What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of The Refinery based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

We believe there is only one living and true God: infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in Himself and all His attributes. He alone is worthy of all honor, love, obedience, and worship. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, without division of nature, essence, or being, and executing distinct but harmonious roles in the great works of creation, providence, and redemption. One God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is the foundation of Christian faith and life.

We believe that God created mankind in His divine image. Through the fall of mankind, all became sinful, lost, and condemned. Every person, by deliberate choice, participates in sin and is in need of redemption through Christ’s death and resurrection.

We believe Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the eternal Word made flesh. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. We believe in His sinless life, His miracles, and His teachings. He is fully God and fully man. He is the only Savior for the sins of the world, having shed His blood upon the cross at Calvary. By His death in our place, He revealed divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our guilt and reconciling us to God. Having redeemed us from sin, He rose bodily from the grave on the third day, victorious over death. He ascended into Heaven where, at God’s right hand, He intercedes for His people. He will visibly return to earth. He is the Head of the church.

We believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, and to bring about righteousness. The Holy Spirit brings about the new birth and unites believers to Jesus Christ through the proclamation of the gospel, compelling them to repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord. The Holy Spirit then dwells within the believer, cultivating godly character. He bestows gifts by which they are to serve God and one another, seals them unto the day of redemption, comforts them in this present age, and leads them into a right understanding and rich application of the truth of God’s word.

We believe that Salvation of sinners is wholly by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ apart from works. Redemption is received by believers as God’s gift upon repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ, enabling us to participate in Christ’s reign as a present reality and a future hope.

We believe that the Church is a community of faith consisting of regenerated believers with Christ as Lord. Such believers claim a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ, follow the Lord in believer’s baptism, share in the Lord’s Supper, gather regularly for worship, and covenant for mutual edification and caregiving.

We believe that marriage was ordained by God at creation as the sacred union of one biological man and one biological woman. All sexual relations must therefore be reserved for that union. Christian marriage is a representation of Christ’s relationship to His church. We also believe that children are a blessing from the Lord. This means that all human life is to be considered sacred and worthy of protection from the moment of conception.

We believe that the Church is called to proclaim the Good News of God’s reconciling grace, inviting all persons to receive salvation and follow Christ as His disciples. As disciples, we seek restoration to God for our community and our world.

We believe that Jesus Christ will return visibly, at which time He will raise the dead and judge all people. Believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God as they participate in the fullness of His eternal reign, while unbelievers will suffer eternal separation from God.