| The Loft on God
God is really good! We believe in the God that is revealed to us in the Bible, in the Old and New Testaments. We believe that God is experienced through the Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We also believe that God is alive, and always seeking to be in a relationship with all people.
The Loft and Jesus
We believe Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. Jesus lived a sinless human life and died on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins. In his ministry, Jesus taught his disciples the basics of faithful living, and demonstrated for all people how to live perfectly in a relationship with God and one another. After his death on the cross, Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. One day, Jesus will return.
The Loft and the Holy Spirit
Probably the least taught and experienced part of God today…The Holy Spirit is God’s presence in the world today. Jesus said that an ‘Advocate’ would be sent after Christ that would make people aware for the need of God, inspire people to acts of faith in Jesus name, and provide assurance of God’s eternal presence. The Holy Spirit is how we know God today. Our awareness of God, decisions for God, and our actions to serve God and others are all shaped by the Holy Spirit
The Loft and the Bible
The Bible is God's word written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the final authority for determining our Christian beliefs and how we are to live. The Bible is best when open and read, and many great translations of the Bible exist today.
The Loft and the Servant Life
Although we can never earn our way into a relationship with God, actions matter. When we give our lives to Christ, we acknowledge that life is not about us, and then use our lives to serve God and neighbor. We do this because this is how Jesus lived. Jesus is our servant and asks His disciples to live this way.
The Loft and the Sacraments: Baptism and Communion
Jesus told his disciples to celebrate two specific events in his name; baptism and communion. Baptism is many things; the acknowledging of Jesus as savior, receiving forgiveness for sins, dying to an old way of life and rising to a new. Baptism is a cleansing, a claiming of the forgiveness Jesus offers. Once baptized, a person does not need to be baptized again – but many times throughout the year the loft places bowls of water around the worship area so that we can reconnect with that moment in our lives.
Communion is a celebration of the last supper Jesus has with his disciples. At the end Jesus took, blessed, and shared bread and wine as symbols of his body and blood. We celebrate this often at the loft, believing that, like baptism, God is present and at work through this gift.
Much more can be said about these beliefs. In the event that questions are not fully answered in this brief page, please feel free to email Andy (anixon@loftchurch.com) with any questions about basic Christian beliefs as expressed at the Loft! Thanks for reading, and may God bless you in the living of the Christian life.
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