The Core

Modern expressions of Christian faith sometimes fall prey to revisionist history the farther we get from the life and time of Jesus Christ. We tend to subscribe more to traditions that developed along the way–Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant–than to the actual roots of our faith.

What are the core beliefs of neoOrthodoxy?

Character of God

We believe that God is immutable and unchanging, and that His design for the Body of Christ has not changed along the way.

We believe the Scriptures are the inspired and infallible Word of God on paper, and that while they testify of Jesus Christ, they are not a replacement for Him. John 5:39-40

We believe that when there is uncertainty or disagreement over theology, dogma or apostolic teaching, we should defer to the teaching and modeling of Jesus.

We believe the earth was supernaturally created to be a holy setting where God and His people are in communion, and even though its life force and vitality was diminished after the Fall of man and abdication of our ancestors (the Curse), God has always viewed it as His own holy ground—profaned not only by sin and death, but also by our alteration of it. He will, one future day, establish His throne here, and in the meantime, He has entrusted us with its well being.

Expression of Worship

We believe that Western evangelicalism is not superior to any other culture’s expression of pure and true Christianity that is centered on both the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

We believe that God the Father can be known, and that this is the highest aim of mankind and eternal life itself John 17:3.  God wired us with unique gifting that determines how we experience Him, therefore some will experience His presence through singing various styles of spiritual songs, some through creeds and liturgy, some through icons, some serving, some solitude, nature, monasticism, meditation, lectio and visio divina, and so on. Each of these modes has a rich history within the church, depending on the culture and era.

Supernatural Characteristics

We believe that God speaks in various ways because He designed our gifting and wiring to be the conduit for how we experience Him. Depending on how He gifts an individual, we may hear His voice internally, receive words or understandings, see pictures or visions, have spiritually significant dreams, experience an inspired emotion, or sense the unseen through any combination of our senses.

We believe that there are three primary ways the gifts are received: 1. God designs us with gifts in the womb (Judges 13, 1 Sam 1-3, Matthew 19:11-12, 1 Cor 7:1-7), 2. some are transferred through the laying on of hands (Rom, 1:11, 1 Tim 4:14, 1 Tim 5:22-24), and 3. the Holy Spirit activates some after salvation (Acts 10:44-48).

We believe that God grows the Body of Christ both through apostolic succession and also through spontaneous work of the Spirit.

We believe in the validity of all gifts of the Spirit and the interdependency of the gifts upon each other as represented in fellow believers.

We believe that the worship service is only a limited setting for gifts to be expressed, and that most expression happens throughout the rest of the week.

We believe in the need for modeling the appropriate use of the gifts and checks and balances by other believers.

We believe the gifts are often expressed or exploited by human spirit and motive instead of the Holy Spirit, deceiving many as to what the expression and empowerment of the gifts should look like.

We believe that God intends to partner with His children to fulfill His agenda. He prepares the opportunities and invites/prompts us to join Him. The more we agree and align, the more supernatural fruit we bear and the more authority & confidence we walk in.

We believe in the supernatural quality of life in Christ: that God speaks to His children, that Jesus Christ is present as we share in communion, and that we are supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit.