Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of Bridge Church | Rice, MN 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.
The Bible
God
The Old and New Testament are verbally inspired by God, the only written revelation from God to man. The Bible is infallible and the authoritative rule of faith and conduct for mankind. (II Timothy 3:15-17; I Thessalonians 2:13 & II Peter 1:21)
We believe there is One God, eternally existing in three Persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and Redeemer of mankind. (Isaiah 43:10,11; Genesis 1:1; Ephesians 4:5-6)
Jesus Christ
Fall of Man
We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity. Jesus Christ is 100% man and 100% God. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. (John 1:1 & 14; 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Php 2:5-6; I Timothy 2:5)
We believe every person matters to God. All people were created in the image of God to have a relationship with Him, but became separated from God through sinful disobedience. As a result, people are incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through their own efforts. (Titus 3:5; II Corinthians 5:15; Romans 3:23)
Salvation of Man
The Church
We are saved by grace (which is undeserved and unearned) through faith in Jesus Christ, His death, burial and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human effort. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 19:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22)
The church is the body of Christ and has a three fold purpose; to evangelize the world, to worship God, and to equip for ministry. Jesus is the head of the Church and we are called to follow His example. (Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; Colossians 1:18)
Communion
Water Baptism
We practice receiving Communion as an act of remembering what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us on the cross and a celebration of our salvation. (Luke 22:19; I Corinthians 11:23-25)
The Scripture teaches that all who repent and believe in Jesus are to be baptized by immersion, baptism is a public profession of faith in Christ. It is a declaration to the world that we have died to sin and have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4)
The Holy Spirit (Baptism)
Divine Healing
Given at Pentecost, we believe the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father available to all Christians, given by Jesus after His ascension, to empower the Church and every believer to supernaturally communicate the gospel throughout the whole earth. (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:20; Ephesians 5:18) We are instructed to diligently seek the gifts, but they must be exercised in an orderly way in the context of love. (I Corinthians 12:31, 14:1, 26-33)
Is provided for today by the Scriptures and included in the atonement for our sins. (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:14-16)
Sanctification
The Blessed Hope
We believe this is an ongoing process of being set apart for God, characterized by our yielding to God to complete the development of the Christ's character in us. (I Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23; II Corinthians 3:18; II Thessalonians 2:1-3)
The resurrection and rapture of all Christians dead and alive to meet Christ in the air is the Blessed Hope. The second coming of Christ includes the rapture and a return to earth by Christ with His saints for a thousand year reign. (Romans 8:23; I Corinthians 15:51-52; Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:17,30)
The Final Judgment
There will be a final judgment in which the dead will be resurrected and judged according to their works. Everyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life, along with the Devil and his angels, will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be resurrected and stand at the judgment seat of Christ to be rewarded for their good deeds. (Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 2:1-9; Revelation 20:11-15; I Corinthians 4:5)