Our Mission:
CARING AND SERVING TO BRING HOPE.
our vision:
THE VISION OF LONG BEACH NAZARENE IS TO SEE ITS DIVERSE CHURCH FAMILY TRANSFORM, BECOMING DEVOTED TO ALL OF GOD’S PEOPLE AND SHARING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST. OUR PASSION IS: PRODUCING QUALITY MINISTRIES, PROMOTING FAMILY UNITY, INSTILLING CULTURAL SENSITIVITY, AND ENCOURAGING EMOTIONAL HEALTH. WE WILL BE COMMUNITY MINDED, DEMONSTRATING HOLINESS AND GRACE, BRINGING HOPE TO ALL OF GOD’S CHILDREN.
Our Core Beliefs:
1. ABOUT GOD
We believe in one eternally existent, infinite God, Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the universe; that He only is God, Holy in Nature, attributes and purpose. He is Holy Love and light, He is Triune in essential being revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(Genesis 1; Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 5:16; 6:1-7; 40:18-31; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19-20; John 14:6-27; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 2:13-18; 1 John 1:5; 4:8)
2. ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is fully God and fully man, co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days breaking the power sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
(Matthew 1:20-25; 16:15-16; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-18; Acts 2:22-36; Romans 8:3, 32-34; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:12-22; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Hebrews 1:1-5; 7:22-28; 9:24-28; 1 John 1:1-3; 4:2-3, 15)
3. ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is in the world convincing us of our need for Jesus, regenerating those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers and guiding into all truth as it is in Jesus. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.
(John 7:39; 14:15-18, 26; 16:7-15; Acts 2:33; 15:8-9; Romans 8:1-27; Galatians 3:1-14; 4:6; Ephesians 3:14-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 3:24; 4:13)
4. ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God’s word to us. It is the final authority on all things relating to spiritual life and practice. We believe in plenary inspiration of the scripture, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation. Only what is in scripture can be an article of faith.
(Luke 24:44-47; John 10:35; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
5. ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2
6. ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
We DO NOT believe you can “lose” your salvation. We believe that when one becomes a follower of Christ they become a part of God’s family. Just as we, mere humans, do not kick our children out of the family when they make mistakes God does not kick us out of the family for our mistakes. Do we believe God will make you go to heaven if you don’t want? Of course not, just as one must choose to become a follower of Jesus, one can choose to walk away. We all have a free choice, but it will never be God’s choice for us to leave. Salvation is not like car keys, it cannot be lost.
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1
7. ABOUT SANCTIFICATION
We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through the baptism with the Holy Spirit, whereby a person can experience the cleansing of the heart from sin.
John 17:17-19; Romans 15:16; Ephesians 5:26; II Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 13:12; I Peter 1:2; Isaiah 3:3; James 4:8; I John 1:7
8. ABOUT ETERNITY
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.
John 3:16; John 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; I Corinthians 2:7-9
9. ABOUT BAPTISM
We believe that Christian baptism, commanded by our Lord, is a sacrament signifying acceptance of the benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ, to be administered to believers and declarative of their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and full purpose of obedience in holiness and righteousness.
Baptism being a symbol of the new covenant, young children may be baptized upon request of parents or guardians who shall give assurance for them of necessary Christian training.
Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant.
Matthew 3:1-7, 28:16-20; Acts 2:37-41, 8:35-39, 10:44-48, 16:29-34, 19:1-6; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-28; Colossians 2:12; I Peter 3:18-22
10. ABOUT COMMUNION
We believe that the Memorial and Communion Supper instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is essentially a New Testament sacrament, declarative of His sacrificial death, through which believers have life and salvation and promise of all spiritual blessings in Christ. It is distinctively for those who are prepared for reverent appreciation of its significance, and by it they show forth the Lord’s death till He comes again. It being the Communion feast, only those who have faith in Christ and love for the saints should be called to participate therein.
Exodus 12:1-14; Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:28-58; I Corinthians 10:14-21, 11:23-32
The following are the basic beliefs of our Church. Click here to read our Articles of Faith.
We believe:
In one God - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
That the Bible was given by divine inspiration and contains all truth necessary to faith and living;
it is the only rule of faith and practiceThat man is born with a fallen nature and is, therefore, inclined to evil
That the final unrepentant are helplessly and eternally lost
That the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race, and that whosoever repents
and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved from the dominion of sinThat believers are to live a holy life through faith in Jesus Christ