Beliefs & Values
WHAT WE BELIEVE…
God’s Word
The Bible (which consists of 66 books between the Old and New Testaments) is the written Word of God. It is inerrant in its original manuscripts and the revelation of God to all people. The Bible (also called the scriptures) has been written, compiled, preserved, transmitted, and translated at the instigation and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct.
Jesus, the Son
We believe Jesus is the Christ, our Lord and Savior, God's only begotten, Son. He is the one and only, from eternity and not made. He became incarnate, God with us, and He is both fully God and man. We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, and His teaching, all as they are recorded in the Bible. We believe in His death as a substitution and remedy (for what we deserved), His bodily resurrection, and His ascension into heaven. We believe in His perpetual intercession for His people and His personal, visible return to earth at a future time known only to God the Father.
Jesus is “the God-Man, " unlike any person who has or will live. He is not part divine and part human. He is fully divine and fully human. In His humanity, He experienced every human limitation except for sin. He was like us in every way except that He never disobeyed His heavenly Father. In His divinity, He was coequal with His Father and the Holy Spirit from all eternity. His death did not end His existence. He paid for our sins on the cross, and after three days, He rose from the dead. His resurrection not only shows His complete provision for sins’ effects but also serves as a prototype of our future resurrection when our bodies will be remade in the same way to live in eternity.
The Church
We believe in the holy universal church of Jesus Christ. We believe that the church is the living spiritual body of which Christ is the Head and all regenerated persons are members. The local church consists of a congregation of born-again followers of Jesus Christ. We believe that God has granted each member of the local church the primary task of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. The Church is, first and foremost, an organism, not an organization.
The Trinity
We believe that there is one living and true God and that He eternally exists in three persons – called a Trinity. These three persons are equal in nature, substance, and every divine perfection. They perform distinct but harmonious offices in creation, providence, and redemption. God is one being, expressed through three personalities. We understand that these three persons fully share the only divine nature. We use the term “Trinity” to teach that God has a singular character but a plural personality.
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who eternally comes forth from the Father and Son. The Holy Spirit is the agent of creation and the presence of God in the world. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He renews, lives within, sets us apart from the rest of the world, and empowers all who have been given saving faith in Jesus Christ.
We believe in the filling and empowering of believers by the Holy Spirit for ministry and the empowering of spiritual gifts as He sees fit. In an organized environment, we practice laying hands for prayer, healing, and setting apart those whom God has ordained to lead and serve the church.
The Holy Spirit is God; He is not just a force. Scripture describes Him using personal pronouns having unique attributes. He works to prepare the hearts and minds of people to hear the Gospel and then applies the merits of Christ to them at the point of regeneration. Jesus promised the Spirit’s presence to all His followers, assuring us that the Holy Spirit would indwell within us.
Ceremonial Ordinances
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: Baptism and Communion. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Triune God as a public demonstration of their cleansing from sin and a commitment to a new life of discipleship to Jesus Christ. Communion, also known as the Lord's Supper, was instituted by Christ to commemorate His death. We celebrate the Lord’s supper quarterly.
God, the Father
We believe in God the Father, who is spiritual and personal and alone has life in Himself. The Father is eternal (forever), infinite (immeasurable), omnipotent (almighty), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresent (always present). He is perfect in holiness, wisdom, love, and truth. According to scripture, He sustains all things and will bring all things to final judgment at the end of time.
God has been involved in the affairs of His creation from the beginning of time. He continues to play an active role in relating to mankind, specifically in rescuing us from our rejection of His love and exercising His legitimate right to be glorified as our Creator. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of mankind. He hears and answers prayer. He graciously saves people who have believed in the finished work of Jesus Christ from sin and eternal death.
Salvation
We believe that all mankind are sinners by nature and are, therefore, under just condemnation before God. In response to God's call, we believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior become born again by the Holy Spirit and will live with Him forever in Heaven.
God has provided a way out of our sinful nature through the death of Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for our sins. Those who receive the forgiveness Jesus offers will be restored to a right relationship with God.
Marriage
Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, Motion Church recognizes marriage as between a man and a woman – to the most biological origins. We do not perform marriage ceremonies between same-sex couples. All marriage ceremonies are performed by mutual agreement between the couple and ministers of Motion Church.
The Return of Jesus
We believe in the literal, personal, and visible return of Jesus to take out of this world all who believe in His saving faith. At this time, believers will be reunited with all who have gone with Jesus/to Heaven before.
Sanctity of Human Life.
We believe all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition of life from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.
WHAT WE VALUE
Authentic Community
Every community is known for the things it holds dear. Motion Church is no different. We place a high value on being a normal community. We don't pretend to be someone or something that we're not on Sundays. We're authentic about our strengths, weaknesses, struggles, and successes.
Come As You Are
Some churches hold various traditions regarding how members should dress, act, or speak when attending services or ministry functions. While we respect other viewpoints, Motion Church is a casual and informal environment. Come as you are.
Owning Your Church
A church isn't a building, a place, or a name... it's a group of people as a unified and Christ-centered community. We are a community that asks every person to own their role as a part of Motion Church. Ownership is more than just attending services or events; it is engaging, giving, and partnering with your Motion family to make a difference.
Joining The Team
Every person is valuable, and therefore every person has value. We look to help every person at Motion Church to reach their potential by using their skills, talents, or abilities as a part of the Motion Team.
