What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Southwest Church based on the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical truths.

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, 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.
(Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:1-2)

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  He has coexisted with the Father throughout eternity.  He became a human being through a miraculous conception.  Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered himself as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the grave after three days demonstrating his power over sin and death.  He later ascended to be with the Father and to intercede on our behalf.  We believe that it is through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we have salvation from our sins and the gift of eternal life.
(John 1:1-5, 14; Colossians 2:6-7, 9)

We believe that the Holy Spirit is also a distinct person, who has coexisted with the Father and the Son throughout eternity.  He lives within every Christian from the moment of salvation.  The Holy Spirit provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance
in doing what is right.
(2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Romans 8:9-11)

We believe that the Bible is God’s written word.  The Bible was recorded by human authors, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.  We also believe that the Bible is relevant and
applicable to our lives.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12)

People are created in the image of God and have tremendous potential for good, but all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.”  Sin separates people from God and causes many problems in life.
(Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:23; Ezekiel 18:20;
Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 6:23)

Jesus Christ is God’s solution for our sins.  Through him, we can experience God’s forgiveness for our sins, receive God’s Spirit, and be adopted into God’s family forever.  We believe that salvation is God’s free gift to all who will respond in faith
to his wonderful grace.
(Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11; John 3:16; Acts 2:38-41)

We practice and recognize the original, biblical form of baptism which is immersion in water.  The New Testament word for baptize, baptizo, means “to immerse.”  By being immersed in water in Jesus’ name we identify ourselves with his death, burial, and resurrection.  We also follow the example and teaching of the Bible and baptize only intentional believers.
(Acts 2:38-41; Romans 6:1-7; Galatians 3:26-27)

It is our practice to observe the Lord’s Supper each weekend.  The bread and juice remind us of the body and blood of Christ offered up for our sins on the cross.  Jesus Christ ordained certain practices, so that his believers could remember that in a real way he is always with them.  Baptism is the ordained event that the individual is initially united in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The Lord’s Supper is the ordained event to regularly renew that union
with the risen Lord.
(Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)

People were created to exist forever.  We will exist either eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation.  To be eternally separated from God is Hell.  To be eternally in union with God is eternal life.  Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.  We believe that a Christian can have confidence of
his/her eternal salvation.
(John 14:1-3; 1 John 5:13; Matthew 10:28)