Our BeliefsHopewell Church is a Christian church that holds to the Scriptures as the inspired and infallible word of God. We are evangelicals who acknowledge the saving power of the gospel.
When it comes to the distinct features of our beliefs, we hope the following is a helpful summary. But we invite you to contact our pastor to learn more. He is always willing to sit down and talk theology. |
Reformed |
We call ourselves Reformed because we hold to what is called Reformed theology. Reformed theology derives its name from a movement known as the Protestant Reformation in the 16th & 17th centuries. The doctrines of the Reformation were gleaned from Scripture and captured in documents such as The Westminster Confession of Faith, the London Baptist Confession, and the Three Forms of Unity.
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Dual Confessional |
Our forefathers in the faith created creeds and confessions to encapsulate the truth that has “been once for all delivered up to the saints.” Specifically, this church is “dual-confessional” in that it will use as its basis both the Westminster and London Confessions.
As a dual confessional church we make it our aim not to let the issue of baptism divide us. When it comes to baptism, we permit families to choose whether they desire to baptize their infants or wait until the child professes faith. It is our belief that baptism, while important, should not be an issue that separates brothers in Christ. |
Covenantal |
Covenant forms the basis for our understanding of how God deals with His people. A covenant is a solemn relationship built on promises.
God first entered into a covenant with Adam, promising him life so long as he obeyed. After Adam fell, God entered into a second covenant, called the covenant of grace, wherein He promises life and salvation to those who believe in Christ. |
Government |
We believe that God calls elders as undershepherds to rule and govern the church. This is commonly known as a presbyterian form of church government (from the Greek word "presbuterous" meaning elder). Some elders are called specifically to teach, while others are to focus mainly on overseeing the spiritual welfare of the congregation.
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