What We Believe
Statement of Faith
From the time of the Apostles to today, Christians have laid out doctrine (beliefs) in brief, definitive statements. Our Statement of Faith summarizes essential Christian beliefs, shows unity in Christ, and guards the church from error. With the Bible as our highest source of authority, we seek to please God by obeying Him and conforming to His will. In our Statement of Faith, we stand with the long line of orthodox Christians and affirm the clear and prioritized teaching of Scripture. We believe these truths be the center of the Gospel.
God
We believe that there is one God, self-existent and eternal, the creator, sustainer, and ruler of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Their glory is equal, their majesty co-eternal. (Deut. 6:4; Exod. 3:14; Ps. 90:2; Exod. 20:11; Heb. 1:3; 1 Tim. 6:15; Deut. 32:4; Matt. 3:16; Acts 5:3-4; Tit. 2:13; John 5:23; 1 Pet. 4:14)
Holy Scripture
We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God written, inspired by the Holy Spirit and inerrant in the original manuscripts. They contain all that is necessary to our salvation and are of supreme authority for faith and practice. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 3:1-2, 16; John 10:35)
Jesus Christ
We believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal and only begotten Son of God, became man without ever ceasing to be God; that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and lived a sinless life. He died on the cross, making a full and satisfactory atonement for the sins of the whole human race, then rose bodily the third day from the grave and ascended into Heaven, where He is enthroned at God’s right hand as our intercessor. (John 1:1, 14, 18; Phil. 2:5-8; Mat. 1:20; Luke. 1:34; Heb. 4:15; Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:14; 1 Cor. 15:3-6; Eph. 1:20-22; Rom. 8:34)
Human Nature
We believe that man was created in the image of God; but as the result of Adam’s sin, the entire human race was alienated from God and plunged into sin. By nature we are thus corrupt and fallen, hostile to God and His Law, and utterly unable of ourselves to remedy our lost condition. By His prevenient grace, God restores moral sensibility to all mankind, enabling each of us to respond to His offer of salvation. (Gen. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 11:7; Rom. 15:12-18; Rom. 3:10-18; Ps. 53:1; Rom. 8:7; Tit. 2:11)
Salvation
We believe that Salvation is the provision of God’s grace alone, but it is a gift which we must freely accept. Thus God graciously justifies and regenerates all who repent of their sins and believe on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As the children of God, they are restored to fellowship with Him, delivered from the penalty of sin, as well as from its willful practice, and are initially sanctified by the Holy Spirit who dwells in them. (Eph. 2:8-9; Acts 3:19; Rom. 5:1; Tit. 3:5; Rom. 10:9; John 1:12; 1 John 1:7; Isa. 53:4-6; 1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:2)
Entire Sanctification
We believe that God calls all believers to entire sanctification in a moment of full consecration and faith subsequent to their new birth in Jesus Christ. By the Holy Spirit’s filling, their hearts are purified from inherited depravity, and they are empowered for continued growth in their relationship with Christ, victorious living, and fruitful service. Entire sanctification is both preceded and followed by growth in grace, dynamically expressed in advancing holiness and increasing spiritual maturity. (1 Thess. 5:23-24; Rom. 6:11-13; Rom. 12:1; Eph. 2:1-3; Acts 1:8; 2:4; Eph. 5:18; Acts 15:9; Ps. 51:5 7; Rom. 6:6-10, 22; Gal. 5:16, 22-23; 1 Thess. 1:4-10; 1 Thess. 3:12-13; 2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 1:9-11; 3:15)
Assurance
We believe that believers are assured of personal salvation by the infallible promises of God’s Word, confirmed by the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit, and attested by a good conscience and the presence of the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. (Rom. 10:9; Rom. 8:14, 16; 1 John 5:9-11; 1 John 2:3-4; 1 John 3:18-21; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:8-10)
Security of Believers
We believe that all believers are fully secure in Christ, conditioned only by their continuous obedient faith. Those who backslide may be immediately restored to God’s favor by returning to Him in repentance and faith in Christ. (Phil. 1:6-7; John 10:27-28; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 6:4-6; Rom. 11:18-23; 1 John 1:9; 2:1)
The Christian Life
We believe that it is the joy and duty of all Christians through the power of the Holy Spirit to live righteously, victoriously, and sacrificially, obedient to God’s law, faithful in the use of the means of grace, continually sharing the hope that is in them, and ministering compassionately to human need. (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:16, 24-25; Tit. 2:11-12; 1 John 2:3-6; Acts 2:46; 1 Pet. 3:15, Gal. 6:10; 1 John 3:16-18)
The Church
We believe that the true church of Jesus Christ is composed of all who are united to Him in saving faith and who are thus members of the body of which He is the head. All Christians should live in fellowship with the church, uniting in its worship of the Triune God, supporting its great task of world evangelism, and loving one another with pure and fervent hearts. (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23, 30; Rom. 12:3-5; 1 Cor. 6:15; 12:12-27; Col. 2:18-19; Heb. 10:25; Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Pet. 1:22)
Christ’s Return
We believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ will personally return in glory at the end of the age, as He has promised, and that He will consummate His kingdom and judge the world in righteousness. His coming, as we confess, is the “blessed hope” which is set before us and for which we must live in constant joyful readiness. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 1:10; 4:15-17; Matt. 24:29-31; 25:31-45; Acts 17:31; Tit. 2:13)
Heaven and Hell
We believe that those who die in Christ are immediately present with Him, while those who die in sin suffer the torments of hell awaiting the final judgment. All shall be raised from the dead, those who have died in Christ to eternal blessedness, and those who have rejected Him to conscious and everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21, 23; Luke 16:19-26; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; Rev. 6:4-6; 20:12-15)
Deep Dive
Want to Learn More?
The Statement of Faith listed above does not exhaust all that we believe. In fact, it only covers we we call our core beliefs, what we like to call “Confessions.” All members of WEC affirm our Confessions.
If you want to dive deeper into the beliefs and values that shape life and ministry at WEC, check out our Convictions. Though secondary to our Confession, our convictions are important to us and are affirmed by our all our church elders and deacons.