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Convictions & Values

 

Leadership

The consistent pattern throughout the New Testament is that each local body of believers is shepherded by a plurality of qualified (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), male pastors/elders (synonymous terms in New Testament). Simply stated, this is the only pattern for church leadership given in the New Testament.

Pastors/elders are called to number of specific duties, including: prayer, Scripture study, caring for the people in the church, equipping the church to do ministry, giving an account to God for the church, living exemplary lives, preaching and teaching, praying for the sick, teaching sound doctrine and refuting error. This necessarily means we are not a congregationally led church with members voting. However, as elders/pastors we strive to focus on shepherding the flock with the primary decision-making responsibility regarding our Mission, Vision, Values, and Doctrine.

Ordinances

We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances to be observed by all believers as a matter of obedience, not as a condition for salvation – water baptism subsequent to the believer’s profession of faith, and the Lord’s Supper. Matthew 28:19; I Corinthians 11:23-26

Sanctity of Human Life

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Psalms 139).

Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. Additionally, we believe the rejection of one’s biological sex suggests that God makes mistakes, which He definitely does not (Psalm 139:13-16).

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in outside of the marriage union between one man and one woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including fornication, adultery, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of West Valley Bible Church as the local body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the wvBc members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by West Valley Bible Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22).

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

We believe that “we” (His church) are commissioned by Jesus to unconditionally reach out to everyone without prejudice or bias of any kind. We believe we are to love and pursue all peoples regardless of race, creed, gender, social/economic status, or sexual orientation with the hope of Jesus. We believe we must reach out to everyone with an attitude of utmost humility remembering/knowing we were all once spiritually blind, naked, lost, lifeless, His enemies and yet He still pursued us. We are called to be ‘friends of sinners’ with the intent and hope of introducing people to the only hope of humanity, Jesus (Matt. 9:11-13; Luke 5:29-32; Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 6:11).

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Matt. 22:34-40; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines and values of West Valley Bible Church.