Our basic beliefs are in agreement with historic Protestant Christian beliefs and experience which are founded on the Gospel – the New Testament Good News that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ’s finished work on the Cross alone.  These essential beliefs are grounded in Jesus Christ and His teachings, as found in and supported by clear and plain statements in the Bible.  In addition to these essential beliefs, we also hold other important, but secondary biblical teachings and other Bible-based practices concerning lifestyle and behavior.  In these areas of less important beliefs, we believe that there should be a great deal of freedom and understanding among Christians according to personal study, conviction and growth.  We do not insist on imposing our position in these matters on other Christians, especially in the areas on which Christian churches have traditionally held dissimilar views.   Gospel Life Community unites with other Christian churches in believing as follows:   1.  We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.   2.  We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.   3.  We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.   4.  We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.   5.  We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling we are enabled to live godly lives and by whose supernatural gifts we are empowered to serve our church and our community.   6.  We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.   7.  We believe that those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord have been saved by Jesus and renewed by the Holy Spirit and they form the one true Church of Christ.     PRIMARY DOCTRINES   The leaders of Gospel Life Community believe, practice and teach the following:   1.  GOD          We believe that there is one God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.               (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19,20; John 1:18; Psalm 2; Revelation 4:11)   2.  THE FATHER     We believe that God the Eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and Holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.             (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 36:9; Psalm 104:27-30; Deuteronomy 7:9; Exodus 34:7)   3.  JESUS CHRIST    We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Eternal Son. Through Him all things were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly man. He lived a sinless human life and suffered and died on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead, ascended to heaven to minister in our behalf. He will return someday for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all creation to righteousness.   (John 1:1-4, 14-18; 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4, 20-23; Hebrews 7:25; 8:1,2; John 14:1-3)   4.  THE HOLY SPIRIT         We believe that God the Eternal Holy Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in creation, incarnation, and redemption. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ and lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He gives the Christian power for living and serving, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives spiritual gifts to all believers and empowers them to witness for Christ.                   (John 16:7-13; 14:16,17; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:11,12; Acts 1:8)   5.  THE BIBLE         We believe the Bible is the written Word of God. It was written by human authors as they were moved and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Because the Bible is the infallible revelation of God's will, it is the standard of character, the test of experience, and the supreme source of truth.                                                                  (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Psalm 119:105)   6.  MAN          We believe that man was originally created in the image of God with individuality, the power and the freedom to think and to do. Because of  the disobedience of Adam, all human beings now share a fallen nature and tendencies to evil. They are subject to death, the result and penalty of sin.                                             (Romans 5:12; 3:10; 7:15-17; Psalms 51:5; Jeremiah 13:23)   7.  SALVATION        We believe that salvation is given by God to us as a free gift.  God gives it to us because we do not deserve it and we cannot earn it on our own.  God gives this gift to us because He loves us. He gives it through His Son, Jesus, who came to bear  upon Himself our sins so we could have His perfect life. We receive God's gift of salvation by believing in what Jesus did for us and inviting Him to come into our lives as our Savior and Lord.  This is known as being born again.           (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; Romans 3:21-26; John 1:12, 13; Revelation 3:20)   8.  BAPTISM        We believe that by baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our commitment to living a new life. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is done by immersion in water. (Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:3-8; Matthew 3:16; Acts 8:38-39; Romans 6:3,4)   9.  THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS      We believe that the Second Coming of Jesus is the grand climax of the gospel. The Savior's coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven. The exact time of His return has not been revealed but we believe that based on the fulfilment of prophecies and the present condition of the world, it is imminent.   (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 1:7; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Matthew 24:36)   10.  SPIRITUAL GIFTS       We believe that God bestows spiritual gifts upon all members of His Church in every age which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and humanity.  We believe that the manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit described in 1 Corinthians 12, including the gifts of prophesying and speaking in unknown tongues, are still in operation today and very much needed by the Church in its last-day work of reaching all nations with the Gospel.          (1 Corinthians 12:9-11, 31; 14:13-39; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Peter 4:10,11; Jude 20)   11.  PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS          We believe that God has called every member of the New Testament Church to be Jesus’ disciples, to engage in priestly and kingly ministry, without separation between the clergy and laity, and that all Christians are ordained to be part of the intercessory ministry of Christ.                                                                                   (1 Peter 2:9; 4:10; Revelation 1:6; 5:10)   12.  FIVE-FOLD LEADERSHIP MINISTRY        We believe that Jesus Christ, when He ascended to heaven, gave His Church headship ministries (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) in order to equip and mature members for Spirit-gifted and Spirit-empowered ministries.                                     (Ephesians 4:10-16; 2:20; 3:5; Luke 11:49; 1 Corinthians 12:28)   13.  PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS          We believe that Jesus’ command to His disciples to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the world is still valid today, along with the promise that such preaching will be confirmed by the Holy Spirit with supernatural signs and miracles in healing diseases and spiritual warfare.                                            (Mark 16:15-20; John 14:11-14; Act 1:8; 8:4-7)   14.  UNITY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST          We believe that the Body of Christ should be recognized as one entity, undivided by man-made structural and doctrinal distinctives of Christian denominations, and that all believers are united by “one Body and one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father.”  For this reason we do not view members and congregations of other churches or denominations as opponents in a contest for new converts, but rather as fellow-workers to work with and to pray for in the advancement of God’s Kingdom and in the warfare against God’s enemy.   (Ephesians 4:4-6; 3:6; 5:30; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)   15.  CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP            We believe that we are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible for their proper use. We acknowledge God's ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow men, and by  giving tithes and offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurturing us in love and giving us victory over selfishness and covetousness.     (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chronicles 29:14; Deuteronomy 12:6; Malachi 3:10-12; 1 Corinthians 6:19,20; 1 Corinthians 9:9-14; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7)   16.  CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE        We believe that we are called to be godly people who think, feel, and act in a Christ-like manner. This involves a total commitment to:   A.  Living for God.   We will involve ourselves in those things which will please and glorify God and those things which will produce Christlike purity, health and joy. This means that the career or vocation that we choose will be those that will not cause us to be disloyal to God.  Our amusement, entertainment and recreation should reflect the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. (Romans 12:1,2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 John 2:6; Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18)   B.  Living for others.   We will live for others, no longer for ourselves. We will search for the lost, the hopeless, the losers, the rejects of society, every person who needs salvation from this world. We will share the Good News with the people that God chooses to bring in contact with us. (Matthew 25:40,45; Romans 12:9,10; 1 Peter 3:15)   C.  Living a life of simplicity.   We will live the simple life that Jesus lived while He was here on earth. We will put away worldly things, we will be modest and simple in our possessions and apparel, avoiding expensive display and fancy styles because we believe that true beauty is found inside and not in outward adornment. We will care for our bodies as God's temple by eating and drinking the best and most healthful food available and by engaging in healthful activities.    (Luke 12:22,23, 32-34; 1 Peter 3:3,4; 1 Timothy 2:9,10; 1 Corinthians 6:19,20; 3 John 2)