We are equally committed not to be distracted by:

      • Denominational issues and traditions that overshadow God's purposes

At Greentree Church, our Statement of Faith focuses on those beliefs which distinguish us from the unbelieving world. We have not included those beliefs which distinguish believers from other believers.
We believe it is important that the threshold of belief for membership in this local church should be the same as it is to be a member of the body and church of Christ. "There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Eph. 4:4-6. There are doctrinal distinctions not included in this statement to which we hold and teach, but it is not necessary to hold these lesser distinctions in order to serve in this church or be a member.

WE HOLD THE FOLLOWING BELIEFS:

The Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament, is the inspired Word of God without error in the original manuscripts. There is no other literature similarly inspired by God, therefore the Bible is our only source for correct religious belief and practice.

There is one true God, yet He eternally exists as three co-equal Persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is a living, invisible Spirit. He is present everywhere (omnipresent); He has unlimited power (omnipotent); He knows everything (omniscient); He is without beginning or end; He cannot change (immutable); and His character is perfectly truthful, holy, loving and just. God created, sustains and rules everything for His own glory.

God created man in His own image for the purpose of mutual fellowship and His glory. However, the first man Adam - sinned against God thereby incurring the penalty of death. Through Adam all mankind has inherited a sinful nature which manifests itself in evil thought, speech and behavior. As sinners, all men are under God's just sentence of death spiritual, physical and eternal.

Jesus Christ is God the Son from eternity who joined Himself to a human nature, having been miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless human life, perfectly fulfilling the divine law. He then voluntarily died on a cross bearing the sins of the elect and atoning for them by His shed blood. He was buried, but on the third day He arose bodily from the grave and manifested Himself to many witnesses. He then ascended to heaven, where He is now at the right hand of God the Father interceding as High Priest and Advocate for those who place their trust in Him alone for salvation.

Man is utterly helpless to save himself from the power or penalty of sin by good deeds or any other means.  Salvation is wholly a work of God's grace and can only be attained through Jesus Christ and is based on Jesus' substitutionary death for sin and His victorious resurrection from the dead.  Men receive forgiveness and eternal life as a gift from God when they turn to Christ with a repentant heart and by faith receive Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune God.  He convicts unbelievers of sin, righteousness and judgment, enlightening their minds to the truth of the gospel by means of giving them a spiritual birth.  The Holy Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ; and making us children of God and new creatures in Christ.  The Holy Spirit indwells believers as the seal and pledge of their salvation.  As their Helper, the Holy Spirit guides Christians into all truth and empowers them for godly living and service.

The true church worldwide consists only of those who have been regenerated by God’s Spirit through faith in Christ. The church is the mystical body of Christ of which Jesus is the head. God chooses and equips certain men to serve as elders of the Church whose purpose is to teach the Word of God and lead the local church as undershepherds of Christ. Each member of the body of Christ is uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit and is charged to render loving care and service to the rest of the body. All Christians are enjoined to meet together regularly for worship, prayer, teaching and fellowship for the upbuilding of the body. They are also commanded to reach out into all the world to proclaim the gospel to all mankind.

Christ has established two ordinances for the Church – baptism and communion:
Baptism - Christ enjoined that Christians should be baptized in water as a public testimony symbolizing their union with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Supper (Communion). The Lord also has commanded true believers to regularly observe The Lord’s Supper as a sacred meal memorializing the death of Christ as the atonement sacrifice for our sin.

At a time known only to God, Jesus Christ will return visibly to this earth to consummate history and usher in His eternal kingdom; all the dead will be resurrected and stand before God for judgment. Unbelieving sinners will be judged for their sins and cast into Hell where they will be tormented forever. Believers will enter into the eternal bliss of heaven and receive the fullness of joy and glory with everlasting reward, in the presence of the Lord.