1. We believe the Word of God is the basis and authority of our lives (Ps 19:7-10; 119:89, 165; 138:2b; Mt 24:35; II Tim 3:16, 17).

• We place high value on the preaching, teaching, and the personal study of the Word of God. While the church provides the resources and      tools for understanding the Word of God, it is the responsibility of the individual believer to appropriate and utilize these tools.

2. We believe in the Finished Work of Christ and its application toward all people (John 19:30; Eph 1:3; Col 2:9, 10).

3. We are motivated by the love of Christ to serve others (John 13:1-17; Gal. 5.13b).

4. We’re motivated by the love of God to share the good news of salvation through Christ (II Cor 5:14-21).

• We believe that it is the responsibility of the church to facilitate, model, and encourage the creative sharing of the good news of Christ’s         accomplishments to all mankind.

5. We believe that a personal relationship is the most effective way to bring people to a decision for Christ (Mt 28:18-20; Isa 53;                       I John 1:1-4).

6. We believe that every member should commit to a lifestyle of consistent spiritual growth with honest accountability (Phil 1:27; I Th 4:3;      II Pet 3:18).

• We believe that the pursuit of Christ is the one and only way of honoring the giver of eternal life. We should pursue Christ above all               things.
• We believe that spiritual growth is best fostered through authentic personal relationships• We believe that service is a means of                     continued spiritual growth.

7. We believe that the responsibility of the local church is to be a representation of Christ, a refuge to the community, and to equip its          members for service (Eph 4:11-16; Mt 16:17-20).

• We believe that the local church was established by God as the most effective method for educating and maturing the new believer in             their relationship to God, His word, and the world in which we live. It is the means by which leaders are identified and the primary                 source of their training.
• We believe that the local church should primarily be a teaching institution in all facets of a believer’s learning of God’s Word, both                   academic and practical.
• We believe that the revelation and expression of the kingdom of God is the ultimate result of the local church fulfilling its role as                   educator and mentor. True progression should be measured in the reproduction of transformed lives and Spirit-led believers.

8. We believe that every member is a minister who has been given gifts to be discovered, developed, and deployed within the local church (I Cor 12:4-13; Rom 12:3-8).

• We believe that God gives spiritual gifts to His children for the service of others. Therefore, God’s creative expression finds its fullest            display in the gifting of individual believers to function together in unity as unique individual members of a local church for the                      edification of the Body of Christ.

9. We believe that doing church as a team is God’s design for effective ministry (Luke 10:1; Eph 4:16; I Cor 12:12-31; 14:24-25).

• Team ministry approach provides a method for identifying and training future leaders. Team ministry should be consistent and                       integrated with the overall purpose of the church.

10. We believe that partnering with like-minded ministries is the most effective way to further the kingdom of God on earth (Rom 15:26-          27; II Cor 9:10-15).

 

 Kingdom partnerships are identified by agreement on these principles:

• Love the Lord
• Love His Word
• Love the lost
• Don’t exalt secondary issues to a primary position

 

The distinctives of kingdom ministry are identified as:

• It isn’t comprised solely by individual organizational ability or power but in corporate organic power.
• It is the recognition of the revelation and expression of the kingdom of God through various portions under the headship of Jesus Christ      the King.
• It demands organizational humility personified in the furtherance of the kingdom being placed primarily above the benefit of the                  organization.
• It entails the sharing of resources for the benefit of the kingdom of God.
• It places thanksgiving and praise for victory on a community wide, regional, and global scale through partnership and not merely a                private organization.

11. We believe that biblical stewardship and sacrificial giving is the responsibility of every believer                                                                      (I Cor 4:1, 2; 6:20; Eph 5:15-17; Heb 13:16; Gal 6:6-10).

 

Position statements of LGC:

Sexuality & Marriage:

• We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as either male or female and that these two distinct,                               complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen 1:26-27).  Denial of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the             unique image of God’s creation within that person.
• We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as                   delineated in Scripture (Gen 2:18-25; Mt 19:4-6).  We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman       who are married to each other (I Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4).  We believe that God commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged       in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. 
• We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, cohabitation, homosexual behavior, or use of                           pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Mt 15:18-20; I Cor 6:9-10; I Tim 1:9-10).
• We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness                 through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; I Cor 6:9-11).
• We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mk 12:28-31; Lu 6:31-37).  It is God’s             love as manifested in our Savior’s life, sacrificial death, and present session as intercessor that draws a person to recognition of his/her       condition and acceptance of God’s provision of redemption (Jn 3:16; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25).  Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes           directed at any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrine statements of Living Grace Church.

Sanctity of Life:

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image.  Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death.  We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Ps 139; Jer 1:5).

Final Authority:

The preceding doctrine and position statements do not exhaust the extent of our beliefs.  The Bible itself, as the inspired and inerrant 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.  For purposes of Living Grace Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Elders is the church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s application. 

The Eight Goals of Living Grace Church:

1. To reach the urban centers of Tacoma, and the Northwest with biblical, relevant, and practical ministry (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; II        Corinthians 10:14-16a).
   • We seek to be faithful to our call to the city of Tacoma, always seeking to further the spread of the gospel through discipling and             supporting works that expand its reach.
2. To apply the mercy of God to the wounds of life (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 136; Ephesians 2:1-10).
3. To reveal the ministry of reconciliation to those separated from God through participation in a fallen world (Romans 5:10-11; II Corinthians 5:17-21).
4. To provide a family of God where one can know love, acceptance, worship, and accountability (Ephesians 2:11-19; Galatians 6:10).
5. To prepare a people to address and survive the culture (Philippians 2:15; Matthew 5:13-16).
6. To raise up and train those who are called to responsibility in the Body of Christ (II Timothy 2:1-2; Titus 1:5).
7. To ordain, send, and support those whom God raises up (Matthew 28:18-20; Philippians 4:13-19).
8. To identify like-minded ministries to support and co-labor with in furthering the kingdom (I Corinthians 3:1-9; Luke 9:49-50).