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WHAT WE BELIEVE

OUR FAITH

Heartland Reformed Church is a Christ-centered congregation rooted in the Reformed tradition. Our beliefs are grounded in Scripture and expressed through the historic confessions of the church.

HEARTLAND REFORMED CHURCH STATEMENTS OF CHRISTIAN BELIEF

Heartland Reformed Church is a Christ-centered congregation rooted in the Reformed tradition. As such, we hold to several Creeds and Confessions. They are the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. In addition to these Creeds, we hold to four "standards of unity" which explain what Reformed Churches believe. They are the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dordt, and the Belhar Confession.

Click here to find out more: "What Does it Mean to Be a Reformed church?"

GOD

We believe in one God, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is infinite and eternal, the Creator of all things. God is our perfect heavenly Father, who rules over all creation. In His goodness, He sustains, loves, and cares for us, and works all things according to His will.
(Genesis 1:1; Psalm 118:1; Matthew 3:16-17;
2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:3-14)

HUMANITY & SIN

We believe God created men and women in His image to worship and be in relationship with Him. Instead, we all rebel against God in sin, which results in separation from God and death. Every person faced God's wrath as a result of sin. Apart from God's grace and gift of salvation, we face condemnation.
(Genesis 1:27; John 3:16; Romans 3:9-23, 5:8)

SALVATION

JESUS CHRIST

We believe Jesus Christ, God's Son, is the eternal Word of God. Through his incarnation, suffering, death, burial, bodily resurrection, and ascension, He accomplished God's plan for redemption. Christ rules over all things at the right hand of God and will return in power to judge the living and the dead.
(Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:1; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-9;
1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 4:15, 7:26-27)

We believe salvation is God's gracious gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ, which rescues people from sin. To all who receive salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they are no longer separated from Him, but become children of God. The way to become a Christian is to turn from a single life and trust Christ as Lord and Savior. Our salvation and sanctification rest entirely on God's initiative and God's grace, all done for God's glory.
(Acts 2:21, 38-39; Ephesians 2:8-9)

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is the power of God who makes faith real in the lives of people. He empowers and equips all believers for fruitful lives and obedience to God's word. The Holy Spirit gives gifts to all believers to empower them to love god and to love their neighbor.
(Matthew 28:19; John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19;
Galatians 3:14, 4:6)

THE BIBLE

We believe the Bible (Scriptures of the Old and New Testament) is the inspired Word of God and our ultimate and final authority for faith in practice.
(Matthew 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

THE CHURCH

We believe the Church is the spiritual body made up of all believers who confess Jesus Christ is Lord. Every believer is a vital part of the body of Christ.
(Acts 2:42-47; Ephesians 4:1-6; 1 John 3:14, 19-21)

THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

We believe Christ is the Lord of all creation and all human life (John 1:1-4, Colossians 1:15-17). Spiritual, emotional, and physical life for all humans, from conception to death, are valued by God (Psalm 139:13-16). We are called to value all life from conception to death, and to be stewards of all aspects of life - social life, marriage, politics, intellectual, recreation, possessions, resources, money, and time in obedience to God's Word.
(Colossians 3:18-24)

TURNING FROM SIN

We believe that, as God’s people, we are called to turn away from the things of darkness, which Scripture calls sin–including gossip, slander, greed, idolatry of any kind, racism, sexual immorality, and abuse of others--and to live in ways that honor God. (Colossians 3.1-17, Ephesians 4.22-24, Ephesians 5.1-21, Galatians 5.16-24) We uphold the responsibility of the whole church, including its officers and leaders, to “lead a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1), including fidelity in marriage between one man and one woman or chastity in singleness. (Genesis 2:24; Exodus 19:3-6; Luke 16:13 Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 5:1-18; 1 Timothy 3:2-12; 1 Peter 2:9-10). While we acknowledge that we all continue to fall short of God's perfect standard, we also believe that this call to live as God's people means we are actively participating with the Spirit in turning away from these things and toward God. We warmly welcome all who would receive God's grace. However, we also recognize that God holds church leaders to higher standards (James 3:1, Hebrews 13:17) and believe in the biblical qualifications for leadership in the church (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:6-9).

LOVE, GRACE, & HUMAN DIGNITY

We believe that as God has shown us his love, grace, and kindness while we were still sinners (Romans 2:4, Romans 5: 6-8), we are called to show love, grace, kindness, and respect to every man and woman as image-bearers of God (those made in the image of God). We affirm that men and women are equal bearers of God's image and called to full participation in every church office. The many gifts and callings of men, women, and children are necessary for the flourishing of the Church.

HUMAN SEXUALITY & MARRIAGE

In regard to human sexuality, we hold to the historic Christian teaching on sex and marriage. We believe that God has designed sex exclusively for marriage, between one man and one woman. Everything outside of this standard falls into what the Bible calls “sin”, including lust, pornography, polygamy, polyamory, promiscuity, same-sex sexual activity, bestiality, or any other sexual behavior performed before or outside marriage. (Genesis 1.27-28, Genesis 2.18-25, Matthew 19.3-12, Ephesians 5.28-33). As those who seek to imitate Christ, speaking and acting in both grace and truth (John 1.14), we affirm:

Marriage is only between one man and one woman.
Same-sex sexual behavior is against God’s design.
HRC pastors will not conduct same-sex marriages, and the elders will not permit the church facility to be used for marriages that are not between one man and one woman.
The church must eliminate the double standard of morality applied to same-sex sexual behavior. All forms of sexual sin must be avoided and treated equally.
Those practicing sinful patterns of behavior will be disqualified from serving in leadership roles.

For HRC's full statement on human sexuality, please click here.

OUR HISTORIC CONFESSIONS

We hold to the Historic Confessions of the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dordt, the Belhar Confession, and the Apostles' Creed.