Statement of Faith
The core beliefs of Lake Arrowhead Church are based on foundational truths taught in the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows from these biblical doctrines.
The Bible
We believe THE BIBLE is the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. The Bible reveals God and His will and is the sole authority for Christian living, containing all truth without error. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, Psalm 12:6, 19:7-10, 119:105, 119:160, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21)
God
We believe there is ONE GOD, eternally existent in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe, love, and worship Him alone as the one and only unchanging, sovereign, loving God, and the creator and ruler of all things in heaven and earth. (Genesis 1:1, 1:26, Exodus 20:2-3, Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Chronicles 29:11-12, Job 38-41, Psalm 90:2, Matthew 6:9, 1 Peter 1:2)
Jesus Christ
We believe JESUS CHRIST is the Son of God, fully God and fully human, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We affirm His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory. Jesus is the only way to salvation. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. (Matthew 1:18-23, Luke 1:31-33, John 1:1-18, John 14:6, Acts 1:9-11, Acts 2:22-24, 1 Corinthians 15, Hebrews 1:1-3, Revelation 5:9-14)
Holy Spirit
We believe the HOLY SPIRIT indwells and works in the lives of all believers drawing us to the Father and empowering us to live like Christ. We further believe the Holy Spirit’s power and gifts are available to believers today. (Matthew 1:18, John 14:16-17, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-14, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Peter 4:10)
Man
We believe MAN is made in the image of God, created to worship and glorify Him and to have dominion over the earth. However, sin separates man from God, and all are eternally doomed apart from salvation in Christ. (Genesis 1:26, Psalm 8:3-6, Acts 17:26-31, Romans 3:10-18, 3:23)
Redemption
We believe REDEMPTION is possible through Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that all have sinned, engaging in behaviors and attitudes that fall short of God’s standards. We also believe and rejoice that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:23, 10:9, Psalms 103:12, 1 John 1:9)
Salvation
We believe SALVATION is for everyone and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential. Each person must individually believe and accept this free gift, repent of sin, and place their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. At that moment, a personal relationship with God begins, provided by His grace and eternally secure. We did nothing to earn this gift; no one and no circumstance can ever change it. (Matthew 16:21-26, John 3:15-16, 10:28, 17:3, Romans 3:23, 5:1, 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 7:25, 1 Peter 1:4, Psalm 51:17)
Resurrection
We believe in the RESURRECTION of both believers and unbelievers and that all will give an account to God one day. Unbelievers will be eternally lost to damnation in hell and believers will be raised to eternal life with Christ in heaven. (1 Corinthians 15, Romans 6:23, Revelation 20)
The Church
We believe Jesus Christ instituted and established two ordinances for THE CHURCH, the ordinance of baptism and ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. In obedience to Him and continuing the biblical practices of the early church, we hold to the practices of water baptism and the regular taking of communion. We do not believe these practices can bring salvation but are simply a testimony to our faith in our Lord and Savior. (Matthew 3:13-17, 28:19, John 3:22-23, Acts 8:35-38, 16:31-33, Romans 6:3-7, Colossians 2:12-13, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-30)
Biblical Standards
We believe BIBLICAL STANDARDS exist to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local body of Christ and to provide a biblical role model to church members and the community. It is therefore imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, those who serve as volunteers and leaders, and in fact all member of the church, shall abide by and agree to this statement of faith and biblical principles and conduct themselves accordingly. We believe God’s word teaches that we are to glorify God in our lives, desiring and displaying Christlike character qualities; which include, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We are to seek, encourage, and consistently demonstrate these attributes. Scripture further teaches that certain behaviors should be avoided; including theft, lying, dishonesty, gossip, slander, backbiting, profanity, vulgarity, sexual immorality (including adultery, homosexual behavior, and premarital sex), drunkenness, greed, and immodesty. (Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:14-16, Galatians 5:19-21, 5:22-24, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Thessalonians 5:22)
Marriage
We believe MARRIAGE is a holy covenant before God, reflecting the union of Christ and His church. We affirm that marriage is only ordained by God between a man and a woman. Therefore, the church prohibits the use of the church and/or any minister from performing same-sex marriages or any other ceremony that violates our faith and beliefs. We believe the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that marriage is sanctioned by God joining one biological man and one biological woman in a single, exclusive union. We further believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and woman who are married to each other. (Malachi 2:14, Ephesians 5:21-33, Matthew 19:4-9, Genesis 2:24, 1 Corinthians 7:2, Hebrews 13:4)
The Family
We believe God ordained THE FAMILY, composed of persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption, as the foundational institution of human society. Children are a gift from God and are to be protected, preserved, and valued from the moment of conception. Parents are to love, teach, discipline, and model biblical truth before their children. Children are to honor and obey their parents in the Lord. (Genesis 2:18-24, Exodus 20:12, Leviticus 20:13, Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Psalm 127:3-5, Psalm 139:13-16, Proverbs 22:6, Mark 10:5-9, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, Ephesians 5:21-33)
Gender
We believe God created two distinct and complementary GENDERS, male and female, and that each person is created in accordance with God’s perfect design. Therefore, any attempt to adopt or present as a different gender than assigned at birth is contrary to God’s design and to biblical teaching. (Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 139:13-16, Matthew 19:4, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
