Some Significant Core Beliefs

The church family at Brooks Avenue seeks to be a fellowship of people bound together by mutual faith in Jesus Christ and genuine love for one another. We believe the death, burial and resurrection of Christ constitute the core of the Good News all people need to hear. Jesus, the Son of God, suffered the penalty of sin for all of us when He died on the cross. Though He died, He did not stay dead. He was resurrected, confirming what thoughtful people have always known - death is not the end!

We believe that our salvation is by God's grace through our faith in the Lord Jesus. As sinners, we deserve punishment because of our sins. However, by grace, we receive mercy from God as we look dependently and trustingly at the saving work of Jesus at the cross. This is the "Good News" message known as "The Gospel." The central message taught within our fellowship is that God loves and accepts sinners through Jesus Christ.

Biblically, it is our understanding that authentic faith in Jesus expresses itself in repentance and baptism in Jesus' name. Repentance is our sincere acknowledgment that God's judgment against sin is just, and immersion in water (baptism) is the way for sinners to affirm our faith in the sufficiency of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, and to accept the forgiveness He offers.

We accept the Bible as God's inspired revelation. We are committed to the goal of teaching the Bible and allowing its eternal principles to continually move us closer to the center of God's will for our lives. We believe in and depend upon the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's daily life.

Though we are not saved "by good works," we believe that we are saved "for good works." We strongly encourage every member to find fulfillment in love and service to others. We deeply believe that it is in loving that one becomes like God. At Brooks, every member is considered a minister of Christ and is encouraged to identify, develop and use his or her spiritual gifts and talents.