Statement of Faith

STATEMENT OF FAITH

Pastor Rick Hayden

My statement of faith would be a typical conservative evangelical Christian faith with a slightly Reformed bend.

CONVERSION TO CHRIST

　

Up until the age of twelve or twelve I knew nothing of Jesus Christ and His glorious gospel.   By the time I was twelve we were living in Toronto and I was well on my way to a life of trouble and torment.   Defying the law and causing trouble was a game for me and my friends.

One day a friend suggested we got on the Baptist Sunday School bus and see what kind of trouble we could stir up In a Sunday School.   We went to S.S. for a couple of weeks and stirred up as much trouble an possible, but still the superintendent and the teacher seemed concerned about us.    They actually seemed to care.

I began to listen to the lessons and for the first time learned of Christ and His love. One Sunday evening in Oct,, 1962, in the quiet of my own bedroom, I realized that I was a sinner and that Christ loved me and that I needed Him. I quietly surrendered my life to Him and trusted Him as my Saviour and Lord.

My life was dramatically changed, and from that day till this Jesus Christ has never left me, although because of my own sin our fellowship has sometimes been broken.
　

CALL TO THE MINISTRY

For several years after my conversion. I grew in the Lord. I was diligent in Bible Study and prayer. However, as I entered my last years of High School I began to think of what I would do with my life. The thought that God wanted me in the ministry came to mind and grow stronger and stronger.   Many people had told me and continued to ton me that I was suited for the ministry.

My feet turned to clay and like Jonah of old, I tried to run.   I began to be irregular in Church attendance and in my prayer and Bible Study time.     Before long they were gone all together.

Away from the Lord and His Word my life quickly went down hill# so did my moral and ethical standards.   For several years I gave little thought to God and His claim on my life but God's Holy Spirit kept reminding me that I was His child and that He was grieved by my life.

Life kept going from bad to worse.    Finally, at the age of 21 when I had been brought by God to the edge of despair and helplessness, I surrendered my self to God's call.   Again, in the quietness of my own room I reaffirmed my commitment to Jesus Christ.    The next day I began making plans to preach the gospel, in whatever Niniveh God had chosen for me.

THE SCRIPTURES

I believe in the Divine plenary and verbal inspiration of both the Old and New Testaments. (1).   So being inspired by God, the scriptures are completely inerrant and infallible and therefore stand as the supreme and only perfect standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried (2).

THE TRINITY

I believe that there is one and only one, living and true God; an infinite, perfect, personal Spirit who Is creator, sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent (1).

In the Godhead, there are three persons, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit (2); having precisely the same nature (3), and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the work of redemption (4).
　

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is the second person of the trinity, eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.,   Who In His incarnation, was born of a virgin and being both God and man, atoned for the sine of the world (1).      Following His death upon the cross, He was buried and then bodily resurrected (2), ascended into heaven (3), is presently the Intercessor of all who believe (4),
　

THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity.   Part of His ministry in the world is convicting of sin, righteousness, and judgement (1), and apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit man cannot be converted unto salvation (2).    Upon conversion, the believer is indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit (3).
　

THE FALL AND STATE OF MAN

Man was originally created in the image of God (1) but voluntary transgression caused him to fall from his high and holy estate (2); in consequence of which all men are now sinners inflicted by the penalty of death, so that he has totally lost spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins (3), and under just condemnation of eternal punishment and separation from God (4).
　

SALVATION GRACE

I believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace (1), through in Christ (2), who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin (3), honoured the Divine Law by His personal obedience (4), and by His death made full atonement for our sins (5).

ATONEMENT

I believe that our Salvation has been accomplished by the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ (1), who was made sin, and made a curse for us (2), dying in our place, a sacrifice acceptable to God and effectual for every sinner who receives Him by faith (3).
　

 

REGENERATION

Because of the universal depravity of man, no one can see or enter into the Kingdom of God unless he is born again of the Spirit of God whereby he becomes a new creation (1).    Regeneration consists of the giving of a holy disposition of the mind (2), a redirection of the emotions (3), and a will no longer in rebellion against God, but one of voluntary obedience (4), and its proper evidence is manifested in repentance and faith and the newness of life (5).

　

 

REPENTANCE AND FAITH

Repentance and faith are the manifestation wrought in our hearts by the regenerating work of the Spirit of God (1); whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation through Christ (2), we turn to God with confessions and supplication for mercy (3); at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our only and all-sufficient Saviour (4).
　

 

JUSTIFICATION

Through His substitutionary atonement Christ secured for the believer, justification (1).   Justification includes the pardon of sin whereby man Is declared not guilty of sin (2), and Is given the promise of eternal life (3).     Justification is bestowed solely through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (4).

Further, in Justification, Christ's perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us by God (5).   Through Justification we are brought into a state of peace and favour with God (6).

 

ADOPTION

Upon being justified, God bestows upon the believer the legal right of a full son of God (1), thus bringing the believer into a unique Relationship with God as His child (2), and making him joint heirs with Christ (3).

　

 

SANCTIFICATION

I believe that the members of the body of Christ are positional sanctified (1), but because the flesh wars against the spirit (2), there Is need for a progressive work of sanctification (3); which was begun in regeneration (4) and that It is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit through use of the Word of God, self-examination, self denial, prayer, and fellowship (5).

At the second coming of Christ all believers will be glorified and receive a glorified body (6) and there will be an eradication of the sin nature (7).
　

 

THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY

I believe that, Jesus Christ rose from the dead in bodily form according to the scriptures (1), that He is now enthroned in Heaven (2), and that upon His return He will raise out from among the dead those who have died In Christ (3) and then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air (4).
　

 

THE WICKED

I believe that there is an essential difference between the righteous and the wicked (1); that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus are truly righteous in His esteem (2), while all such as continue in unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse (3) and that a day of solemn separation will take place (4) and on that day of judgement the wicked will be cast into the Lake of Fire, there to remain forever in torment (5).

THE PERSONALITY OF SATAN

I believe that Satan is a person (1), the Father of lies a murderer from the beginning and the great deceiver of all nations (2); that he will be overcome by the Lord Jesus Christ as the seed of the women and finally committed to the Lake of Fire with all his angels to be tormented forever (3).

THE CHURCH

The true church of Jesus Christ is composed of all who have placed their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and who have been united by the Holy Spirit to the risen Lord (1) .

The visible church of Christ is a congregation of regenerate baptized believers (2); observing the ordinances of Christ (3), holding to the Word of God (4), and proclaiming the scriptures (5).

There are two ordinances of the Church as given by, the Lord Jesus Christ.   Baptism, is commanded by the Lord Jesus, of believing disciples and is by immersion (6).   The Lord’s Supper is also commanded of the Lord for believers (7) as a memorial of the Lord’s deaths and is to be kept by His disciples until He comes again (8).