08/16/07

My family always valued religion and faith from weekly church participation to saying grace before meals. My parents are still active in their church of nearly forty years in Akron, Ohio.

My Faith Statement is below. A printable, PDF format is available as well. See my Pastor Nominating Committee page for more information.

I believe in God, Creator of the Universe, called Father. I affirm that God is sovereign over our lives, our church, our world; all of creation and eternity. Yet we rebel. We break God’s covenant expressed most clearly in the Ten Commandments, we are selfish and wasteful instead of stewards of God’s gifts, we chase idols that we create instead of seeking our Creator. Yet, the power of God’s grace and love is limitless. Christ came not to condemn the world but to save the world. I choose to look for the salvation of God’s good creation, always and forever believing in the power, wonder, love, and grace of God in Christ Jesus is greater than all our shortcomings and offenses.

I believe that God’s people are called to be a community called the church chosen by God in love for salvation and service.. Part of the holy and universal church is the Presbyterian Church (USA). I affirm the Presbyterian Church (USA) as a place for all who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I welcome as brothers and sisters all who promise to be Christ’s faithful disciples, participate in the worship and mission of the Church, while obeying Christ’s Word and showing Christ’s love to their lives end. I believe in building the church on these common purposes: the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

I believe in God, Redeemer of the World, God’s Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. Everything that humanity is; Christ is. Everything God is; Christ is. Jesus lived among us sharing our needs, temptations, joys, and sorrows, healing the sick, forgiving the sinful, seeking the lost, and teaching the unlearned. Though without sin, Jesus was rejected by humanity and killed. In dying Jesus willingly took the penalty of sinful humanity. Jesus Christ rose from the dead; winning victory over both sin and death for all humanity, reconciling us with God. Christ lives today and is still the friend of sinners.

I believe in God, Sustainer of the faithful, called Holy Spirit. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. The Spirit is my Advocate and Comforter, convincing me of my sin and misery, enlightening my mind in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing my will, the Spirit persuades and enables me to embrace Jesus Christ.

I affirm joyfully and gratefully our Presbyterian Confessions. They are part of the very constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and a valued gift of faith from our forebears throughout the world. I affirm the witness of Christians in general and Presbyterians in particular who have confessed their faith in their own time and place. I stand with them.. In the breadth and depth of our Confessions, I find my faithful voice fully.

I believe the scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the Word of God written, witnessing to God's self-revelation through which the Holy Spirit speaks to bear witness to Jesus Christ and to give authoritative direction for the life of faith. Scripture contains all things necessary for my salvation as well as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.

I believe that two sacraments are given to the church, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism welcomes us into the community of saints, the church visible and invisible, past, present and future. There is one baptism. In the baptism with infants and children we experience the providence of God’s love which choose us before we can choose God. In the baptism with adults we testify to the covenant nature of the church where are bound by chosen ties of love and faith. The Lord’s Supper allows us to remember Christ’s death for humanity in the past, be spiritually nourished to live our lives in Christ’s presence today, and look forward to Christ fully establishing the kingdom of God in the future.

This I believe. This I live.