Who We Are

Our mission is simple…”to share the love of Jesus Christ so that all might become His devoted followers.”  At First Reformed, we believe that the best way to do this is by offering people a place to belong where the truths of God’s Word can be shared in a fresh, relevant, understandable and creative way every time we meet.

With discipleship opportunities ranging from small groups to traditional Sunday school classes for all ages, our teaching touches every part of life.  And with opportunities for service and a regular call to be salt and light in our world, our challenge is to take what we’ve seen and heard and share it with those God places us around.

First Reformed Church is a non-denominational, evangelical church belonging to several associations which include the Evangelical Association of Reformed & Congregational Christian Churches and the Willowcreek Association.  While we are independent of any denominational ties, we believe that it is our Biblical responsibility to stay connected with the Body of Christ, and we do so with dedication and joy!

 

What We Believe

 This statement of faith is our beliefs based on historical Biblical Christian doctrine and held by most evangelical churches today.  We sometimes call these our “non-negotiables,” meaning that while there are many Biblical teachings that are important for our faith, these core beliefs define who we are as a local body of Christ-followers.    

We believe in one God that exists in three persons --- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Though each is equally God, each has His own unique attributes.  

(1) God the Father creates and sustains His creation.  
(2) God the Son, Jesus Christ, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified and died on a cross, and rose from the dead so that we might become inheritors of His grace and salvation;  
(3) God the Holy Spirit is received by those who come into the faith and gives the believer a source of assurance, strength and wisdom, while also endowing the believer with gifts for the building of the Church.

(Genesis 1:1-2:2; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-5; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16) 

We believe that God has revealed Himself fully in His Word as it has come to us in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament.  We hold that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, that it is infallible in the original manuscripts, and that it is the final authority on all matters of faith and practice.

(2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 30:5)

 We believe that the union of all believers makes up Christ’s Church, and those who make up this body have acknowledged Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  The Bible commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word, the observance of Baptism and Holy Communion, fellowship, service to the body through the use of spiritual gifts and the sharing of our faith with the rest of the world.

(Matthew 16:18-19, 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:15-18)

We believe that the central purpose of our faith is to call all people into fellowship with Jesus Christ.  Because of man’s sinfulness he has been separated from God and it’s only through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection that he can be reconciled again.  Therefore, there is only one way to salvation and that is through the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  The gift of God’s grace is freely given to all those willing to accept it and cannot be earned through works or good deeds.

(John 3:16, 14:6; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 10:9-13; James 4:9-10; Titus 3:5)

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society.  Moreover, we believe that the only marriage ordained by God, and practiced by this church, is the union of one man and one woman.  Children are a heritage from God.  Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through Christian lifestyle examples.

(Genesis 1:26-28, 2:24; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18, 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4)

 

We believe that God has called First Reformed Church to walk together in the ways of our Lord while responding to His purpose and will.  That purpose will be carried out as we concentrate on five areas of ministry seen in the New Testament Church.  They are: Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship, Service and Fellowship.  As did those who came before us, we depend on the Holy Spirit to lead and empower us.  As a Protestant Christian church we recognize and practice the two sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and we find our faith expressed well in the “Apostle’s Creed,” which the Christian Church has used for many centuries.

As members of First Reformed Church, having received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we covenant together to commit ourselves fully to the beliefs stated above and devote ourselves to those things which make for harmony and growth in the fellowship.  And we agree to support the testimony of this church by attending faithfully, giving regularly and living the godly life Christ has called us to follow.

(Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-47, Romans 14:19; 1 Peter 1:22; Hebrews 10:25; Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 16:2)