Verbal inspiration of the Bible
We believe the Holy Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, to be verbally inspired of God in the original manuscripts; infallible, inerrant and God-breathed, a perfect rule of faith and practice.
The Trinity
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe that God, the Son, who has always existed, became a man (without diminishing His deity) by virgin birth through Mary. He lived a sinless life and as the infinite God-Man took upon Himself the sins of all men, died in their place and satisfied God concerning their sins. We further believe in the literal, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He was then ascended and exalted to the right hand of God as the Great High Priest of all believers.
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, empowering, teaching, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption and leads believers into all truth.
Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin, the race fell and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved in his Adamic spiritual identity and, of himself, is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (apart from any works by man) whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of sins. Upon receiving salvation, the person receives eternal life, becomes a partaker of Christ’s life and is saved. He becomes a new creation and now has a new identity as a child of God.
Eternal Security
We believe that all who have come to reliance upon the work of Christ for their salvation will never lose this relationship.
Devil and Demons
We believe that Satan is a created being who is not equal to God in any way. He is aided by a host of evil spirit beings called demons. Their design is to destroy believers, but they are a defeated enemy that is limited by the will of God.
Sanctification
Each believer (men, women and children) partaking of eternal life (Christ’s life) was united with Christ, thus crucified, buried, raised and enthroned with Christ. The old man died at that point in time. The results of co-crucifixion must become a reality to each believer as he chooses to walk in the Spirit and not after the flesh if he is to walk in victory. Sanctification, then, is Christ living His life out through the believer. This is not teaching passivity, sinless perfection or the deification of man.
Mission
The mission of His Life Fellowship is to Disciple members of the body of Christ (men, women and children) so that they experience, express, and communicate the indwelling, empowering and winsome presence of Christ as Life.
Vision
Promoting the indwelling, empowering presence of Christ as Life in individuals and families through biblical instruction, individual mentoring, and organized discipleship that encourages:
• Family Stability – Raising up Children (and parents) who choose Jesus
• Spiritual Formation – Nurturing spiritual growth
• Training – Equipping disciples to equip others
• Restoration – Providing an environment for recovering hope
Values
The Centrality of the Cross – This is an HLF foundational value, encompassing the believer’s co-crucifixion, burial, resurrection, ascension and seating with Christ. This creates a new identity of righteousness and provides a source of power as one appropriates the Life of Christ for daily living.
Ref. Gal 2:20, Rom. 5:10, 17, 6:4-6, Col. 3:3-4.
Grace
Grace is the unmerited favor of God that allows the indwelling, empowering presence of God to flow through the life of a believer. With God as their source for living, a person will become and accomplish all that God has purposed.
Ref. I Cor.15:10, II Cor.12:9, Phil. 2:13.
Secure Environment
Endeavoring to provide a safe place of respect and acceptance where one can be vulnerable and free to discover and experience Christ’s rest.
Ref. Is. 42:3, Matt. 11:25-30 (The Message), II Cor.1:3-5.
Multiplication
Multiplication is the unique work of the Holy Spirit. HLF will train believers to watch for opportunities to come along side Father as He reveals Himself to unbelievers in their personal sphere of influence. We recognize that witnessing and bearing witness of the work of God is a blessing and will encourage our members to participate as the Spirit directs them.
Ref. Mat. 28:19-20, II Tim. 1:13-14, 2:2, Acts 1:8b.
Our Passion
We consider ourselves to be a family that loves and cares for each person that God brings our way. It is our desire to see healthy spiritual growth that is lived out in the lives of believers. Knowing that Christ died to set us free, we embrace the opportunity to aid the body of Christ in that freedom by providing an environment that encourages each person to focus on Jesus which will allow them to yield, receive and rest as they learn, develop, and work through the daily struggles of this life…always keeping an eye on eternity and the Life that is ours in Christ. The HLF family is committed to providing a safe place of ministry, where believers can find hope, encounter Christ as Life, and discover their true identity in Him. It is apparent that Christians have plenty of knowledge about what they are supposed to do and believe, but not who they are or how they are to live this life. It is when we come to the end of ourselves that God can and will do His deepest work.
We are a people of passion and vision: Passion to communicate what Paul referred to as the mystery of the Gospel: “Christ in you, the hope of glory!” Our vision is for leaders and followers within the Church at large to be equipped to proclaim “Christ in you” to the whole world. We believe that God has called the body of Christ, the church, to minister life to the members among their flocks. Therefore we are committed to training the believer to not only live victoriously but to effectively share and disciple others into experiencing Christ as life.
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Concise Statement of Faith
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative, inerrant Work of God. (II Timothy 3:15, II Peter 1:21)
2. We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30)
3. We believe in the deity of Christ: (John 10:33); His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:35); His sinless life (Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:26); His miracles (John 2:11); His vicarious and atoning death (I Corinthians 15:4); His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19); His personal return in power and glory (Acts 1:11, Revelation 19:11).
4. We believe in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation because of the exceeding sinfulness of human nature; and that men are justified on the single ground of faith in the shed blood of Christ and that only by God’s grace and through faith alone we are saved. (John 3:16-19, John 5:24, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5)
5. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; that they are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29)
6. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 12:12-13, Galatians 3:26-28)
7. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (Romans 8:13-14, I Corinthians 3:16, I Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)
These are in no way all inclusive or conclusive in their entirety, but are subject to changes and or additions as the leadership directs.
Sources: Abiding Life Ministries, Michael Wells, Frank Friedmann, Grace Life Fellowship, Grace Ministries International