What We Believe

Learning to live a Purpose-driven life means learning to live life the way Jesus lived

And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)

Beliefs should be word pictures of Jesus and how He wants us to follow Him

Beliefs are more about action than ideas

So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless. James 2:17 (NLT)

In all our beliefs — we show respect

If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains — but have no love, I amount to nothing at all. 1 Corinthians 13:2

RCC's Base (Discipleship) process is specifically designed to help you build a new life based completely on Jesus and how He taught us to live.  During each base class you’ll learn lots of practical ways of living life with God in the real world.  As you do, you’ll be experiencing the following beliefs in action.

Beliefs You’ll Discover in 1st Base

God made us to be in relationship with Him, but that relationship has been broken

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of His creation. Unfortunately, since Adam and Eve’s disobedience, all of us are marred by an attitude of selfishness and disobedience toward God called “sin.” This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.

Genesis 1:26, 27; Psalm 8:3-8; Genesis 3; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2; Ephesians 2:3

God sent His son Jesus to restore my relationship with God

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Salvation is God’s free gift to us. Our salvation is accomplished completely from start to finish by God. We can never make up for our sin or merit salvation by self-improvement, good works or being religious. By trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness and restoration, anyone can experience the power of God’s life-changing grace. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to a God-ruled life, it is called repentance. Assurance of eternal life begins the moment we receive Jesus Christ into our lives by faith.

Romans 1: 16, 17, 3:23-38, 6:23; Romans 5:18, 19, 9:16; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:4-8; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

I receive a new life with God by accepting it as a gift, not earning it

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

Grace is the unearned and undeserved love and kindness that God shows to the universe.  It is the essential defining characteristic of how he relates to sinful humanity.  It is God reaching down from heaven to open the door to the healing power of Jesus Christ in my life.

Baptism symbolizes the start of a new relationship with God

“For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ.” Colossians 2:12

By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and our desire to follow Him. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. This choice is best symbolized by being fully immersed in water.  We invite anyone old enough to choose a relationship with Jesus for themselves to be baptized and begin following him with their lives

Romans 6:1-6; Colossians 2:12, 13;  Acts 16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38; Matthew 28:19, 20.

Communion reminds me of how Jesus rescued me

For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. 1 Corinthians 11:26 (NLT)

The Lord’s Supper is a symbol given to us by Jesus himself to remember what he did on the cross on my behalf.  Through the symbols of bread and wine we remember that he shed his blood and that his body was broken so that I could be set free.  It is a chance to confess sins in my life and accept His forgiveness.  Through the foot washing ceremony we are reminded of our call to serve others in humility.  Anybody who is old enough to understand what these symbols mean is welcome to participate. 

1 Corinthians 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matthew 26:17-30; Revelation. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17

My security for salvation is in following Jesus

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5

Because God freely gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, believers, by their ongoing trust, are secure in their assurance of salvation. Salvation is not only acquired by, but also maintained by, the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.

John 10:25-29, 12:44-48; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:24, 25, 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:3-5

God gives me a family to grow in called The Church

“Christ is the head of His Body, the church. He is the source of the Body’s life.” Colossians 1:18

Christ is the recognized head of the church and we come together in a local church to form the body that will do His will.  We recognize the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians and see value in denominational affiliation. By this we extend the reach of the body beyond our local community.  We believe every local church should take responsibility for its actions, and that each church should determine its unique strategy, structure, and style in partnership with its denominational organization.

Hebrews 10:25