What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Strafford First Assembly based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

There is one eternally existing God who has three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy of all glory and praise.  God is perfect in love, power, holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom,  justice, and mercy. He is unchangeable and therefore is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

God has revealed himself to us through his son, Jesus Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God, the holy scriptures, and through all of creation itself.

Humans, both male and female, were created in God's image for His glory. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created without sin and appointed as caretakers of the rest of God's creations.

When Adam and Eve chose not to obey God, they ceased to be what they were made to be and became distorted images of God. This caused them to fall out of fellowship with God, and fractured all of creation ever since that time.

Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God. He lived a life without sin and willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for our transgressions. God raised him from the dead and now, by grace, offers as a free gift eternal life to all who follow Christ, by faith, as their Lord and Savior. That is why salvation can be found in Christ alone.

The Church was born on the day of Pentecost as those that were present in the upper room were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit is at work within the church that she would be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ with signs following.

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit  is an event separate from salvation that brings with it empowerment to be a witness.  Joy, an increased desire to be holy, and a fresh zeal for the Lord are all common accompaniments to this overflowing of His Spirit in our lives.  Many times in the Bible it is accompanied by prophesying.  According to the pattern of scripture, the initial physical evidence is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the ability.  Many times this is not simply another language, but a prayer language that God desires us to pray in that always prays His will, edifies our spirit man, and builds us up in the holy faith.

Healing was provided for in the atonement of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said one of the signs that would follow believers is that they would lay hands on the sick and they would recover.  The book of Isaiah prophesied ahead of time that it is by the stripes upon Jesus that we would experience healing.  It has been paid for and it is His desire we be made whole.

Jesus gave authority to His followers to cast out demons in His name.  Those that are bound by the demonic have hope for freedom because of the power in the name of Jesus.  Deliverance is spoken of by Jesus as the children's bread.

Jesus Christ is returning one day to judge both the living and the dead and to usher in the fullness of God's kingdom on earth.