We believe that the presentation of Christian faith must be in accord with God’s Word, the Bible. We do not require that members subscribe to a formal creed yet seek unity in our understanding of the essentials of Christian faith. Unity in the body depends upon harmony within the church (Romans 12:16; I Peter 3:8) and confidence in the leadership (Hebrews 13:17). The basis for that unity is our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the living Son of God and our adherence to the Bible as the inspired text for our teaching, structure, and practice. Many issues are open to individual interpretation, however, to maintain unity in the body all who accept and hold leadership and teaching positions at VVBC shall respect and faithfully teach within the following guidelines.
The Bible
The Bible is the inspired Word of God and final authority for all Christian faith and practice. (Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
God
We believe in one God, who eternally exists in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is Creator, Lord of all, sustainer of life, and active in human affairs. (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 44:24, 45:18; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:1-3, 5:19-23, 10:30, 14:9-17, 17:21; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 3:17; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6:15-16; 1 Peter 1:1-2)
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience, sinless, fully God and fully man. He died on the cross to shed his body and blood as a substitutionary atonement for our sins. He was resurrected from the grave and ascended to Heaven. There at God’s right hand, he intercedes for His followers. Jesus Christ will return, raise the dead, judge all people, and establish God’s kingdom. (Matthew 1:23, 3:16, 16:16; Luke 1:35, 24:51; John 14:28; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Ephesians 1:20-22, 2:12-14; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15-20; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:3)
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and Son. The Spirit permanently indwells every believer at conversion. The Spirit graciously sanctifies, lovingly leads, and empowers all who are brought to faith in Christ to powerfully carry out God’s mission. (Genesis 1:2; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:38; John 6:63; Romans 8:16; Ephesians 1:13-14)
Humanity
We believe that man, male and female, were created in the image of God, but Adam and Eve fell through sin when tempted by Satan, resulting in all humanity being sinful by nature and choice, and spiritually dead and separated from God. The only way to reconciliation with God is by grace through faith in Jesus. (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, 3:1-24; Psalms 14:1-3; John 3:6; Romans 3:10-19, 21-26, 6:23, 8:6-7; Ephesians 2:1-9)
We believe God created marriage to be a lifelong, covenant commitment between one biological man and one biological woman as husband and wife, and that sexual relations are to be the union in one flesh of a husband and wife only within the covenant of marriage. (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:24-27;
1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 7:2-6; Ephesians 5:21-33; Hebrews 13:4)
Salvation
Salvation is obtained by grace through faith for those who repent and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and are reconciled with God. (Matthew 26:28; John 3:16-18; Romans 3:23-26; 5:6-17, 6:12-14, 8:1-10, 10:9; Galatians 2:20, 6:14, 15; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7)
End Times
We believe in the Second Coming – The personal, physical, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in power and glory. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved unto eternal life and the lost to eternal condemnation. (Matthew 13:49, 24:29-31, 25:41-46; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17;
2 Thessalonians 1:5-12; Revelation 11:15, 19:11-16, 20:10-15, 21:1-8)
Church
The church is a community of those who have faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior and is called to worship God, preach the good news of God’s grace, and encourage growth in the Christian walk. (Matthew 16:16-18, 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:3-6; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:1-16; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; Hebrews 10:19-25)
The two ordinances given to the church by Jesus are Water Baptism and Communion.
Water Baptism by immersion is an act of obedience for those who have a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and is an expression of faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior symbolizing death to sin, burial of the old life, and resurrection to new life in Jesus Christ. (Matthew 3:13-17, 28:18-20; Acts 2:38-41, 8:35-38, 10:47-48, 16:31-34; 8:36-38, 18:7-8; Romans 6:3-5; Ephesians 4:4-6)
Communion is open to all who have faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior and is celebrated regularly to remind us of the sacrifice of Jesus, God’s grace, and our redemption. The elements of bread and fruit of the vine are symbols of Christ’s broken body and shed blood. (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28)