MP's Statement of Faith

I believe that each one of us is a beloved child of God made on purpose for a purpose by God in God’s image. I cling to the thought that not one human was ever made by mistake. I am confident that God loves humankind and creation in its entirety and, though we do not fully understand all the whys and the wherefores’, God has a specific plan for each and every human being and every part of creation. Though
I am in a broken relationship with God, I know that I belong to God and I hold that by God’s grace alone, I am brought back to God.

I accept as truth the holy trinity, and that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are of one substance, three in one. I submit to Jesus Christ as my Lord, my savior and my master. He is my best friend and my shepherd. Through the blood of Jesus and my acceptance of Jesus as my Savior and advocate, I believe I am saved from death, made anew and will have eternal life with God. I understand that as a Christian I was made to worship and love God. I recognize my relationship to God as both vertical and horizontal in relationship with God through prayer and worship and in relationship with others taking care of the poor and loving my neighbor as myself.

The Bible teaches that all those baptized into Christ are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. I believe the Holy Spirit is God in spirit form, who walks beside me, lives in me and was sent by Jesus to guide me and correct me in all that I do, think and say. As one who has received grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I am called to work for the kingdom of God in whatever circumstances I find myself. I can do nothing alone, but the Holy Spirit assists me in utilizing my specific and varied gifts to equip the saints and to point others to Jesus.

I feel the Holy Spirit is moving in new ways outside the physical walls of the traditional church. As this relates to my own sense of call, I feel drawn to equip believers to use their gifts within the context of their daily living and by their witness to, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ so all who hear will have opportunity to accept Jesus as savior and Lord.

And yet there are times when I question. There are times when I wonder if God could really love us as broken as we are. For me, this is part of the mystery of God. Accepting the mystery, I can either turn to God or turn away, I can choose to love God and be in relationship with God or I can walk away but understand that God never stops loving me and never walks away.

To be Presbyterian for me is that first and foremost a Presbyterian is a Christian; a believer in, a servant for and a follower of Jesus Christ. Being a Christian means being in the company of brothers and sisters in Christ who believe much the same things that I do, that the sacraments of baptism and holy Communion are visible signs of God’s Grace, that the Bible is the sole Christian document holding authority, and that reconciliation with God is through Jesus Christ alone.