Horizon Community Church - Statement of Beliefs


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BELIZE TRIP

Horizon takes a group of medical professionals, builders, and volunteers to Belize each winter to serve the families in Central America. You're invited to join the journey, Jan. 23-29, 2009. For details, contact jkirby@horizoncc.com or call 513-272-5800.

ON COURSE FOR THE FUTURE...
Horizon Community Church has purchased 154 acres along the Little Miami River for its future church location. The land is approximately four miles from Cincinnati Country Day School and is the former site of Indian Valley Golf Course. The church is currently in the design phase, working with architect CDH Partners to create the facility. Read details here.

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HORIZON'S STATEMENT OF BELIEFS

WHAT IS THE BIBLE?

We believe that the Bible is the very word of God containing the Truth. The Holy Spirit is the author of the sixty-six books comprising the Old and New Testaments. God used chosen people whose backgrounds, styles and vocabulary are reflected in the writings. These fallible human writers were supernaturally moved by the Holy Spirit to relay the very word of God. The Bible is the full and final authority on all matters of faith and conduct; there are no other writings similarly inspired by God. The Bible is timeless, speaking to our lives today and remaining in eternity forever. Scriptural wisdom can only be understood through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Luke 21:33, 24:44; Romans 15:4; Hebrews 4:12; II Timothy 3:15-17; I Peter 1:25; II Peter 1:19-21; John 14:26; John 17:17; Psalm 119; Isaiah 40:8; I Corinthians 2:11, 9:10-13.

WHO GOD IS?

We believe there is only one true God, Creator and Lord of everything, infinitely perfect, all powerful, all knowing, full of mercy, justice, righteousness and love. God is eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (The Trinity). These three personalities are equal in divine perfection and holiness as they execute God's moral and natural attributes in perfect harmony. Isaiah 43:10-11; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; John 1:1, 14:16-17, 16:23-27; II Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:4-6; Titus 3:4-6.

GOD AS OUR FATHER

We believe that the Father is Creator and Ruler of all. He is compassionate, loving and just toward all people and is faithful to keep His promises. He hears and answers the prayers of believers. He calls all people to believe in His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God, the Father, is a Spirit holy and separate from His creation, infinite in wisdom and love. Those who wish to worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Genesis 1; Matthew 7:7, 12-50; Ephesians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 6:18; I Timothy 2:4-5; Exodus 34:5-7; John 4:24; Romans 11:33-36.

GOD THE SON

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and has existed from the beginning with God. He came to earth fully God and fully man through a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a sinless life and voluntarily died on the cross as full payment for the all sins in accordance with the Scriptures. He arose bodily from the dead on the third day to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended into heaven to the right hand of the Father where He is the only One who is able to provide access and reconciliation between God and people. He is now acting as the mediator and Advocate for His church. He will return personally and visibly and set up His kingdom on the earth. Those who have believed in Him will be united with God eternally in the new Heaven and new earth. Those who have not believed in Him will be separated from God in Hell due to their sin and unbelief. Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 24:1-8; Romans 1:3-4, 5:8-11, 6:23; I Corinthians 15:3-6; Hebrews 4:14-16; John 1:1-5, 1:14, 3:16, 3:18, 6:27-28; 11:25, 14:6-7, 14:9-11, 17:5; Titus 2:13-14; Acts 1:9-11; Revelations 20:11-15; I Timothy 3:16.

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son as part of the Trinity. He was sent to the world in this age by Jesus Christ as a Comforter, Counselor and Helper for believers. We believe the present ministry of the Holy Spirit is to point people to Jesus Christ and reveal God's truth to the world. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, bears witness to the truth of the Gospel and is active in helping anyone become a Christ-follower. He indwells Christ-followers imparting spiritual gifts to them, thereby empowering them for Christian service. Spiritual fruit is produced in the life of a Christ-follower who lives in obedience to the Holy Spirit. John 14:15-26, 16:5-15; Acts 1:8; Romans 8; I Corinthians 3:16, 12:4-31; II Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5-6; Hebrews 10:15-16; Galatians 5:22, 23.

HOW DID WE GET HERE? WHY DO WE DO THE WRONG THING?

God made Adam and Eve in a perfect environment as innocent, pure creations of His love. They were created directly by God and in the image and likeness of God. As such, a person is made with three parts: a body, soul and spirit. Before they sinned, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect relationship with God. Adam and Eve voluntarily disobeyed God's commands and as a result death entered the world. Adam and Eve died spiritually when they ate of the fruit: a curse fell upon all of God's creation, and thereafter people were born into the condition of sin. Sin is our tendency not to trust God, not to do what he wants, and not to do what we know is right. Everyone is guilty of sin and needs rescuing from the eternal consequences of that separation caused by our need to have his new life living in us. Genesis 1:20-31, 2:7-25, 3:1-6, 24; Romans 3:10-19, 5:12, 19; Ezekiel 18:19, 20; Psalm 51:5; Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 10:28-31; John 3:3-7; Philippians 3:21; I Corinthians 15:22-53; I Thessalonians 5:23.

HOW TO KNOW GOD?

We believe every person is disobedient to God in varying degrees. Any disobedience to God, regardless of how large or small, is characterized as missing God's perfect mark that He himself can only achieve. So whether a person misses the bull's eye or misses the entire target, in old English archery terms, the English Bible calls it all "sin." Sin literally separates each person from God, which is spiritual death. Spiritual death is not God's desire. People can be united with God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and Him alone. Anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God and accepts Jesus' death for their personal sins, acknowledging their sinful nature, and desiring to have Him as King of their life, is once and for all of eternity forgiven from the eternal punishment of sin. Upon this personal decision, God re-establishes a relationship with that person through Jesus Christ and promises eternal life with Him. Knowing God, sometimes called salvation, has nothing to do with a person's good works but is a free gift offered through the atoning, sinless blood of Jesus Christ. As a Christ-follower, a person receives a new spirit. This new spirit joins the Christ-follower into the Body of Christ and as such the Christ-follower's salvation is eternally secure. Romans 3:23, 3:3-8,3:24, 5:12, 5:16, 6:23; Psalms 51:4-5; John 3:16, 14:6; Acts 4:12, 10:43; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 1:13,14; I John 5:11-13; II Corinthians 5:17-21; II Thessalonians 2:13; John 3:16; Philippians 1:6; John 10:27-29.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE?

Jesus Christ ascended bodily into heaven and it was prophesied that He would return in the same manner. We believe in the return of Jesus Christ in body to the earth and this is our blessed hope. Christians are encouraged to anticipate His return and look for the seasons. When Christ returns there will follow judgment for the believer to determine rewards based on the way they lived. We all live forever somewhere. For those who choose to follow Christ, they will spend eternity with God in a place called Heaven. Heaven is not a place of harps and boredom, but a place filled with everything that is good, precious, and life-giving since we will be in the very presence of God the author of all good things. For those who have chosen not to follow Christ, they will spend eternity without God in a place the Bible calls Hell. Hell is the absence of God's presence: a place without comfort, love, kindness, peace which offers only pain and agony. John 14:3, 20:27, Matthew 8:6,7; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 12:2; I Timothy 2:5; I Thessalonians 4:16; I Corinthians 3:12-15, 15:25; Isaiah 11:4,5; Revelation 20:6; Colossians 3:4; II Peter 3:10; Hebrews 9:27.

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

We believe all who acknowledge their sin and accept Jesus Christ as Forgiver and Leader, make up the one true church, God's community of Christ-followers with Jesus as the leader. The purpose of a local church is: to empower Christ-followers to reach explorers with the message of God's forgiveness, to serve as a community for worship of God, to provide growth and connection for Christians, to develop spiritual gifts and talents of followers of Christ for godly service, and to practice baptism and communion. We believe baptism and communion are God's celebrations and reflections to be observed by Christ-followers, but not to be regarded as means of getting to heaven. Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:24-25, 12:23; I Corinthians 11:23-26, 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:7-14, 5:23, 3:3-7.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF FAITH?

Scripture is the final authority in all matters. By adhering to God's Word and seeking Him, we can best observe His greatest commandments, which are to love Him with all of our heart, mind and soul and to love others. The church has the responsibility to teach sound biblical truth and to encourage its members to conform no longer to the world but to live by the spirit. In matters of discipline the Church must follow biblical instruction. Romans 12:2 14; I Corinthians 8 & 9, 10:23-11:1; Proverbs 3:5-6; Mark 12:29-31; Deuteronomy 6:5.

WHAT KIND OF TEACHING DO WE PROVIDE?

We believe the Bible should be taught thoroughly and in its entirety through what is often called "Expository" teaching, or verse-by-verse teaching of the whole Word of God. Acts 2:42; 20:20, 27; Nehemiah 8:8; Psalm 119, 138:2; Luke 24:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:23.