The following are the core beliefs of Gibbsville Church based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible.
Reformed Theology
We are a church rooted in the 16th century Protestant Reformation which forever changed the religious climate across Europe. The Reformation was necessary because the Church had strayed far from a Biblically based foundation. Return to Biblical roots was desperately needed. Five revolutionary principles called the Sola’s (Latin for Alone) laid the foundation for renewal and reform. These principles are needed for continual health and reformation in the 21st century.
Scriptures Alone
The Scriptures, not the institutional Church, are the primary authority by which humanity must live and against which truth and error must be judged.
Faith Alone
The gift of salvation and the benefits of being in God’s eternal family come through personal faith in Christ as Savior, not by any personal good works, the merits of a human mediator, religious ceremonies, or institutional efforts.
Grace Alone
Salvation is by grace alone; it is the free and unmerited gift of God to a sinful human world.
Christ Alone
Christ is the only and exclusive one through whom salvation comes. He is the lone mediator between God and man.
To God Alone be the Glory
All was accomplished by God’s grace and for God’s glory. This is the goal of all the other Sola’s. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
God
We believe in a triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
Sacraments
The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are not a means of salvation but rather help us to grow in the grace of our Lord.
Baptism
We practice a covenantal view of infant and believer's baptism. We believe a child is baptized into the covenantal family and receives the blessings of growing up with a family of believers. This doesn’t mean that the child is saved but rather means that when this child comes to saving faith that God guarantees to save this child. We also baptize adults who come to saving faith at a later age.
Lord’s Supper
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a remembrance that Jesus died for our sins on the cross. We do not believe that the elements of bread and wine are turned into Jesus’ actual body (Catholic view) or that his actual body is in or around the elements (Lutheran view). We do believe the spiritual presence of Jesus is with us during communion.
Marriage
We believe marriage is only between one man and one woman. We believe marriage is only between one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24)
Governance
We have a Presbyterian (Greek word for elder) form of government. We have elders who teach and govern the church. (1 Timothy 3:2, 5:17) We have deacons who serve the church by caring for church needs and people. (1 Timothy 3:8-10) We make decisions through a plurality of elders.
Leadership Roles
We are complementarian in our view of gender roles. We believe men and woman are created equal in value and dignity before God but have different roles and functions in the home and in the church. (Ephesians 5:22-33, I Timothy 2:11-15, I Timothy 3:1-13)