders based on grace, calling, spiritual gifts, character, and obedience. We believe both women and men are called to lead, preach, pastor, and minister. We affirm that women and men can and should serve in pastoral leadership, including roles of spiritual oversight, within the local Church.

UNITY

We believe in unity on the essentials and liberty of non-essentials. We embrace a diversity of opinions and theological perspectives, recognizing it as more edifying and Christ-like to build bridges on peripheral doctrinal matters (e.g., eschatology, predestination/election) rather than create division. As a result, our volunteers and leaders come from diverse theological backgrounds and are encouraged to approach one another with respect, openness, and a spirit of Christian unity.