BELIEFS
Learn more about what we believe and our theological convictions.
THE GOSPEL
What is the gospel?
In modern Christianity, the gospel has become increasingly watered-down and individualized. The gospel has simply become about Jesus dying on the cross for your sins. This presentation of the gospel is catered towards altar-call Christianity that pushes for a moment of decision, rather than a life of submission to the mission and purposes of God in Christ.
While the gospel certainly includes our personal salvation in Jesus Christ, but it’s so much more. When Jesus began his ministry he preached about a much bigger gospel than one that simply deals with our personal sin problem and then we get eternal life.
“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””
If the gospel is just that Jesus died for your sins, then how could Jesus have come preaching the “gospel of God” before he even died on the cross?
The gospel that Jesus preached was that “kingdom of God has come.” This was the good news, that kingdom of God was breaking into this world because the King had come. Therefore, it was time to repent and believe in this good news. Jesus preached the gospel that offered salvation to sinners, but also promised that all creation would be renewed and the enemies of Satan, sin, and death would be defeated.
When we trust in Christ, we are no longer citizens of this world, but exiles whose citizenship is in heaven. As members of that kingdom we get to participate in the mission of God as his children and ambassadors of the King.
We are Reformed.
What does it mean to be Reformed?
By "Reformed" we mean that we embrace the fundamental doctrines of the Protestant Reformation: Christ alone, faith alone, and Scripture alone. This means we believe that salvation can only be found in Christ, can only be received by faith, and is only revealed in the Bible.
Our Denomination
Redeemer is also a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), to which we hold ourselves accountable. The PCA adheres to the particular expression of Christian doctrine found in the Westminster Confession of Faith.
We always try to stress that you don't have to be Reformed or identify as a Presbyterian to be a part of Redeemer. We celebrate the many diverse and faithful denominations within Christ's body. Our church is made up of people from all sorts of Christian traditions and backgrounds that now call Redeemer Rockwall home.
REFORMED DISTINCTIVES
These distinctives form the foundation of Reformed theology.
THE TRIUNE GOD
God exists eternally as three-in-one and one-in-three, as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory.
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
We believe God rules over his creation and is providentially involved in the events of the world, both great and small, and that ultimately nothing happens apart from his will.
THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
The Scriptures are authoritative for all of life and the only source for understanding a life of godliness. Scripture gives a full account of what is necessary for salvation and how we discover it in Jesus Christ.
THE GRACE OF SALVATION
Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. God is the initiator of salvation in us and he brings his work of redemption to completion within us by his Spirit.
DOCTRINE OF HUMANITY
All humanity, both male and female, are equally created in the image of God and worthy of dignity. Humanity was created for divine relationship and only discovers their purpose in God.
THE REALITY OF SIN
Sin is what is wrong with the world and the reason for all the brokenness within it. The fall was a result of disobedience and rendered humanity dead in their trespasses by original
THE STORY OF THE BIBLE
The Bible tells one story from Genesis to Revelation. It is not a collection of stories, or starting over, it is one story of God’s redemptive purposes in Jesus Christ to save humanity and renew creation.
We are missional.
Jesus gave us the Great Commission, not the Great Suggestion.
We are a church on mission. We could have all of our theological ducks in a row, yet without mission, we’re bad theologians.
We believe that embedded into our theology, and the very gospel itself, is God’s heart for the world expressed through the gift of Christ. To learn about who God is and what he has done in Christ is to learn of his love for sinners and desire for their redemption. Taking Christ to the world is our calling as Christians, but also a privilege, because in doing so, we too share in God’s heart for the world.
Whether it’s local missions or global, the glory of God in Christ will cover the earth like the waters cover the sea – what a gift to participate in extending Christ’s kingdom in this world.
We are confessional.
What does it mean to be ‘confessional’?
We hold to the historic Christian faith. We affirm the essential beliefs of Christianity that have survived for two thousand years and have remained common across denominational boundaries and traditional expressions. This is an important value we hold because the Scriptures call for unity among believers, which means we need to appreciate traditions outside our own while also establishing boundaries for what constitutes the true Church given there are so many denominations.
Together with our sister Christian churches around the world and throughout history, we confess the Apostles’ Creed as a concise expression of the core beliefs that unite the true Church of every time and place. Given the call for unity in the Scriptures, we want to major in the majors and minor in the minors. We consider the Apostle’s Creed to contain “the majors”, or the "basics", of the faith that unite the one Church of God throughout history.
The Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
he descended into hell.
the third day He arose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit;
the holy *catholic church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
[ * by 'catholic' it is referring to the true Church of every time and place throughout history ]
We love the Church in all of its faithful expressions.
At Redeemer we celebrate the diversity of traditions in the Church throughout the world, yet we lament the divisions that exist. This doesn't mean we celebrate every practice or expression, but it does mean we don't simply celebrate our own. The body of Christ is bigger than our church, our denomination, and our particular tradition.
We look forward to the day when Christ will finally and completely "unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth" (Eph 1:10).
Come, Lord Jesus!
COMMUNITY GROUPS
GLOBAL MISSIONS