Mission & Vision: Our Purpose
Riverside Church exists to reach people and help them to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished by bringing people into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and drawing them into the Christ-centered community of the church.
At Riverside everything we do is centered around reaching people for Christ. Both our purpose and mission are aligned with Christ’s. He came here with a vision of the new humanity His mission would create. He modeled the kind of life we all need to live in order to catch the world’s attention, and bring people into a relationship with him.
It is our desire to see people not only receiving Jesus, but to help them move forward in their walk of faith, embracing disciplines that change them from mere believers to fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. It’s a personal, transforming, lifelong adventure we know affects everything you do: how you think, the decisions you make, and how and why you relate to others.
Our Core Beliefs and Statement of Faith
Beliefs about god
1. There is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 5:48, Matthew 28:19).
2. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He was sent by the Father to live on Earth; He was fully God and fully human, yet he had no sin. Jesus willingly laid down his life for the unjust as a sacrifice and after three days, rose from the grave. In doing this, Jesus fulfilled the payment for the world’s debt of sin. (Philippians 2:6-11, Luke 1:34-38, 1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 2:9, Romans 5:9, Acts 2:23-24, Hebrews 8:1, Matthew 26:64).
3. The Holy Spirit is a divine person who was sent by the Father and Son to convict the world of sin and to empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. He lives in every believer and is a constant helper, teacher and guide (John 14:15-18, John 16:13, Acts 1:8).
4. It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Acts 1:8, Romans 6:1-14).
beliefs about people
1. God created people in His image, and everyone matters to God (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 5:1-2).
2. All people are sinners and need God’s forgiveness. All who believe in Jesus Christ are justified on the ground of His shed blood (Romans 3:23).
3. Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all people, and those who confess and turn from their sin, and believe and trust in Jesus Christ will be saved and become children of God, with the promise of eternal life (John 3:16-17, Galatians 3:26, Titus 3:4-7).
beliefs about the church, the bible & christ's return
1. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and all believing people are members (Ephesians 4:15-16, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-47).
2. The Bible is the inspired, inerrant word of God and is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The Old and New Testaments are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men (2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:15-16).
3 // Jesus Christ will return and there will be a final judgment. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and peace (I Corinthians 15:20-23, John 5:28-29, Hebrews 10:37, Luke 21:27, Titus 2:11-14).
our denomiNation's statement of faith
In essential beliefs - we have unity.
In non-essential beliefs - we have liberty.
In all of our beliefs - show charity.