What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Connection Church Sturgis 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 (Genesis 1:1), 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.

Jesus Christ is the only begotten and eternal Son of God.  Jesus Christ is the incarnate word of God who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary .  Jesus Christ is the express image of God Jesus Christ was both 100% God and 100% man who in humility stepped out of heaven, out of glory to come and relate to man, for the sole purpose of redemption.  Jesus Christ, in the taking on of flesh, fully identified with man, yet lived a sinless life, perfectly enduring all the trials and temptations that befall humankind.  In His perfect obedience, Jesus Christ accomplished His sole purpose, that through His substitutionary death, Jesus Christ bore our sin, judgment, and His Father's wrath (to include separation), so that our sins might be forgiven us and in His  resurrection, the sting of death removed from those who confess and surrender their lives to Him

John 1:14; Matthew 1:21; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, yet equally and fully God. We believe the Holy Spirit's role on this earth to be as Jesus declared in John 16:8-14 and that His primary role is to conform believers more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.

John 16:8-14; 

Sin is the actions, thoughts, and decisions made in rejection, rebellion, and disobedience to God and His Word.  We hold to the truth and believe that sin entered the world through one man, Adam; further according to Scripture we believe that because of the fall, recorded in Genesis 3, no person, other than our Lord Jesus Christ, is free of sin.  Further, we hold to the truth that sin is what separates man from a holy, just, and loving God, which wages are death.  

Genesis 3; Romans 5:12; Romans 3:10-12; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23a

We believe and hold to the Biblical truth that salvation is the work of God alone in sending His only begotten Son into this world to pay the wages of our sin and that in His substitutionary death, our sins are forgiven us and in His resurrection, believers have life. We believe salvation to be an act of God's agape love.  Further, salvation is the free gift of God's grace and therefore cannot be earned or merited through rules, works, or religion.  We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, who willingly stepped out of heaven in full obedience,  to bear the sins of man; we hold that a person receives God's gift of salvation in their understanding and acceptance of Biblical repentance and confession.
-Repentance is the turn from a life of willful sin, to a life that diligently seeks after God
-Confession is the agreement with what God says about one's sin and the agreement that Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross is the only means by which our sin can be forgiven.

*Ephesians 2:4-8; John 14:6;Romans 8:32; Romans 10:9-13; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2

The Church is meant to be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ under the guidance and authority given through the Holy Spirit.  Connection Church holds to the Biblical truth that each believer is given spiritual gifts, which are purpose to promote the gospel, reach the lost, and develop the church body in unity. We believe the marks of a healthy church is seen in the spiritual transformation of the lives of those belonging to the local New Testament church.

Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:7-16

We believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ is what removes the sting of death from the believer and gives victory over man's greatest enemy (death and hades).  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.

1 Corinthians 15:51-55; Revelation 19:11-16