What Does Mercyview Believe?
We affirm and generally hold to the London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) and the Baptist Faith and Message (2000). We believe these confessions provide a clear, biblical, and systematic summary of essential Christian doctrine, grounded in Scripture and shaped by the historic Reformed tradition. By adhering to these confessions, we are deeply connected to a rich theological heritage, ensuring doctrinal unity and clarity across generations. Moreover, it serves as a safeguard against theological error and cultural drift, helping the church remain faithful to the truth in an ever-changing world.
1. One God in Three Persons
We believe in one eternal God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—distinct in person, united in essence, perfect in love, holiness, justice, and power.
2. The Bible: God’s Unshakable Word
We believe the Bible is God’s inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word—sufficient, trustworthy, and alive—guiding all of life and faith.
3. Creation, Fall, and Redemption
We believe humanity was made in God’s image but fell into sin, fracturing creation and separating us from Him. Only Jesus Christ reconciles us to God through His perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection.
4. Jesus Christ: Fully God, Fully Man
We believe Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, lived sinlessly, died sacrificially, rose victoriously, and reigns as Savior, Lord, and returning King.
5. Salvation by Grace Alone
We believe salvation is the free gift of God, received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, marked by repentance and transformation through the Holy Spirit.
6. The Holy Spirit: Our Comforter and Power
We believe the Holy Spirit indwells believers, empowering them to live boldly for Christ, produce spiritual fruit, and exercise spiritual gifts.
7. The Church: Christ’s Visible Body
We believe the Church, united under Christ, exists to glorify God, proclaim the gospel, and equip believers to live as His witnesses in the world.
8. Sacraments of Grace
We believe in two sacraments instituted by Christ: baptism, symbolizing union with Him, and the Lord’s Supper, proclaiming His death until He returns.
9. Biblical Marriage and Sexuality
We believe marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, imaging Christ and His Church. Sexual expression is a gift reserved for this union.
10. The Sanctity of Life
We believe every human life bears God's image and is sacred calling for love, protection, and justice from conception to natural death.
11. The Return of Christ
We believe Jesus will return in glory to judge the living and the dead, restore all things, and establish His eternal kingdom.
12. All Things Made New
We believe in the resurrection of the body, eternal joy for the redeemed in God’s presence, and eternal separation from Him for the unrepentant. In the new heavens and new earth, sin and its effects will be no more.
What is Mercyview Committed To?
At Mercyview, we believe that the priorities of a church should reflect the biblical vision for Christ-centered community. To that end, we’ve made several key commitments to guide how we worship, fellowship, and live out our faith together. Whether you’re new or considering joining our congregation, these commitments provide a foundation for what you can expect and how you can participate in the life of Mercyview.
1. A commitment to biblical teaching
We commit to wield the sword of God’s Word with precision and power, equipping saints to fight the good fight and live in radical obedience to King Jesus, training believers to walk boldly in Christ’s truth and joyfully obey His commands (Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17; John 14:15; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 15:10).
2. A commitment to confessional unity
We commit to stand together on the truths of historic, orthodox Christianity, celebrating our shared faith, once delivered to the saints, enabling us to speak with clarity and conviction to the whole of the Christian life (2 Tim. 1:13-14; 2 Thess. 2:15; Jude 1:3; Heb. 6:19; 1 Cor. 1:10).
3. A commitment to model the renewed city
We commit to living as a community that previews God’s ultimate kingdom, aiming to challenge the powers of darkness by rehearsing the customs of heaven in our gathered worship—Scripture, prayer, communion, and shared life—so that we can shape the liturgy of the world (Acts 2:42-47; Eph. 2:19-22; Heb. 12:22-24; Rev. 21:5).
4. A commitment to equipping every believer
We commit to unleashing the priesthood of all believers, calling each member to live out their gifts with gospel-driven purpose, fueling the mission of making Christ known (Rom. 12:4-5; Phil. 2:13; Matt. 25:14-30; 1 Cor. 12:7).
5. A commitment to the family and to next generations
We commit to discipling the next generations, by both equipping the family and through faithful instruction in the church, to treasure Christ above all and to love and live by the Word, so that many generations beyond will come to enjoy the blessings of walking in God's ways. (Deut. 6:6-7; Ps. 78:4-7; Col. 3:16; Deut. 11:19; Ps. 145:4; 2 Tim. 2:2).
6. A commitment to discipling the nations locally and globally
We commit to boldly declaring the gospel as Christ builds His church among every tribe, tongue, and nation. This mission involves not only proclamation but bringing the light of God’s kingdom into every sphere of life, urging the cities of men to embrace the rule of Christ until he returns (Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 5:8-13; Rev. 11:15; Jer. 29:7; Col. 1:15-20).
7. A commitment to cultural engagement
We commit to understanding and engaging culture in such a way that we neither retreat from it nor conform to it but transform it by the power of the gospel of the kingdom because no corner of culture is exempt from His redeeming claim; all must be brought into joyful submission to His Lordship (Rom. 12:2; John 17:15-18; 1 Cor. 10:31; Matt. 28:18-20).
8. A commitment to God's design for men and women
We affirm that men and women are made in God’s image, equal in dignity yet distinct in their God-ordained roles in the home and church. We also uphold God’s good design of the “spiritual household” in the local church where mature men and women lead their spiritual sons and daughters in the faith as spiritual fathers and mothers (Gen. 1:27; Eph. 5:22-33; Titus 2:2-6).
9. A commitment to radical hospitality
We commit to invite the weary, broken, and lost to experience God’s grace and hope in our midst. Our hospitality is both rooted in love - welcoming sinners with compassion - and truth - calling all to repentance, faith, and lives shaped by Christ’s lordship and design (Luke 15:2; Rom. 12:13; 1 Pet 4:9; Luke 14:13-14; 2 Cor. 5:20).
10. A commitment to a free conscience and a free church
We affirm that the Christian submits to no earthly authority in matters of faith and worship, for Christ is Lord of the conscience. In addition, a free church in a free state reflects God’s design, as the church carries out its mission under Christ’s rule, while the civil government upholds order and justice within the limits of its appointed role (James 4:12; Acts 5:29; Rom. 13:1-4; Gal. 5:1).