Beliefs

RACISM

River’s Edge is a multi-racial community of faith, in both leadership and attendance, which operates with a zero tolerance policy on racism.  Our commitment is to protect this DNA and to have ongoing conversations to improve upon it. We derive our understanding and practice of this, by patterning ourselves after the radical inclusiveness of Jesus, who modelled and taught how everyone is always welcome to Belong Before You Believe

In All Our Beliefs – We Show Love

If I speak words from God, if I can understand all secrets, and know everything, if I can move mountains by believing, but I do not love people, I am nothing, even though I can do all of these things. 1 Corinthians 13:2

In Non-Essential Beliefs – We Have Freedom

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with-even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God’s welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help. So tend to your knitting. You’ve got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God. Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don’t impose it on others. You’re fortunate if your behaviour and your belief are coherent. Romans 14:1,4,12,22

In Essential Beliefs – We Have Unity

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. Ephesians 4:4-6

We believe In The Sacred Scriptures, Reflected In These Statements.

We believe that the primary way God speaks to us is in the Bible, and that it is our privilege to seek to understand God’s message and apply it responsibly to our lives. The Bible is our standard in all we say and do. God’s unchangeable Biblical message ought to be presented in relevant and contemporary ways, free of religious jargon and understandable to the people of our community. We believe that the Holy Scriptures, comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, without error and completely trustworthy.

Joshua 1:7-8; Psalm 19:7-11; 119:9-16; Matthew 5:17-19; Acts 17:11; Timothy 2:15; and 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrew 4:12; 2 Peter 1:1:16-21; 2 Peter 3:3:14-18.

We believe that God is the loving creator of all that exists, both seen and unseen. God is eternal and completely good, knowing all things, having all power and majesty. God exists as the Trinity, in three persons, yet one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God passionately desires relationship with us and towards this end continually invites us into a relationship of faith, friendship, learning, and service.

Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; John 14:6-9, 15-17; John 16:7-15; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 4:9-10; 1 Peter 1:2

We believe that God expressed himself in human form through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to be crucified for the sins of us all, was buried, rose again from the dead, and ascended to heaven where He is at the right hand of God and fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate for those who believe in Him.

Matthew 22:36-40; John 14:1-3; Acts 10:42-43; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:13-23; 2:8-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 7:25; 9:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 John 2:1-2

We believe that the Holy Spirit, sent from God to live inside all who believe in Jesus Christ, teaches, comforts, and empowers us, giving each follower diverse gifts, fostering unity, interdependence, productivity, Christ-like character, and love among Christians and for an unbelieving world. The Holy Spirit is in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ.

John 14:26; 16:7-14; Romans 5:5; 8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 3:16, 4:3-4, 5:18

We believe that all people are created with dignity and value in the image of God. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, we are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. However, through our sin (failing to live by God’s moral standards), we break our intended relationship with God and we experience the destructive consequences of that broken relationship, spiritually and socially, in this life and beyond.

Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23

We believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to free humanity from the power of sin and to rescue us from its destructive consequences. Through Christ’s death on the cross, a perfect act of redemption for each of us, our broken relationship with God is restored. Salvation comes to people on the basis of God’s grace through their faith in Jesus alone. They receive the free gift of forgiveness and are spiritually reborn through repenting of their sin and believing in Jesus Christ. Good works and a holy life, although totally unable to save anyone, are the natural result of repentant believing people. God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, and the believer is secure in that salvation for all eternity.

John 3:16; 10:29; 5:24; Romans 3:9-28; 5:1; 6:23; 10:9-10, 2 Timothy 1:12; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-10; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10,14; Titus 3:3-8; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:3-5

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or in unison with God through forgiveness and salvation. All human beings have free will and are responsible to choose their own eternal destiny. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life.

Matthew 24:41; 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43-48; John 2:25; 5:11-13; 14:1-6; Acts 24:15; Romans 6:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Peter 3:9; 1 John 5:1; Revelation 20:10-15

This church is a place where you can belong before you are ready to believe. Whether a seeker, new believer, growing believer or guiding believer, the church was established by God so no one would have to journey alone. The church is also a gathering for people who come together for worship, prayer, instruction, encouragement, mutual accountability, and community with each other. Through the church, in a large gathering or small group, believers invest time, energy and resources by reaching seekers in an unbelieving world and developing them into devoted dynamic disciples of Jesus Christ. The church exists to serve all those in need just as Jesus came to serve and not to be served. By living out its God defined ethos in an ever changing cultural environment, the church keeps her essence at the core and continually seeks to understand and meet the needs of the community it finds itself in.

Matthew 18:15-17; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 15:12-18; 20:7; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7, 12-27; 16:1-2; Ephesians 2:11-12; 5:25-26; 1 John 5:1-5

We believe that there are two ordinances for the church to practice; Baptism and Communion. Water Baptism by immersion in water is an outward sign of an inward decision to follow Jesus Christ personally and be identified with His death, burial and resurrection. Communion is to be a regular reminder of Christ’s body and blood, His death and resurrection that were given to us voluntarily so that we might experience life, love, hope and forgiveness as we eagerly await His reappearing to gather all believers together to be with Him for all eternity.

Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 9:18; 10:47; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26