What We Believe
"In essentials: Unity; in opinions: Liberty;
in all things: Love."
The quote above serves as a great summary of what we are all about. Our church was born out of the "Restoration Movement," which began in the early 1800s as a result of the Second Great Awakening. A group of leaders in early America desired to essentially "Get back to the basics" of Christianity. Bedford Acres is a non-denominational, independent Christian Church. Our church is made up of people from many denominational backgrounds, but we agree on these core beliefs:
1) There is one God revealed in three persons (the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
2) God created all things, both seen and unseen. (Genesis 1:1; Acts 17:24-28; Hebrews 11:3)
3) Jesus Christ is God's one and only Son. (John 1:14; 1 John 4:9; John 3:16)
4) Jesus was born in Bethlehem, both fully human and fully divine, conceived by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary. (Matthew 21:11; John 19:19; John 1:14; Romans 5:15-17; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 1:1; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:26-38)
5) Jesus was beaten and crucified on a criminal's cross by Pontius Pilate. (Luke 23:1-46)
6) Jesus died, was buried, and physically rose from the dead three days later.
(Luke 23:44-24:8; John 20:24-29; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
7) Jesus ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father.
(Luke 22:69; Acts 1:1-9; Colossians 3:1)
8) Jesus will one day return to earth to judge both the living and the dead.
(Matthew 24:36-42; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; Acts 10:39-42; 1 Peter 4:5)
9) The Holy Spirit is an operative part of the triune God.
(John 16:5-15; Acts 1:7-8; Romans 8:26-27)
10) The Holy Spirit dwells within every Christian and empowers him to live the Christian life.
(1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14)
11) The Bible is God's Holy Word. God inspired the original writings of the Scripture, and those writings were consequently without error.
(Mark 12:36; John 14:26; John 16:12-15; Acts 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
12) The Bible as the final authority for all matters of faith and practices.
(Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; Matthew 24:35; Romans 15:4; Hebrews 4:12)
13) The Bible teaches that man, created by God in His image, willfully sinned against God and is consequently separated from God. Without Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, there is no way back to God.
14) Salvation (the forgiveness of sins) is only by grace given through the blood of Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7)
15) The Bible teaches that when someone receives God's grace by putting their faith in Jesus Christ, they are to repent of their sin, confess that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and be immersed in water (representing Christ's death and resurrection).
(Romans 5:1-2; Luke 24:45-47; Acts 3:19; Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:11; 1 John 4:15; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-7; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21)
16) The Church belongs to Jesus Christ. It was founded on the day of Pentecost and it consists of all Christians around the world.