WHAT WE BELIEVE

Ocean church core beliefs

  • We believe God is a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person –– one in essence, equal in power and glory. We believe in God the Father, Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth.

  • We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He was crucified, died, and buried. He rose again on the third day. He ascended to heaven and now sits in authority at the right hand of God the Father. He will return to claim his Church and judge mankind.

  • We believe the Holy Spirit is God, the Lord, and giver of life, who was given to the Church in fullness at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit empowers Christ-followers to serve and share their faith, cleanses man from the old nature, and shapes us to the image of Christ.

  • We believe in the Church, the bride of Christ, whose goal is to make disciples throughout the world. This global Church comprises many local fellowships. We affirm those fellowships that see Jesus Christ as Lord and the only way to Heaven.

  • We believe the Bible is the perfect and inspired Word of God. It is our source of all doctrine, instruction and correction. It provides practical guidance for everyday life.

  • We believe mankind is enslaved to sin. Jesus Christ came to pay the price for our sin on the cross. By His death, we can be in a true relationship with God. His death makes possible the healing of our body, soul, and spirit.

    (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48)

  • We believe mankind’s only hope of redemption is through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Salvation is received by grace through faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not earned through good works.

  • We believe in a literal second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and eagerly await the resurrection of those who died in Him. We believe in a literal Heaven and Hell. Christ, based on their relationship with Him, determines the eternal status for saints and unbelievers.

  • We believe water baptism is an outward sign of what God has already done in our lives through salvation. We follow Christ’s example, and identify with Him through it, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We believe in baptism by immersion. The word baptism comes from the greek word “baptizo” meaning to dip or submerge.

  • We believe in communion as a commemoration of Christ’s death and will continue to do it in His memory until He comes again. It is a sign of our relationship with Him.

  • We believe in the Biblical definition of marriage: one man and one woman committed to each other in a union of mutual love, faithfulness, and respect. Marriage exists to be a picture of the unchanging love Christ has for His own bride, the Church.