Connection Convictions

  • Our core values

    1. Gospel-Driven - We believe that every church should be centered around the gospel message. Our desire is that every aspect of our church is designed to lead people to Jesus. (Matthew 28:19-20)


    2. God’s Word - We want to center all that we do as a church around what God would have for us. The best way to do that is to study and live out God’s Word. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)


    3. Relationships - We need people to walk with us on the journeys of life, good and bad, to help, encourage and guide us to find God’s best. (Matthew 22:37-39)


    4. Service - We believe that our lives should be active when it comes to faith. We want people to discover how they work in concert with other believers to use their lives and talents to help the world discover Christ. (Philippians 1:3-8)


    5. Excellence - We believe that if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right. We want to be known for our desire to do our best. God has done so much for us and we want to make sure that our church is known for giving our best. (1 Corinthians 10:31)


  • salvation & baptism

    Salvation

    God created us to be in close relationship with Him. That relationship was broken because of sin.

    • Sin and a broken relationship with God brought death, broken relationships with others, and a curse upon all creation.
    • God made a way for our relationship with Him to be restored through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

    Though we still live in a broken and cursed world we can have and offer hope and life through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.


    Salvation comes through grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone.


    Baptism

    What?

    • Baptism means to be immersed or put under water as an outward sign of what God has dome on the inside.
    • Baptism is a picture of how Jesus was buried and resurrected and a public declaration that we are identifying ourselves with him and his Kingdom.

    When?

    • Following the pattern seen in the Bible, baptism should happen after someone has trusted in Jesus.
    • Being baptized is the first step of obedience to Christ that a new follower makes.

    Why? 

    • Following the example of Jesus. (Matthew 3:13)
    • Jesus and the apostles commanded it. (Acts 2:38)
    • It is a powerful testimony to the community of our new life in Jesus and our new allegiance to His Kingdom. (Romans 6:4)


  • Denomination

    We are Southern Baptist. 


    We partner with 45,000 other churches to do work in missions both nationally and internationally, disaster relief, training for Pastors and Leaders, defending Biblical morality in our laws and government and many other effects for the Kingdom.

    Being Southern Baptist means that we believe in God’s Word and the Gospel. It also means we are working together to see people find Christ, be discipled and use their lives for God’s Glory.


    You can find out more about Southern Baptist and how God is using us here.

  • Our beliefs

    The Bible - The Bible is God’s message and explanation of Himself to mankind. It was written by human authors inspired by God. It is truth and without error and reveals the plan, purposes and will of God for all time. 


    God in Three Persons - There is one and only one living and true God. He is the Creator and Ruler of the universe, the seen and the unseen. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. God reveals Himself and exists in three persons: the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. All are equal and are one God.


    God the Father - God as Father rules over His universe, His creatures, and human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is perfect and all knowing and all powerful. God is Father to those who become His children through faith in Jesus. 


    God the Son - Jesus is the perfect representation of God in human form. He is fully human and fully divine. He is eternal and equal with God but humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant and offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from death after three days demonstrating His power over sin and death. Jesus ascended to Heaven and will one day return as King to judge the world. 


    God the Holy Spirit - He convicts of sin and works in the life of each believer to produce godly character and abilities to carry out the work of the church. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and provides power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance. 


    Humanity - Humanity is the special creation of God, created in His likeness, male and female. In the beginning humanity was innocent of sin but by free choice sinned against God. As a result of that sin all humanity has inherited a sin nature and are guilty of sin. Because humanity was created in the likeness of God, and because Jesus died for all, every person is worthy of respect and love. 


    Salvation - Salvation is the gift of God for humanity and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. It was obtained by the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross. Only by trusting in Jesus and God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty and be rightly related to God. Believers may sin and grieve the Holy Spirit but their salvation is kept secure by the power of God.      

    Church - The church is the body of Christ. The church includes all believers from throughout history. The church exits locally as a group of believers committing together to carry out the commands of Jesus and to observe the two ordinances of the church - baptism and communion. 


    Baptism - Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water. It is an outward expression of the inward change that has occurred in the life of the believer. Baptism is a picture of the believer’s faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Jesus. It is also symbolic of the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life and the resurrection to a new life in Jesus.


    Communion - Communion is a remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus. The bread and the cup are symbolic and commemorative of Jesus’ body and blood which were broken and spilled for our salvation. Communion is for baptized believers.


    Stewardship - God is the giver of all earthly and spiritual blessings that we have. Believers have a duty to be good managers of their possessions and a responsibility to serve God with their time, talents, and material possessions. The Bible says that believers should give a percentage of their income cheerfully, regularly, and generously. 


    Spiritual Gifts - Spiritual gifts are given by God for the edification and advancement of the church. Spiritual gifts are not given to draw attention to or to elevate an individual. Because spiritual gifts are meant to build up the church we will work to prevent differences in understanding of spiritual gifts from becoming a point of contention or division.


    Biblical Marriage - We believe that marriage is to be between one man and one woman for life.


    Our beliefs are specific to Connection Church. However, we share the beliefs of the Baptist Faith and Message, a summary of the beliefs of Southern Baptist.


    Those beliefs in their entirety can be found here