What We Believe

We hold fast to the core doctrines of the historically orthodox Christian faith.  We can't know God exhaustively, but we can know Him accurately. We're unified in the big stuff, don't make small stuff into big stuff, and make it a mission to clarify which is which through Scripture.
The following are the core beliefs of CONVO Church based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible.  All of our ministry is rooted in and flows out of these Biblical doctrines.
These Core Beliefs, or Statements of Faith, do not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  We do believe, however, that the following
Core Beliefs accurately represent the foundational teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding
upon all members. All literature used in the Church shall be in complete agreement with the
Core Beliefs, and are reflected in the following clear statements.

We believe in the plenary verbal inspiration of the traditional canon of Scripture; that both the Old Testament and the New Testament are the infallible Word of God in all matters of life and doctrine; that the Bible is completely relevant today for every area of the human experience because it is living and active; that the Bible is the exclusive and only authority for faith and lifestyle; and that the original autographs are without error. It is to be believed, practiced, trusted, and hoped in.
 (1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:21)

We believe that there is One true God, the eternally self-existing “I AM”, who has revealed himself to us in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that the persons of the Trinity are co-eternal, co-equal, and yet with unique function.
(Ex. 3:14; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10, 11; Matt. 28; Jn. 8:58; 2 Cor. 13:14)

We believe in a Chalcedonian Christology of the Second Person of the Trinity. He is a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Spirit, yet of the same substance, two natures in One person (divine and human). We believe that Jesus Christ is God of God, the Son of God, who was incarnated as a human, was born of a virgin, was crucified, was buried, was resurrected, and is seated at the right hand of God on high.   (Mt. 1:20; Mk. 16:19; Jn. 1:1, 14; 3:16; 20:1-2; 1 Cor. 15::3-5; Hebrews 2:17; Gal. 4:4 Phil. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:22)

We believe in an Athanasian pneumatology of the Third Person of the Trinity. He is a distinct person from the Father and the Son, God of God, sent by the Father to equip the Body of Christ with grace for work. In all he does, he glorifies Christ. He convicts the world of sin, regenerates sinners, and in him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted into the family of God. The Holy Spirit is received at salvation, and assists us in our weaknesses by enabling us to live victorious, bold, Christ-like lives.
(Jn. 14:16-26; Rom. 8:9, 26; Eph. 4:30; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; Heb. 10:29)

We believe God, our Heavenly Father is the head of the Trinity, the first among co-equals.  There is a hierarchy within the Trinity of God as it relates to authority and function.  We believe the ultimate goal of God’s plan is that humanity be brought into intimate relationship  with the Father through faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus and the Holy Spirit work to bring glory to the Father, to point and draw people to glorify God and worship Him.
(Gen 1:26,27; Matt 6:5-13; 11:27; 24:36; Lk 2:14; 10:22; Jn 3:16; 5:19; 8:19; 11:40; 14:7,10, 31; 15:26; 16:27,28 )

We believe that humankind was created in the image of God but voluntarily sinned when tempted by Satan and fell short of God’s righteousness. Sin is willful transgression of the law of God and deserves death. At the fall, humankind incurred physical death and spiritual death, which is separation from God. All human beings are in union with Adam and are sinners by nature and by choice. Sin has alienated humankind from God and subjected it to his wrath.
(Ge. 1:26, 27; 2:17; 3:6; Rom. 5:12-19)

Fallen humankind’s hope of redemption is only possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his work on the cross. The redemption offered to humankind through the work of Christ must be received by repentance toward God and faith in Christ who shed his blood. Those who receive God’s offer of grace by faith are born again, justified, regenerated, adopted into the family of God, made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, and are partakers of eternal life to come.
(John 3:3; Acts 4:12; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:10; 8:14-17; 10:9-10; Titus 3:5-6)

We believe that the Church is the Body of Jesus Christ, who is its Head. The Church is comprised of all those who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. The Church is essential in faith and culture and only subject to the authority of Christ and leadership of the 5-Fold Ministry.  The Church is manifest in local churches, who’s membership should be only believers. The Church is being built up and made into the Bride of Christ, fully matured and presentable at Jesus’s Second Coming. We believe the Church is a pillar of truth to the world because of the abiding story and presence of Jesus as mediated by the Holy Spirit.
(Mt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 5:1, 5; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11-17; 5:27; Rev. 2-3)

We believe that water baptism is the immediate commanded step of obedience for every person who has repented and become a Christian through placing their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We do not endorse or participate in infant baptism and believe a person should be of age where they fully understand the commitment and decision they are making to live a public resurrected life of faith in Christ. Water baptism should be a full immersion under water as was taught and practiced by Christ and his disciples. Water Baptism is an outward expression of an inward transformation where your old life is buried, and you are raised to new life in Christ.
(Mt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Mt. 3:13-17; Heb 6:1-3; Acts 2:41; Romans 6:3-5; Gal. 3:26-27; Acts 22:16; Col 2:11,12)

We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit; a subsequent experience following the pattern in the book of Acts where the Holy Spirit came upon people supernaturally with dunamis power to not only live saved but to be filled with great boldness in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is gift. In Acts, this gift was accompanied by people receiving a prayer language or speaking in tongues as a sign. We do not believe this is the only sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, nor does everyone receive this gift at the same moment of experience. We do however believe it is for everyone, is still happening today, and should be eagerly pursued as well as the gift of prophecy. This gift is a heavenly language meant for intercession and the edification of your spirit, separate from the spiritual prophetic gift of tongues and interpretation.
(Acts 2:1-4; Acts 4:31; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 9:17; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 11:15-17; Acts 15:8; Acts 19:1-7; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5)

We believe in the personal, bodily, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the moment of his coming, which time is unknown, we will be caught up in the air, transformed in glory, and brought back to the earth whereupon Christ will sit in judgment, separate the wheat from the chaff, renew the earth, and reign as King forever. We believe that God is creating a New Heavens and a New Earth where humans will dwell forever with God. The imminent coming of Christ should inspire godly living and commitment to the mission of the Gospel.
(Isa. 65:17; Mt. 24:30; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 19:11-22:21)

We believe that those who reject God’s offer of grace and forgiveness and are not found in the book of Life will be raised and judged in the resurrection of the wicked and given over to eternal conscious punishment in the Lake of Fire along with the devil and his angels for all eternity.
(Mt. 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8)

We believe in the continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that the charismata did not cease after the Apostolic age. The purpose of the gifts is to equip the Church to carry out its mission until Christ returns, as well as to be a foretaste of the life to come. Believers should earnestly seek God in prayer for the gifts of the Spirit to operate in their own lives and ministries and should not only agree to them theoretically but practice them outwardly as the Spirit leads, including the personal prayer language gift of speaking in tongues, prophecy, and believing for signs, wonders, and miracles that bring glory to the Father.
(Rom. 1:11; 1 Cor. 1:5, 7; 12:1, 31; 1 Cor. 14:1-3,12; 2 Tim. 1:6-7; Heb. 6:5)

We believe every Christian, as a steward of  God’s wealth entrusted to them, is obligated to support their local Church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe (10% of first gross income) as a basis for obedience in giving, and that every Christian should also give other expressions of generosity sacrificially and cheerfully for the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. The tithe is meant to financially support pastors, ministers, ministries, facilities, and the basic operations of the local church.  Offerings (generosity) is to provide finances to accomplish vision goals beyond basic ministry operations.  We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made.
(Genesis 14:20; Deut 25:4Prov 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor 1-12:9; 16:2; 2 Cor 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Tim 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)

We believe God has ordained marriage and defined it as a covenant relationship between one man, one woman, and himself.   God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage, which is between one man and one woman.  Any sexual expression outside God's design is considered immorality and is condemned by God through His scriptures.  Hence, we only recognize marriage between a biological man and a biological woman. As a result, the leadership, staff, and faculty of CONVO Church will only participate in weddings and the solemnization of marriages between one man and one woman who share the Christian faith.  None of our property or facilities may be used to hold or participate in any marriage or civil union that violates these Biblical truths.
(Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5,13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Matt. 19:4; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; Eph. 5:25; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Pet. 3:7)

We believe that from the beginning God created two separate and distinct biological sexes: male and female. Moreover, we believe that Scripture does not permit any difference between biological sex and gender identity or expression. Humankind has been created by God and any attempt to misconstrue the difference between male/female and/or biological sex/gender identity is an attempt to self-create and is a result of sin and the fall. We reject the use of the word “gender” since it is a social construct that seeks to reject and suppress the truth of God. We also acknowledge that there are rare instances where people are born with an indiscriminate biological sex. Yet, these cases do not involve an attempt to self-create nor deny the dignity of how they were born.
(Gen. 1:26-27; Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6-7; Psalm 139:14)

We believe that God created humanity in his image (Imago Dei) therefore there is only ONE human race with different tones of skin color. God loves all humanity equally and without preference or favoritism. Racism, which is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against any person or people on the basis of their skin color, ethnic group, or nationality is evil and is the result of sin. We believe that the authority for approaching racism is Scripture and, therefore, our approach to racism centers around such. As a result, we reject Critical Race Theory (CRT), DEI, and other systems of thinking that insist on removing the equality of God’s design, that seeks to create people groups that divide, and that act as the authority on racism and the resolution to it.
(Mk 12:31; Acts 17:26; Rom. 2:11;: Rev. 7:9-10; 2 Tim. 3:16-17)

We believe that all human life is valuable and sacred, and that human life and full personhood begins at conception and continues until natural death.  As stewards of life, we are endowed by God, our Creator,  with the responsibility to protect the worth and dignity of human beings from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death. Therefore, we oppose taking innocent life in all forms, including abortion for any reason and euthanasia.
(Gen. 1:26-27; Job 31:15; Ps. 22:10; Ps. 127:3-5; Ps. 139:13-16; Jer. 1:5; Acts 17:25)

We believe that religious and civil liberty has a theological basis on the grounds that humans were created in the imago Dei and given certain inalienable rights; life, liberty, and the pursuit of being who God created us to be. Our rights are God-given, not government-given. One of these rights is freedom and liberty to worship. The state should not have any authority over religious practices and matters that would infringe on this right. Equally, the state (in the United States under our Constitution) exists to protect this right. Each church and every religion should seek religious freedom, not only as its own inherent right, but as the right of other churches and religions. (Gen. 1:27; Jn. 8:36 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1)