Our Foundation

We believe the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God. Scripture is true, trustworthy, and authoritative and is our final authority for doctrine, faith, conduct, and the life of the Church.

We believe God’s Word is not merely to be studied but obeyed. Therefore, Acts House seeks to submit its beliefs, traditions, leadership, relationships, and practices to Scripture.

Scripture references: 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Psalm 119:105; John 17:17; James 1:22–25

We believe there is one true and living God, eternally existing as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; yet there is one God.

God is eternal, holy, sovereign, righteous, loving, just, merciful, all-knowing, all-powerful, and worthy of all worship, obedience, and glory.

Scripture references: Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5–6; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 4:11

We believe God the Father is Creator and sovereign Lord over all things. He accomplishes His purposes according to His wisdom and will and works all things according to the counsel of His will.

Through Jesus Christ, those who believe are adopted into God’s family and may know God not merely as Creator and Lord, but as Father.

Scripture references: Genesis 1:1; Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:14–17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3–11

We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a completely sinless life and perfectly revealed the Father.

Jesus willingly died on the cross for our sins, bearing the judgment sinners deserved. He was buried and bodily rose from the dead on the third day, defeating sin and death.

He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, intercedes for His people, reigns as Lord, and will personally return.

Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation and the only mediator between God and humanity.

Scripture references: John 1:1–14; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:6–11; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Philippians 2:5–11; Colossians 1:15–20; 1 Timothy 2:5

We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God and personally active in the lives of God’s people.

The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. He brings about new birth, indwells believers, teaches, guides, sanctifies, comforts, empowers, and produces spiritual fruit within God’s people.

Every believer receives the Holy Spirit and is called to walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, and be filled with the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit also gives gifts to believers according to His will for the building up of the Church, the work of ministry, and the glory of God.

Scripture references: John 3:5–8; 14:16–17, 26; 16:7–14; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9–16; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Galatians 5:16–25; Ephesians 5:18

We believe every human being is created in the image of God and therefore possesses inherent dignity and value.

Humanity was created for relationship with God, but sin entered the world through human rebellion. Every person has sinned and falls short of God’s glory.

Because of sin, humanity is separated from God and unable to save itself through morality, religion, good works, or human effort.

Our greatest need is reconciliation with God.

Scripture references: Genesis 1:26–27; 3:1–24; Romans 3:10–23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1–3

We believe the gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures.

Salvation is entirely a gift of God’s grace and cannot be earned through human works.

God commands people everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. Everyone who places genuine faith in Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins, justification before God, reconciliation with God, the Holy Spirit, adoption into God’s family, and eternal life.

We are saved by grace through faith for good works, not by good works.

Scripture references: Mark 1:14–15; John 3:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 3:21–26; 5:1; 10:9–13; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Ephesians 2:8–10; Titus 3:4–7

We believe salvation produces a new life.

Those who belong to Jesus are called to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. Christians are called to turn away from sin, pursue holiness, obey Christ, renew their minds, walk by the Spirit, love God, love others, and increasingly become like Jesus.

Good works do not purchase salvation; they are the fruit of genuine faith.

Christian maturity involves ongoing repentance, obedience, prayer, Scripture, fellowship, service, generosity, love, spiritual discipline, and dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

Scripture references: Luke 9:23; John 14:15; Romans 12:1–2; Galatians 5:16–25; Ephesians 2:10; James 2:14–26; 1 Peter 1:14–16; 1 John 2:3–6

We believe everyone who belongs to Christ is part of His body, the Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head.

God calls believers into local communities where they worship, learn, pray, serve, give, practice fellowship, exercise spiritual gifts, bear one another’s burdens, receive correction and encouragement, and participate together in God’s mission.

We believe Christians were never intended to follow Jesus in isolation.

Acts House therefore seeks to cultivate genuine biblical community rather than simply religious attendance.

Scripture references: Acts 2:42–47; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 1:22–23; 4:11–16; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:24–25

Acts House takes particular inspiration from the life of the early believers described in Acts 2:42–47.

They devoted themselves to:

The apostles’ teaching

We devote ourselves to learning, teaching, obeying, and preserving biblical truth.

Fellowship

We share our lives with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ rather than merely attending the same gathering.

Breaking bread

We share meals, practice hospitality, remember Christ through the Lord’s Supper, and welcome one another into our lives and homes.

Prayer

We believe prayer is foundational rather than supplemental to the life and mission of the Church.

Generosity

We recognize everything we possess belongs ultimately to God and seek opportunities to meet needs and care for one another.

Worship

We desire lives characterized by gratitude, reverence, joy, and praise toward God.

Shared life

Christianity is not restricted to a weekly meeting. We desire relationships in which believers encourage, disciple, correct, strengthen, and care for one another throughout everyday life.

Mission

We desire to see people saved, discipled, baptized, equipped, and sent out to make disciples themselves.

Scripture references: Acts 2:42–47; Acts 4:32–35

We believe Jesus commanded His disciples to practice baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Baptism publicly identifies a believer with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and expresses the believer’s new life in Christ.

The Lord’s Supper is practiced in remembrance of Jesus Christ, proclaiming His death until He comes again.

Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper earns salvation. Salvation is received by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Scripture references: Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 2:38–41; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

We believe the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to God’s people according to His will.

These gifts are not given for personal status or spiritual superiority but for serving others and building up the body of Christ.

Every believer has a role in the body and should seek to use what God has entrusted to them faithfully, humbly, lovingly, and according to Scripture.

All exercise of spiritual gifts must remain subject to biblical truth, biblical order, love, discernment, and the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Scripture references: Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–31; 13:1–13; 14:26–40; Ephesians 4:11–16; 1 Peter 4:10–11

We believe marriage and family were designed by God and are foundational institutions for human flourishing, discipleship, and healthy churches.

Acts House is committed to strengthening the family unit because we believe healthy, Christ-centered households contribute to healthy, Christ-centered churches.

We therefore desire not merely to disciple individuals, but to strengthen marriages, equip men and women to fulfill their biblical responsibilities, support parents, disciple children, and build households centered upon Jesus Christ.

Marriage

We believe marriage was established by God as a covenant union between one man and one woman.

Marriage is intended to reflect the covenant relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church and should therefore be characterized by faithfulness, sacrificial love, purity, forgiveness, service, and lifelong commitment.

Scripture references: Genesis 2:18–24; Matthew 19:4–6; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4

Biblical Headship and Order

We believe God has established an order within marriage in which Christ is the head of the husband and the husband is the head of his wife.

Husband and wife are equally created in God’s image, equally valuable before God, and equally recipients of His grace while being entrusted with distinct responsibilities within God’s design for marriage.

Biblical headship must never be confused with domination, selfishness, harshness, manipulation, or abuse.

Jesus Christ defines the pattern of Christian leadership.

Therefore, a husband’s leadership should resemble Christ’s relationship toward His Church: sacrificial, loving, servant-hearted, faithful, courageous, protective, and willing to lay himself down for those entrusted to his care.

Scripture references: 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:22–33; Colossians 3:18–19; 1 Peter 3:1–7

Men as Shepherds of Their Homes

Acts House believes God calls men to embrace the responsibility He has given them to lead and shepherd their households under the headship of Jesus Christ.

We desire to raise up men who do not retreat from spiritual responsibility but willingly take responsibility for the spiritual health, direction, protection, and discipleship of their families.

A husband and father is not called merely to provide materially for his household. He is called to shepherd it spiritually.

This means knowing the condition of those entrusted to his care, leading by example, teaching God’s Word, cultivating prayer and worship within the home, protecting his family, lovingly correcting and instructing his children, loving and honoring his wife, and continually pointing his household toward Jesus.

Scripture references: Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Joshua 24:15; Ephesians 5:25–29; 6:4; Colossians 3:19–21; 1 Timothy 3:4–5; 1 Peter 3:7

We believe biblical leadership begins with submission to Christ.

A man cannot faithfully lead his household while refusing to be led by Jesus.

Christ is the model for biblical headship. He did not use His authority for selfish gain but humbled Himself, served others, and laid down His life.

Therefore, leadership in the home should be characterized by humility, sacrifice, courage, gentleness, integrity, self-control, responsibility, service, and love.

Scripture references: Matthew 20:25–28; John 13:12–17; Philippians 2:3–8; Ephesians 5:25

Acts House therefore intentionally calls men to step into biblical manhood and spiritual leadership.

We call husbands to love and lead their wives faithfully.

We call fathers to disciple their children rather than outsourcing their children’s spiritual formation entirely to the church.

We call men to establish homes where God’s Word is taught, prayer is normal, repentance and forgiveness are practiced, hospitality is demonstrated, needs are met, and Jesus Christ is honored.

The man is not the center of the Christian household. Jesus Christ is.

The man’s responsibility is to faithfully shepherd those entrusted to him toward Christ.

Women and Biblical Womanhood

We believe wives are called to respect their husbands and willingly submit to their husbands’ biblical leadership as to the Lord.

Biblical submission never requires participation in sin and never gives a husband permission to control, mistreat, demean, or abuse his wife.

A godly woman is a vital builder of the household whose wisdom, character, spiritual gifts, service, discipleship, hospitality, motherhood, and ministry have tremendous value within the family and Church.

Scripture references: Proverbs 31:10–31; Ephesians 5:22–24, 33; Titus 2:3–5; 1 Peter 3:1–7

Parents and Children

We believe children are a blessing from the Lord and parents bear primary responsibility for their upbringing and discipleship.

Children are commanded to honor and obey their parents in the Lord.

Parents are called to love, teach, discipline, encourage, and disciple their children without provoking them to anger.

We believe spiritual formation should happen not only during church gatherings but throughout ordinary household life.

Parents should intentionally teach God’s Word and demonstrate what following Jesus looks like through their own lives.

Scripture references: Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Psalm 127:3–5; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:1–4; Colossians 3:20–21

The Household and the Church

We believe Scripture connects faithfulness within one’s household with maturity and leadership within God’s household.

Therefore, Acts House seeks not merely to build strong individual Christians but strong marriages, godly men and women, faithful fathers and mothers, discipled children, and households centered upon Christ.

Strong families do not replace the Church; they strengthen the community from which the Church is built.

Scripture references: Joshua 24:15; Acts 2:46–47; 1 Timothy 3:4–5, 12; Titus 1:6; 2:1–8

Our desire is that households throughout Acts House can sincerely declare:

“As for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

Sexual Holiness

We believe God created human sexuality and that sexual intimacy belongs within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman.

Followers of Jesus are therefore called to sexual purity and to flee sexual immorality.

At the same time, we believe every person must be treated with dignity, compassion, patience, and love. The Church must never compromise biblical truth, nor should biblical truth become an excuse for hatred or mistreatment.

We believe the gospel calls every person, regardless of their particular sins, temptations, or past, to repentance, forgiveness, transformation, and new life in Jesus Christ.

Scripture references: Matthew 5:27–30; 1 Corinthians 6:9–20; 7:2–5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8; Hebrews 13:4

We believe Jesus commanded His followers not merely to make converts but to make disciples.

Discipleship involves teaching believers to obey everything Jesus commanded and helping one another increasingly become like Christ.

Therefore, believers should encourage one another, confess sin, forgive one another, bear burdens, correct one another lovingly, pray for one another, serve one another, and stir one another toward love and good works.

We desire Acts House to be a community where mature believers intentionally help younger believers grow and where disciples eventually become disciple-makers themselves.

Scripture references: Matthew 28:18–20; Galatians 6:1–2; Colossians 3:12–16; Hebrews 3:12–13; 10:24–25; James 5:16; 2 Timothy 2:2

We believe prayer is essential to the life of every believer and the corporate life of the Church.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, the early Church devoted itself to prayer, and Scripture repeatedly commands God’s people to pray.

Therefore, Acts House desires to be a praying church, seeking God individually, within households, and corporately.

We pray because we depend upon God, desire fellowship with Him, seek His will, intercede for others, resist spiritual opposition, give thanks, confess sin, and trust Him to accomplish what human strength cannot.

Scripture references: Matthew 6:5–13; Luke 18:1; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 4:23–31; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17

We believe everything we possess ultimately belongs to God and Christians are called to become generous people.

Giving should be willing, cheerful, sacrificial, and motivated by love rather than compulsion.

The Church has a responsibility to care for brothers and sisters in genuine need and to demonstrate compassion toward the poor, vulnerable, widow, orphan, stranger, and suffering.

Scripture references: Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–35; 2 Corinthians 8–9; Galatians 6:10; James 1:27; 1 John 3:16–18

We believe Jesus Christ has commissioned His Church to make disciples of all nations.

Every Christian is called to participate in God’s mission by bearing witness to Jesus through both word and life.

We desire to proclaim the gospel clearly, call people to repentance and faith, baptize believers, teach them to obey Christ, equip them for ministry, care for those in need, and send disciples out to make other disciples.

The Church does not exist merely for itself.

We have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation and called to represent Christ in the world.

Scripture references: Matthew 5:13–16; 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13–15; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20

We believe Jesus Christ will personally return.

There will be a bodily resurrection of the dead and final judgment before God.

Those who belong to Christ will enjoy eternal life in God’s presence, while those who remain outside of Christ will face God’s righteous judgment.

We believe God will ultimately make all things new, and His people will dwell with Him forever.

This hope should cause Christians to live faithfully, expectantly, courageously, and holy lives while eagerly awaiting Christ’s return.

Scripture references: Matthew 24:42–44; 25:31–46; John 5:28–29; Acts 1:9–11; 17:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 2 Peter 3:10–14; Revelation 20:11–15; 21:1–5