What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Grace Community Fellowship Brazosport based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments by the Holy Spirit as originally given; they are the final authority for our faith and life (II Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12).

We believe in one God revealed in three, distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19-20; Ephesians 2:18), operating under the headship of the Father (1 Cor. 11:3).

We believe that man in his natural state is a sinner, lost, undone, without hope and without God (Ephesians 2:1-2; Romans 3:23).

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who by his incarnation and virgin birth took upon Himself the form of man and became the God-Man.  In the one person of Christ, there are two natures, human and divine, each in its completeness and integrity.  They are distinguishable but indivisible, so that He is fully man and fully God. He lived a sinless life and became the only sacrifice for the sins of the world (Ephesians 1:3-5; Romans 5:1-11; Acts 12:4; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ
(Luke 24:38-43; John 20:24-29).

We believe that the terms of salvation are repentance towards God for sin and a personal heart-felt faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which results in regeneration.  This salvation is entirely by grace and not by works  
(Ephesians 2:6-10; Romans 5:1; Acts 3:19-20).

We believe that the Kingdom of God will be established on the earth by God through His church prior to the return of Jesus (Psalm 110:1; Daniel 2:34-35; Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 7:13-14).

We believe in the visible, bodily return of Christ to this earth to judge the world and to claim His bride (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Acts 1:10-11).

We believe that the church is Christ’s spiritual body on earth today.  It consists of born-again believers and has both universal and local expressions (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28).

We believe in the doctrines of eternal punishment for the lost and eternal bliss and service for the saved; hell for the unsaved and heaven for the saved (John 14:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15).

We believe that Satan is a fallen, created being who is the “god of this world”.  He and his well-organized company of demons are opposed to the Kingdom of God and work to defeat and destroy the believer.  While his activity is real, Satan and his demon spirits were defeated and overthrown by Christ’s victory at the cross, and Christians can should exercise authority over them
(Luke 10:17-20; Colossians 2:13-15; Ephesians 6:10-18).

We believe the Holy Spirit to be the third person of the Godhead who is active in the world today.  The Spirit indwells and seals the believer at new birth.  We believe the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a subsequent event available to all Christians to empower us to be witnesses.  We believe in, and encourage, the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  We believe in the continuing in-filling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 8:14-17;
Acts 10:44-46; Ephesians 5:18).

We believe that believer’s Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of the church and should be practiced regularly.  (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-10; I Corinthians 10:16-21).

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female.  These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27).  Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25).

We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4).  We believe that God has commanded no sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, and incest) is sinful and offensive to God
(Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image.  Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death.  We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Psalm 139).

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).  Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated, and are not in accord with Scripture, or the doctrines of GCF.

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Grace Community Fellowship (GCF) as the local body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to GCF’s members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by GCF in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by all points in this Statement of Faith, including the points regarding gender, sexuality, and sanctity of human life
(Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22).

The statement of faith does not exhaust our beliefs.  The Bible itself, as the inspired, infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  For purposes of GCF’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Eldership Team is GCF’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.