Beliefs

What We Believe

At Overflow Church we believe in the authority of the Christian Scriptures for our life and practice. We hold to the essential orthodox Christian beliefs as expressed in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed (See Bottom of Page)

The Bible

We believe the Bible is God’s Word to all people. It is accurate, authoritative, and applicable to our everyday lives. It was written by people under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is perfect in its ability to teach us who God is and to help us grow in an active relationship with Him through the Holy Spirit.

Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:21

God, The Trinity

We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things. We believe that God exists as Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory. We believe that God is totally loving, completely holy, and has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. 

1 John 5:7; John 1:14, 14:28, 16:28; John 15:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 61:1  

God, The Father

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in love, holiness, justice, and grace. We believe that He is all-knowing and all-powerful. We believe that He mindfully and mercifully concerns Himself with the lives of humankind, that He hears and answers our prayers, and that He offers salvation from sin and death through Jesus Christ. 

Luke 10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16, 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6  

Jesus, The Son

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is both God and man and is the only one who can reconcile us to God. We believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless and exemplary life, died on the cross in our place, and rose again, proving His victory and lordship over our lives.  

1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23; 5:9; John 1:29  

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God’s presence on the earth. This is the same Spirit who rested upon Jesus and who has been given to all believers to guide, convict, comfort, empower, and equip them. We believe that the Spirit also manifests God’s presence to the world through signs, wonders, and miracles. We believe that the Spirit leads us into all truth, assures us that we are God’s children, and makes us more like Christ by manifesting the fruit of the Spirit through us. 

John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26  

Humanity

God created humanity in His image as the masterpiece of His creation. Humanity was intended to have an unbridled relationship with God but became separated from Him through sinful disobedience. As a result, humanity cannot attain a right relationship with God through human effort, thus proving the need for Jesus’ sacrificial and atoning death. Each person is uniquely created, called to a meaningful purpose, and perfectly loved and forgiven by God through Jesus. 

Genesis 1:26-30, 2:7, 18-22; 3:1-24; Psalm 8:3-6, 51:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; Ephesians 2  

Sin

We believe our sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives. As a result, humanity cannot attain a right relationship with God through our own effort.

Genesis 3; Psalm 32:1-5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Romans 3:10, 3:23, 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22  

Salvation

We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift from God, and it cannot be earned through our own efforts. 

Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10, 13; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22  

Water Baptism

We believe that baptism in water by immersion is a direct commandment of Jesus and is for believers only. Baptism is an ordinance symbolic of the Christian’s identification with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. 

Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12   

Baptism In The Holy Spirit

We believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit is a promise given by Jesus to all believers. When we speak of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we are addressing how God’s Spirit is not just with you, but dwells in you. The Holy Spirit’s empowerment of believers is often accompanied with expressions such as tongues, the power to be a witness for Christ, and supernatural unconditional love. We believe the works of the Holy Spirit, including the gifts of the Spirit enable Christ-followers to fully utilize public and private spiritual gifts for the furtherance of the Church and for personal spiritual growth. These manifestations of the Spirit are to operate in the Church with order. The workings of the Holy Spirit should never draw attention to the person but should always draw people closer to Christ.  

Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5, 2:1-4, 17, 38-39; 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47; 11:15-17, 19:1-6; 1 Corinthians 12-14  

The Church

We believe that the Church is a local community of believers unified through faith in Jesus. We believe God has individually equipped us and corporately gathered us as His living body to live in fellowship, to teach his word, to commit ourselves to prayer, and to being equipped with the necessary tools to obey God, live lives of discipleship, and to share Gospel with the world.  

Matthew 16:18-19, 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47, 5:11-14, 13:1-3, 14:23, 16:5, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 3:10-12, 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18, 3:15; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3  

Healing

We believe that daily health and divine healing were purchased by Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. Wisdom for the healthy stewardship of our bodies and divine healing by the laying on of hands are available to every believer. 

Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28; Romans 11:29  

Discipleship

We believe that God wants to transform believers so that we can live healthy and powerful lives, walking with Christ every day, and manifesting his love and character to the world around us. To live the holy, fruitful, and power-filled lives God intends for us, we need to set our mind on Him and His purpose, maintain fellowship with other believers, and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we can successfully achieve His purpose for our lives, which is to worship God, strengthen the Church, and share the Gospel with the community in which we live.

God's Plan For The End Times

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back again as He promised and will rule and reign on this earth. History will conclude as the wicked are judged and the righteous enter a new heaven and a new earth.

God's Plan For Marriage and Sexuality

We believe God created man and woman in His image. He created the family to be for one man and one woman. God’s design is beyond our choice, and we submit to His design for marriage and sexuality.

Matthew 16:18-19, 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47, 5:11-14, 13:1-3, 14:23, 16:5, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 3:10-12, 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18, 3:15; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3

The Apostle's Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
 maker of heaven and earth;
 And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
 who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
 born of the Virgin Mary,
 suffered under Pontius Pilate,
 was crucified, dead, and buried.
 He descended into hell.
 The third day he rose again from the dead.
 He ascended into heaven,
 and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
 From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
 the holy catholic Church,
 the communion of saints,
 the forgiveness of sins,
 the resurrection of the body,
 and the life everlasting. Amen. 

The Nicene Creed

the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.