ABOUT OUR CHURCH
Learn about our values, culture, beliefs and partnerships at Lifehouse
ALL are welcome
Seriously. And by welcome, we mean that everybody deserves the opportunity to hear, experience, understand, and respond to the Good News about what Jesus has done and offers to us. No matter who you are, what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or how long you’ve been there, Lifehouse welcomes you to come and hear how Jesus can change your life. Lifehouse is a church that exists to invite all people to live the uncommon life that Jesus offers. Whether you’ve been a Christian for 30 years, 30 seconds, or just curious about Jesus and faith- Lifehouse is a place for you. Plus, your kids and students will love it.
We want the church to be known by what it is FOR, not what it's AGAINST
We believe and practice that the church should be FOR its cities. By that we mean that our church should pray and work for the good and prosperity of Hampton, Newport News, Yorktown, Poquoson, and Williamsburg.
From the very beginning, Lifehouse has done this. Through local strategic partners that we financially invest in each month, to our annual For Our City Week, we are a church that will make wherever we are better.
CHARACTERISTICS
Our Church Culture
Every family, business, organization, or church has values...written or unwritten statements that shape the seen and felt realms. Lifehouse is no different. Our core values undergird how we make decisions as a church, what is important to us, and what we hope people sense and feel when they encounter Lifehouse.
BELIEFS
Our Church Statement of Faith
While the Bible is our only infallible rule of faith and practice, we are also committed—and accountable—to a specific statement of faith that represents a summary of the teaching of Holy Scripture.
The Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it was inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any mixture of error and is completely relevant to our daily lives. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 105; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Romans 15:4; Romans 16:25-28; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Peter 3:16).
The Trinity
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority (Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 1:35; Romans 8:9-11; Hebrews 3:7-11; James 2:19; I John 5:7).
The Father
God is great: He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, Holy. It is in Him that we live, move and exist. God is good. He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises (Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16; 4:24; 5:26; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4).
The Son
Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. He is completely human but, at the same time, completely God. He is the only plan for bringing people who are far from God back into a right relationship with God. He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life so that He could be a substitution for us in satisfying God’s demands for perfection. He defeated death in His resurrection so we can have life (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 22:70; 24:46-47; John 1:1,14, 20:28; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; I Timothy 3:16; Philippians 2:5-6;
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. The Holy Spirit’s presence, in the lives of Christians, assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Christ. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily (Genesis 1:2; Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5, 1:8, 2:1-4; 17, 38-39; 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47; 11:15-17, 19:1-6; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 5:18; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17).
Salvation
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is God’s gift to you if you’ll accept it. It is not a result of our good works, self-improvement, or of any human efforts. It is only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness that you can be saved from sin’s penalty (Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 27:22-66; 28:1-6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 14:6; John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Romans 5:1; 10:9-10; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:22; Revelation 3:20).
The Church
The church is the Body of Christ, a local community of baptized believers, unified through faith in Christ Jesus. It is committed to the teachings of Christ and obeying all of His commands. The church also seeks to bring the Gospel to the world. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. (Matthew 16:18-19; 18:15-20; John 17:11, 20-23; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:5; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; 3:10-12; 5:22-32; Hebrews 12:23).
Eternity & Man
Eternity
Man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence (Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20; Mark 9:43-48; John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 9:27; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 20:12-15).
Man
Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Man was created to have fellowship with God but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort. We are all born with a sinful nature and choose to sin against God. We’re incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through our own efforts (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11).
Virgin Birth
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary’s womb; therefore, He is the Son of God (Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35).
Redemption, Regeneration, Repentance & Sanctification
Redemption
Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression, he fell; his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).
Regeneration
For anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential (John 6:44, 65; Matthew 19:28; Titus 3:5).
Repentance
Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance, we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:19; I John 1:9).
Sanctification
Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life (I Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; II Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, II Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11).
Jesus' Blood & Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Jesus’ Blood
The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9; John 1:29).
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:16; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6-7; I Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; I Peter 4:10).
Water Baptism & Communion
Water Baptism
Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new believer is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48).
Communion
Communion is a unique time, in the presence of God, when the elements of bread and grape juice (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).
Resurrection & The Second Coming
Resurrection
Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).
The Second Coming
Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7).
