Our Doctrines

God

We believe that God is the creator of things seen and unseen and the eternal King over all. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power, and love. From all eternity, He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory and beauty. We exist, therefore, to bring glory to God and to love and worship Him, the triune God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God. It is useful for teaching, correcting, and training in righteousness. In this regard, its ultimate purpose is to lead us into spiritual encounters with Christ — Who is the fulfillment of God’s plan, Who is the Word of God, Who is the fulfillment of all things. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us on every page of the Bible — from Genesis to Revelation — and brings us into life-changing encounters with the God of the Bible. We exist, therefore, to live by the Word of God as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and in the Holy Scriptures, to teach the Word of God to our children, and to proclaim the Word of God to the nations.

The Devil

Satan is a fallen angel who comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  All pain and suffering can be traced back to his deception. He tempted Adam and Eve, the father and mother of the human race. Through Adam’s disobedience, sin and death entered the world, spread to all men and caused curse to infect the entire spiritual, physical and social order of the earth. We exist, therefore, to overcome all the powers of darkness and see the salvation of God bring restoration to all things.

Mankind

We believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, to live in relationship with Him, enjoy Him, and ultimately rule with Him. Yet all humanity has rejected God, bringing sin, sickness, and death to the earth. God also loves man and send His son to offer mankind redemption in the person of Jesus Christ.  We exist, therefore, to submit ourselves to the triune God and experience the love of God eternally through Jesus Christ.

Jesus

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God.  He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is God’s Anointed One; empowered by the Holy Spirit to inaugurate God’s kingdom on earth. He was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven.  He is alive today in the presence of God the Father and in His people. He is "true God" and "true man." We exist, therefore, to live in the full implications of the finished works of Christ that destroyed the old man, raised up the new man, and established the Kingdom of God on earth. We exist to preach the Gospel of Christ for the forgiveness of sins— a message to which all people are accountable.

The Cross

We believe in the complete victory of the cross of Jesus Christ!  We see it as God’s solution and answer for humanity’s separation from Him.  The cross created a new creation and delivered final victory over the kingdom of darkness and all of its effects.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers at Pentecost in power, baptizing believers into the Body of Christ and releasing the gifts of the Spirit to them. The Spirit brings the permanent indwelling presence of God to us for spiritual worship, personal sanctification, building up the Church, and gifting for ministry.  The Holy Spirit has been sent to us from the Father and the Son to be our comforter, teacher, and counselor. He moves like the wind, burns like fire, and influences us like wine. He brings the tangible Presence of God to us and ministers the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit and He is Sovereign. We exist, therefore, to be led by the Holy Spirit, move in the fruits of the Spirit, move in the power of the Holy Spirit, minister in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, baptize people in the Spirit, and experience the signs and wonders and miracles that come with the outpourings of the Holy Spirit. We submit to His leadership in the church and let Him move… even if it disrupts our timetables or good plans.

The Church

We believe in the one, holy, universal Church. All who repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and form the living Body of Christ, of which He is the head and of which we are all members. On the cross, God placed us into Christ. Our independent and selfish nature was destroyed in Jesus’ death and we were raised up a new corporate man — one body with many members. As each member receives from the Head, Christ, we organically and mysteriously function as His body. As we love one another, God lives in us. Being a part of a church is not just paper membership, attending meetings, or fulfilling a religious duty. Being a part of a church grows from an organic connection with Christ where HE places you in connection with other members of His body — as He wants. (1 Corinthians 12:18) These connections are vital and release the anointing that is on the risen Christ for our mutual encouragement and edification. We exist, therefore, to build up the Body of Christ at House to House Church — as well as other congregations and apostolic spheres in the greater Portland area and around the world — that the Kingdom of God might come in fullness to the nations.

The Second Coming

We believe in the ever-increasing government of God and in the Blessed Hope, which is the glorious, visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign with His overcoming bride – the Church. We exist, therefore, to redeem time, not pleasing ourselves but living rather to prepare all men for Christ’s return.

Final Judgement

We believe that heaven and hell are real places. There will be a resurrection of the lost and the saved, the one to everlasting death and the other to everlasting life.  We exist, therefore, to live in the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom.

Biblical Sexuality

We believe the Biblical definition of marriage, the attendant boundaries of sexuality and moral conduct, and the clear Biblical teaching that gender is both sacred and established by God's design. We believe these values oppose and prohibit living in, practicing, condoning, or supporting sex outside of marriage, adultery, homosexuality, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, gender identity different than the birth sex chromosomal level, pornography, or other sexual immorality (Leviticus, 20:13a, Romans 1:27, Matthew 19:46).  We exist, therefore, to honor God with our bodies and lovingly oppose a degradation of the image of God in the earth through sexual sin.

Biblical Marriage

We believe that every person is created in the image of God, and that human sexuality reflects that image in terms of intimate love, communication, fellowship, and subordination of the self. God's Word makes use of the marriage relationship as the supreme metaphor for His relationship with His covenant people. Therefore, God's plan for human sexuality is that it is to be expressed only in a monogamous, lifelong relationship between one man and one woman within the framework of marriage. This is the only relationship that is divinely designed for the birth and rearing of children and is a union made in the sight of God. The church believes 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 (Gen. 1:27-28; 2:18, 20, 23-24; Isa. 54:48; 62:5b; Jer. 3:14; Ezek. 16; Hosea 2; Mal. 2:14; Matt. 19:46; Mark 10:9; Eph. 5:23-32; Heb. 13:4; and Rev. 19:78). We exist, therefore, to live in and promote biblical marriage and family, to be fruitful, multiply and subdue the earth in this manner.

Sanctity of Human Life

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 preborn babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We exist, therefore, to defend, protect, and value all human life, beginning at conception (Ps 139).