Beliefs and Values

"HIS HEART...HIS HANDS"

What We Believe
These are some fundamental beliefs that we share as elders, ministers, and members
of the Boulder Valley Church of Christ.

God, the Father
We believe that one God exists eternally in three beings: the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16; 28: 18-19; II Corinthians 13:14). God designed, created, and
rules over all the world (Psalm 19:1; 50:9-12). His desire and plan from the beginning
have been that all people should have a relationship with him.

Jesus, the Son
We believe that God sent his son Jesus Christ to live on earth as a fully divine and fully
human being. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and performed many miracles
that confirmed his divinity. Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice on the cross for our sins
(John 10:18) and that changed everything. He rose from the dead three days later to
demonstrate his power over sin and death (I Corinthians 15:1-8). He ascended to
Heaven, is preparing a place there for us, and one day will return in glory and power to
take his followers back with him. Jesus is the head of the church, and we believe and
follow his teachings because he taught only what the Father commanded. He is the
mediator between humans and God, and no one can go to God except through Jesus
(John 14:6)

The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit was with the Father and the Son in the creation. He makes
people aware of their need for Christ (John 16:8-11, 2 Corinthians 6:11). He is a gift
from God who dwells in our lives as believers, marking us for salvation (Ephesians
1:13). The Spirit empowers us to live godly lives by convicting us of sin and guiding us
to do good works for the glory of God. The Spirit helps believers in their walk with God
by comforting us, guiding us, and even helping us pray (Romans 8:26). The Spirit produces
fruit and gifts in our lives as believers to strengthen the church and help others know Christ
(I Corinthians 12:7, Galatians 5:22-25)

The Bible
We believe The Bible is the inspired word of God and is the final authority in life and
doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16).

Sin and Redemption
We believe that sin—acting in our own interests instead of God’s—separates people
from a relationship with God. Everyone sins (Romans 3:23), and without an act of divine
reconciliation, we cannot know God. Christ’s death on the cross is the only sufficient
payment for our sins. All of us have sinned, but all can be saved. Salvation cannot be
earned but is a gift from God. It is available to all who trust Christ as Savior and desire
to follow his teachings (Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16).

Salvation and Baptism
We believe that those who trust Christ should repent of sin, confess their faith, and be
baptized according to God’s command (Acts 2:38, Romans 10:9). Baptism reenacts Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-5). The Bible demonstrates that true baptism is performed by immersion in water (Acts 9:38). When we are baptized, we are saved and receive the Holy Spirit, who then lives within us. We die to our old lives, our sins are buried in the blood of Jesus, and we are raised again to a new life in Christ. Because the Bible teaches that only those who have faith in Jesus Christ can be baptized (Acts 2:41), we do not believe in baptism of infants or young children, as they cannot understand what it means to repent of sin and confess faith. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven already belongs to the little children (Luke 18:16-17).

The Lord’s Supper
We believe in sharing the Lord’s Supper, or communion, every Sunday as part of our
worship service. Jesus established the Lord’s Supper shortly before his death as a way
for believers to remember him and what he did for us (Luke 22:19). The first church met
together regularly to share a meal in remembrance of his death, burial, and resurrection.
When we share the Lord’s Supper, the bread symbolizes the body of Christ and the cup
symbolizes his blood. As we share them together, we reflect on his love and sacrifice for
us and recommit ourselves to living lives worthy of his sacrifice (I Corinthians 11:27-29).

The Church
We believe that the church is the “body” of Christ on earth. He established the church,
and the Holy Spirit empowers it to equip and support believers who reach out to those
who do not yet know Christ, helping them become his devoted followers (Ephesians 4:
1-16). Christ is the head of the church, and believers are the body (Ephesians 5:23).
The Bible says that Christ shed his blood for the church so we (the church) can be presented to God as a beautiful bride (Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 21:2,9). Therefore, the church, in spite of its weaknesses and imperfections, is essential to every believer’s life.

Christian Living
We believe that, as followers of Jesus, we should be a light to the world and bring hope
and encouragement to those around us by living according to God’s teaching. We
should strive to walk closely with God in prayer and read his word daily to know his will
for our lives and to live in a way that pleases him. Christians are one in Christ regardless of economic status, race, or gender (Galatians 3:26-28) and should be known for their love of others (I John 4).