What We Believe

We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired Word and is the final and only authority for truth and our standard for faith and life. We seek to be a Bible based church in which the Word of God is preached, taught, and lived out in our lives individually and corporately.

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scriptures is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
• 2 Peter 1:20-21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
• Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
• Psalm 119
• John 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me….

Church family, family units, congregational care – We will strive to provide teaching of Christian principles and experiences that strengthen individuals, single adults, marriages and family units. Just as we are loved and cared for in family units, we believe that as members of the family of God we will experience love, acceptance, encouragement, forgiveness, and trust as we serve each other.

• Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (6+7) These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
• Titus 1:6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
• Ephesians 5:21-6:4
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-30

We are committed to sharing Christ’s love with others. We believe God has given us both the mandate and privilege to be His ambassadors fulfilling the Great Commission to go into our community, our nation, and our world to preach the gospel through both word and deed.

• Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
• Matthew 25:40 The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.”
• John 15:2 + 16 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (16) You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.
• Matthew 28:18-20 (the Great Commission)

We believe that personal and corporate prayer is essential to the life of every believer and to the workings of the church. It is our direct connection with God. While we, as humans, are limited in our ability and knowledge, through prayer, we receive God’s wisdom, strength, power and direction to move as He wills in this world.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 25 “pray continually;” “pray for us.”
• 2 Thes­salonians 1:11-12 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His call­ing….we pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him….
• Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [cf.: Acts 1:14]
• Luke 11:1-13

We believe our church members should be united in their desire to fulfill Haven’s mission statement. With confidence in this common mission, and believing that God has called us to love one another, we will seek to value differing opinions and will work to reconcile our differences using the Biblical principals of forgiveness, grace and peace. We will be accepting of a variety of methods, ideas and changes within our ministry which support our mission and are not contrary to God’s Word nor the standards of faith.

• ans 4:3-6 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
• Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
• Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.
• John 17:20-23 {23: May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.)

We will strive to provide Christ centered, individual and corporate worship experiences that express our thankfulness to God, assist each person in praising God and understanding Him more fully through the use of sacraments, the Word and other expressions of Biblical worship.

• Psalm 122:1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
• Psalm 34:1-3 I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.
• Psalm 66:16 Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me.
• Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
• Colossians 3:17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
• Psalm 100
• Psalm 150
• Isaiah 6

Discipleship/spiritual growth/equip/education/raising up leaders – We are committed to providing the means through which individuals of all ages will be encouraged to grow in the understanding of the Christian faith and their spiritual maturity. It is our goal that every believer would use these means to grow to a place of leadership and service within the church, their home, and community according to the way that God has gifted them.

• 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
• Colossians 2:6-8 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankful-ness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
• Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations ….
• 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
• Philippians 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.
• 2 Peter 1:5-9 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We recognize that everything we have belongs to God. We are not owners but stewards of all God has given us. Therefore, we are committed to the Biblical principle of tithing, and gladly and generously, offer ourselves and our entrusted resources (time, talents, treasure) to God to be used for His glory.

• Matthew 23:23b You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
• Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
• Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
• 1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully admin-istering God’s grace in its various forms.
• Mark 12:29-31 (The Great Commandment)