Beliefs
Harvest’s doctrine is historically orthodox, broadly evangelical, reformed in its soteriology, complementarian in its view of church and family life, and traditional in its understanding of marriage, gender, and sexuality. To clarify these positions, we have adopted the 2019 Evangelical Free Church of America’s Statement of Faith (Articles 1-10) and added clarifying statements (Articles 11-14). Articles 11-14 include influences from similarly-aligned associations and churches.
Article 1: God
We believe in one God,1 Creator of all things,2 holy,3 infinitely perfect,4 and eternally existing5 in a loving unity6 of three equally divine Persons:7 the Father,8 the Son9 and the Holy Spirit.10 Having limitless knowledge11 and sovereign power,12 God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself13 and to make all things new14 for His own glory.15
1Deut 6:4; Mark 12:29
2Gen 1:1; Ps. 33:6; John 1:3; Col 1:15-17; Heb 11:3
3Exod 15:11; Isa 6:3; 57:15
4Deut 32:4; Job 1:7-10; Pss. 18:30; 50:2; 90:2; 145:3; Matt. 5:48
5Pss 33:11; 102:25-27; 115:3; Dan 4:34-35; John 5:26; Acts 17:24-25
6John 3:35; 17:24; 1 John 4:8,16
7John 17:11; Matt 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2
8Deut 32:6; Matt 6:6; Rom 8:15; 1 Cor 8:6
9Matt 3:17; John 1:14; 3:16; Gal 4:4; Heb 1:5
10John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; Rom 8:9, 26; Gal 4:6
11Pss 139:1-16; 147:5; Isa 46:10; John 21:17
12Jer 32:17; Eph 1:11; Rom 8:28; 2 Cor 6:18; Eph 3:20; Rev 1:8
131 Cor 2:7; Eph 1:11; 3:10,11; 2 Tim 1:9; Ti 1:2; 1 Pet 1:20; Rev 13:8
14Matt 19:28; Acts 3:21; Rom 8:19-21; Rev 21-22
15Ps 19:1-2; Isa 43:7; Jer 13:11; Col 1:15-23; Rev 4:11; 5:9-14
Article 2: Scripture
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures,1 both Old and New Testaments,2 through the words of human authors.3 As the verbally inspired Word of God,4 the Bible is without error in the original writings,5 the complete revelation of His will for salvation,6 and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged.7 Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches,8 obeyed in all that it requires,9 and trusted in all that it promises.10
1Matt 1:22; 4:4; 19:4-5; Heb 1:1-2
22 Pet 3:15-16
3Luke 1:1-4
42 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21
5Num 23:19; 2 Sam 7:28; Prov 30:5; Ps 119:96, 160; Matt 5:18; John 10:35; 17:17; Titus 1:1-2
6Luke 16:29-31; Gal 1:8,9; 2 Tim 3:15
7John 17:17; 1 Tim 3:15-17; 1 Pet 1:23; Ps 119:44-45,165
8Matt 22:29; Rom 15:4; 2 Tim 3:16
9Matt 28:20; 2 Thess 3:14; 1 John 2:5
10Rom 1:2; 4:21; Heb 10:23; 2 Pet 1:4; 3:13
Article 3: Humanity
We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image,1 but they sinned when tempted by Satan.2 In union with Adam,3 human beings are sinners by nature and by choice,4 alienated from God,5 and under His wrath.6 Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ7 can we be rescued,8 reconciled9 and renewed.10
1Gen 1:26-27; 5:1; 9:6; 1 Cor 11:7; Col 3:10; Jas 3:9
2Gen 3:1-6; John 8:44; Rom 5:12-14; 16:20; 2 Cor 11:3; 1 Tim 2:13-14
3Job 14:4; Ps 51:5; John 3:6; Rom 3:12; 5:12-14; 1 Cor 15:22a; 1 John 1:8
4Gen 6:5; Jer 17:9; Isa 6:5; Rom 5:15; 8:5-8; Eph 2:1-2; 4:17-19
5Rom 5:10
6Rom 1:18; 2:5; 3:9-19; 3:23; Eph 2:3
7Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5
81 Thess 1:10
9Rom 5:1-2,10; Col 1:20
10Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 4:24; Phil 3:21; 1 John 3:2
Article 4: Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ1 is God incarnate,2 fully God3 and fully man,4 one Person in two natures.5 Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah6—was conceived through the Holy Spirit7 and born of the virgin Mary.8 He lived a sinless life,9 was crucified under Pontius Pilate,10 arose bodily from the dead,11 ascended into heaven12 and sits at the right hand of God the Father13 as our High Priest14 and Advocate.15
1Matt 1:21; 16:18
2John 1:14, 18; 1 John 4:2
3Isa 9:6; Jer 23:6; John 1:1; 20:28; Rom 9:5; Col 2:9
4Matt 4:2; Luke 2:40, 52; John 11:35; Heb 5:7-8; 1 John 1:1-3
5John 3:13; 10:30; 17:5
6Gen 3:14-20; 12:1-3; 49:8-12; 2 Sam 7:11b-16; Matt 1:1, 17; Luke 4:16-22; 24:25-27; John 1:41; 4:25-26; Acts 2:36; 13:23, 32; Rom 1:2-3; 2 Tim 2:8-9
7Matt 1:18; Luke 1:34,35
8Isa 7:14; Matt 1:20; Luke 1:34,35
9Rom 5:19; Gal 4:4,5; Matt 3:15; Phil 2:7-8; Heb 4:15
10Deut 21:23; Ps 16:10; Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:16; John 19:16; Acts 2:27, 37
11Matt 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:39; Rom 4:25; 1 Cor 15:20, 44-45; Col 1:18; Rev 1:5
12Luke 24:51; Acts 1:6-11; Eph 1:20; 4:8-10; 1 Tim 3:16
13Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 1 Pet 3:22
14Heb 2:17; 3:1; 4:14; 6:20; 8:1
15Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1
Article 5: The Work of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative1 and substitute,2 shed His blood on the cross3 as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice4 for our sins.5 His atoning death6 and victorious resurrection7 constitute the only ground for salvation.8
1Gen 2:15-17; Matt 4:1-11; Mark 1:12- 13; Luke 4:1-13; Rom 5:18-19; 1 Cor 1:30; 15:45, 47; Phil 3:9
2Mark 10:45; Heb 2:16-17; 1 Pet 2:24; 3:18
3Lev 17:11; Matt 26:28; Heb 9:14, 22; 10:19; 1 Pet 1:18-19; Rev 12:10-11
41 Cor 5:7; Heb 9:23-24, 26, 28; 10:1; 13:11-12
5Isa 53:5-7, 12; John 1:29; Rom 3:21- 26; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; 1 John 3:5
6Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10
7Col 1:13; 2:13-15; Heb 2:14-15
8Rom 4:25; 6:4, 11, 14; 1 Cor 6:14; 15:20; 2 Cor 4:14; Eph 1:19-20; 2:5-6; 1 Pet 1:3
Article 6: The Holy Spirit
1John 16:14
2John 16:8; 1 Cor 2:14
3Ezek 36:25- 27; John 3:3, 5; 1 Cor 12:3; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:5; Col 2:13; 1 Thess 1:4-5; 2 Thess 2:13; Titus 3:5; Jas 1:18; 1 Pet 1:3
4Mark 1:8; Acts 1:5; 1 Cor 12:13
5Rom 3:24; 5:15-21; 12:5; 1 Cor 1:2; 6:19; 15:22b; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 1:22; 2:17; 3:28; Eph 1:4; 2:12; 3:6; 4:32; 2 Tim 2:10; 1 Thess 4:16
6Rom 8:15, 23; 9:4; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5; Ti 3:7
7Matt 12:49-50; 2 Cor 6:18; Eph 3:14; 1 John 3:14-18
8John 14:17; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 3:16
91 Cor 2:2; 2 Cor 4:4-15; Eph 1:17-19; Phil 1:9-11
10John 16:13; Acts 15:28; Rom 8:4, 14; Gal 5:16, 18
11Rom 12:4-8; 1 Cor 12:4-10; Eph 4:7-11; 1 Pet 4:10-11
12Acts 1:8; 10:38; Rom 15:13; 1 Cor 12:11; Eph 3:16; 2 Tim 1:7
13Acts 6:8; Rom 8:4-6, 12-16; 2 Cor 13:14; Gal 3:3, 5; 5:22-23, 25; Eph 2:22; 4:3; Phil 2:1-2
Article 7: The Church
We believe that the true church1 comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone.2 They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ,3 of which He is the Head.4 The true church is manifest in local churches,5 whose membership should be composed only of believers.6 The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism7 and the Lord’s Supper,8 which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.9
1Matt 16:18; 1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:4-6; 5:25; Heb 12:28
2Ps 103:12; Isa 44:22; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Rom 3:20-28; 4:3; 5:1, 21; 8:1, 30, 33-34; 10:4, 9; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Phil 3:9; Titus 3:7; Heb 10:14
31 Cor 12:12-27
4Eph 1:22-23; 4:15-16; Col 1:18; 2:19
5Acts 9:31; 20:28-30; Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 1:2; 16:19; 2 Cor 1:1; 1 Thess 1:1; Phlm 1-2
6Matt 18:15-20; Acts 2:41, 47; 14:23; 20:7; 1 Cor 1:2, 9; 11:20; 12:13; 14:40; 16:1-2; 1 Tim 3:1-13; 5:9; Titus 1:5-9; Heb 10:25
7Matt 28:18-20; Rom 6:3-4; Col 2:12
8Matt 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:15-20; 1 Cor 11:23-26
9John 6:55-56; Acts 2:38; 8:39; 16:34; 1 Cor 10:16; 11:29-30; Col 2:12
Article 8: Christian Living
We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose.1 God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially,2 and to live out our faith with care for one another,3 compassion toward the poor4 and justice for the oppressed.5 With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name,6 we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil.7 In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people,8 always bearing witness to the gospel9 in word and deed.10
1Matt 7:17-18; 12:33, 35; Heb 11:6; Eph 2:10; 1 Cor 10:31; Col 3:17, 23; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Cor 5:17; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 5:18; 2 Cor 3:18; Tit. 3:5; 1 Cor 6:11; Rom 6:11, 14; 1 Pet 1:15; Phil 2:12-13; Heb 12:1, 14; 2 Tim 1:9; Jas 2:17; 1 Pet 2:24; 2 Pet 1:3-11
2Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18; Matt 22:37-39; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
3Rom 12:10; 14:13; 15:7, 14; Gal 5:26; Eph 4:32; 1 Thess 3:12; 5:11, 15; Heb 10:24-25; 1 Pet 4:9
4Deut 15:11; Pss. 82:3,4; 140:12; Prov 14:21,31; 19:17; 22:9,16,22,23; 28:8; 29:7; 31:8,9; Jer 22:16; Gal 2:10; Jas 1:27
5Exod 23:6; Lev 19:15; Pss 82:3,4; 140:12; Prov 29:7; 31:9; Isa 1:17; Jer 9:24; Mic 6:8; Zech 7:9,10; Matt 23:23; Luke 4:18
6Eph 6:10-18
72 Cor 10:3-5; Eph 6:11, 12; 2 Tim 4:7; 1 John 5:3-4
8Matt 28:19; John 20:21; Rev 7:9
9Acts 1:8
10Matt 5:13-16
Article 9: Christ's Return
We believe in the personal, bodily1 and glorious2 return of our Lord Jesus Christ.3 The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God,4 demands constant expectancy5 and, as our blessed hope,6 motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.7
1Matt 24:30; 26:64; Acts 1:11; Rev 1:7
2Matt 16:27; 19:28; 24:30; 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 21:27; Col 3:4; 2 Thess 1:10; Titus 2:13; 1 Pet 1:7; 4:13; 5:1, 4
3Matt 25:31; Titus 2:13; 2 Thess 1:6-8; Rev 19:11-21
4Matt 24:36; Mark 13:32
5Matt 24:42-51; Rom 13:11-14; 1 Thess 5:1-11; Jas 5:8-9; 2 Pet 3:10-14; Rev 3:3
6Titus 2:13
72 Thess 1:6-8; 2 Tim 4:8; Titus 2:14; Heb 9:28; 1 John 3:2-3; 2 Pet 3:10-14
Article 10: Response and Eternal Destiny
We believe that God commands everyone everywhere1 to believe the gospel2 by turning to Him in repentance3 and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ.4 We believe that God will raise the dead bodily5 and judge the world,6 assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal punishment7 and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord8 in the new heaven and the new earth,9 to the praise of His glorious grace.10 Amen.
1Acts 20:20
2Mark 1:15; John 6:29; 8:24; 11:26; 14:1; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Rom 3:22; 10:14; Gal 3:22; 1 Tim 1:16; 1 Pet 1:8; 1 John 3:23
3Isa 55:6-7; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:37-38; 3:19; 14:15; 20:21; 26:17,18; Rom 2:4; 2 Cor 7:9-10
4John 1:12
5Isa 26:19; Dan 12:2; 1 Cor 15; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Rev 20:13
6Ecc 12:14; Matt 12:36; 26:31-32; Acts 17:31; Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Tim 4:1; Rev 20:12
7Matt 25:46; Luke 16:26; 2 Thess 1:9; Rev 14:11; 21:6, 8; 22:14, 15
8Matt 25:34, 46; John 14:2; Rev 21:1-3
9Isa 65:17; 66:22; Rom 8:19-21; Heb 12:26-27; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1; 22:3
10Eph 1:6, 12
Article 11: Salvation and Sovereignty
We believe God stands sovereign in salvation—both in his election of those who believe1 and in preserving them for all eternity.2 God’s gracious act neither diminishes human responsibility to repent and believe the gospel3 nor circumvents the necessity to depend on the power of prayer in evangelism.4
1Acts 13:48; Eph 1:4-5
2John 1:12; 10:28-30; Rom 8:29-30; 1 John 5:11-12
3John 6:29; Acts 2:38; 16:30-31
4Ps 105:1
Article 12: Marriage, Gender and Sexuality
We believe that God defined marriage as the life-long covenant between one man and one woman, and that all forms of sexual activity outside of marriage are sin.1 We believe that God immutably creates each person to reflect His image as male or female,2 thus all conduct with the intent to become a different sex or adopt a gender incongruent with one’s birth sex is sin.
1Gen 2:24; Matt 19:4-6; 1 Cor 6:15-7:6; Eph 5:3-7
2Gen 1:26-31; 2:18-25; 5:1-2
Article 13: Complementarianism
We believe that God created men and women as equal, honorable, and valuable image bearers.1 As equal recipients of God’s grace,2 they are sealed with the Holy Spirit and given gifts to build up the body.3 We believe that, in the created order, God has ordained gracious, servant-hearted male headship in the church and in the home—with husbands loving and serving their wives and leading their families and qualified men serving as elders in the local church.4
1Gen 1:26-28
2Gal 3:28; Col 3:11;
3Rom 12:3-8; Eph 1:13; 4:11-12; 1 Pet 4:10-11
41 Cor 11:2-16; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-19; 1 Tim 2:11-15; 1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9
Article 14: The Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image.1 Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies,2 the aged,3 the physically or mentally challenged,4 and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.
1Gen 1:26-28; Ps 8:4-5
2Ps 139:13-14
3Prov 16:31; 20:29
4Exod 4:10-11; John 9:1-3
This statement does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Scriptures themselves— as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind—is the sole and final source of all that we believe. It is the responsibility of the elders to interpret and apply the Scriptures for purposes of this church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy and discipline.
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