What We Believe

What we believe matters because what we believe shapes how we live, worship, and serve God. We want our faith and practice to be grounded in the word of God rather than in human tradition or preference.

Christ Has Spoken

We believe the Scriptures are the revealed word of God and are completely sufficient to equip us for every good work. We do not look for continuing revelation because we believe God has already given His people what we need to know Him, serve Him, and receive the salvation offered through His Son.

Because Christ is Lord, we believe we need His authority for what we teach and practice. Our question is not simply, “Is this forbidden?” but, “What has the Lord revealed?” We want to speak where He has spoken rather than presume to speak for Him where He has not.

2 Timothy 3:16–17; Colossians 3:17; Revelation 22:18-19

Christ Calls His People to Be One

Jesus prayed that those who believe in Him would be one. We believe that prayer expresses something Christians should genuinely seek—not merely an invisible unity that leaves religious division untouched.

That unity does not come by ignoring differences or compromising truth. It comes as people submit themselves to the same Lord and His word. We believe people from different backgrounds can simply be Christians, united in Christ and committed to following Him.

John 17:20–21; 1 Corinthians 1:10

Salvation Is in Christ

Sin separates us from God, and we cannot solve that problem ourselves. Our hope is in what God has done for us through Jesus Christ—His death for our sins and His resurrection from the dead.

The gospel calls us to believe in Jesus Christ, turn from sin in repentance, confess our faith in Him, and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is not an attempt to earn salvation, but a response of faith in which we submit to Christ and are united with Him in His death and resurrection.

Becoming a Christian is the beginning of a new life in Christ. Those who belong to Him are called to walk in newness of life, growing in faith and remaining faithful to Him.

Romans 3:23; 5:8–10; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9–10; Romans 6:3–4

Christ Has Given His Church Its Work

We believe the mission of the church has been revealed in Scripture. The New Testament not only teaches us what the church is to do, but also gives us the example of congregations carrying out that work under the direction of Christ’s apostles and prophets.

We therefore look to those teachings and examples rather than continually redefining the church’s mission according to the expectations of each generation.

When Christians assembled in the New Testament, they prayed together, sang together, heard the word of God taught, remembered the death of Christ in the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, and gave as they had prospered. We seek to follow that same pattern in our worship today.

Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7; Ephesians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 16:1–2; 1 Timothy 3:15

Following Christ Every Day

Following Christ involves much more than what takes place when the church assembles. Jesus calls us to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves. His word should shape our homes, our relationships, our work, our choices, and the way we treat other people.

Christians will not live perfectly, but we are called to keep growing—to turn from sin, seek forgiveness when we fail, encourage one another, serve others, and become more like Christ. Our hope remains in Him as we seek to be faithful throughout our lives.

Matthew 22:37–39; Romans 12:1–2; 2 Peter 3:18; Revelation 2:10

An Invitation to Study

We believe that truth matters and that the Lord has revealed a way for His people to follow. We believe that the teaching and practice of the Belgreen church of Christ should conform to that way.

At the same time, our confidence must never be in ourselves, our history, or our traditions. Our confidence must be in the word of God. We want to continually examine what we believe and practice in the light of Scripture and be willing to change whenever we find that we are not following what the Lord has revealed.

If you have questions about anything we believe or practice, we would be glad to open the Bible and study with you. We don’t ask you simply to accept what we say. Let’s study the Scriptures together and allow the Lord to guide us.