Statement of Faith
GOD is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Gen. 1:1-2, 26-27; Deut. 6:4; Ps. 90:1-2; Ps. 145:10-13; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:10-12; Rev. 1:8
JESUS CHRIST is the Son of God, the Word made flesh, and equal with the Father. He is the centerpiece of God's plan for providing salvation to mankind. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, offered up as a sacrifice for man's sin on the cross, rose to life on the third day, and ascended to Heaven's glory where He reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Is. 9:6-7, 11:1-4, 53:1-6, 53:12; Matt. 1:22-23; John 1:1-5, 14:6-7, 17:1-5; Col. 1:15-23, 2:9; Heb. 4:14-16;
1 Cor. 15:3-6; Heb. 7:24-26, 13:8; Rev. 22:12-16
THE HOLY SPIRIT is equal with the Father and the Son as God, and is God's presence in the world today. His task is to make all people aware of their need for Jesus Christ and to live within those who have trusted in Him. He provides Christians with understanding and discernment of spiritual truth and the power to live within God's boundaries.
John 14:26, 15:26; Rom. 8:26-27; 1 Cor. 1:9-11; 2 Cor. 3:17-18; Gal. 5:22-25; Titus 3:5-7
THE BIBLE is God's written word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error, and is the primary source for Christian beliefs and guidelines for living.
Ps. 119:89-96, 105; Is. 40:8; John 20:31; Eph. 5:25-27; Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
HUMAN DESTINY refers to the plan of the Creator in making humans the supreme objects of His creation, and by creating them in His image. As such, we have tremendous potential for good, but have been marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called "sin". This attitude has separated us from God, breaking the relationship we were created to have with Him.
Gen. 1:26-28, 3:22-23, 5:1; Ps. 8:3-8; Is. 59:2; Rom. 3:10-12, 23; Rom. 5:12, 6:23; Col. 1:10-14
SALVATION is the restoration of relationship between God and Man, made possible through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is a gift from God to us, and is something that we could never have attained through self-improvement or good works. Salvation is granted to those who have acknowledged their total dependence on the work of Jesus Christ, and have given their lives to Him in faith.
Eph. 2:8-9, 13-18; Rom. 10:9-11; Col. 1:19-23; Titus 2:11-14; Titus 3:4-7
ETERNAL SECURITY is the confidence that once the relationship between God and an individual has been restored through Jesus Christ, that it will never again be broken. This confidence is based on the incomparable power and strength of Jesus Christ to maintain that connection and not let anything separate the believer from God's love.
John 10:27-29; Rom. 8:28-39; 2 Tim. 1:10-12; Heb. 7:25; I Peter 1:3-5
ETERNITY has been set in the hearts of men by God. He created our souls to live forever, and following our physical death, we will either be eternally separated from Him in Hell or eternally present with Him in Heaven. The difference between destinations is the personal choice we make while alive to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
Ecc. 3:11; John 3:16; Rom. 6:23; Heb. 9:27; 1 John 5:11-13; Rev. 20:11-15
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Heart Attitudes
The attitudes of our heart always reveal themselves in our behaviour. Though we can fool some people some of the time, sooner or later our behaviour -- the way we act toward other and God -- reveals the true condition of our heart.
As a church, Seabreeze has developed six heart attitudes and made them the centerpiece of membership commitment. These six practical ideas make it possible for us to succeed as a church corporately and as individuals taking part in the larger church body.
1. Look to the Interests of Others
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. - Phillipians chapter 2, verses 3-4.
2. Live an Honest and Open Life
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. - Ephesians chapter 4, verse 25
3. Clear up Relationships
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. - Romans chapter 14, verse 19
4. Participate in the Work of the Church
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. - First Peter chapter 4, verse 10
5. Support the Church Financially
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew chapter 6, verse 21
6. Follow Spiritual Leadership in the Church
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. - Hebrews chapter 13, verse 17
Spiritual Growth
It has often been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and perhaps that is the reason why the Bible uses images when speaking of one's spiritual life, for it seems to be the part of us that is the most difficult to describe. At Seabreeze, we have chosen the image of the tree to represent one's spiritual growth, and we're in good company, for it is used throughout the Bible to describe a healthy spiritual life:
The Psalmist in Psalm 1 wrote, "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Jesus then expanded on that image in John 15 by saying, "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…this is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
In our environment of growth, we focus on three basic parts of the tree image - the roots, branches, and fruit. These correspond to the three elements that we have identified as being essential for spiritual growth - Commitment, Connection, and Contribution.
Commit
The roots of the tree represent our commitment to growth. Commitment, which has been described as a long obedience in the same direction, is the invisible yet essential component that not only holds us fast in the face of storm, but also provides the fuel, or motivation for our growth.
Connect
The branches of the tree represent the connections we make with God and others in the Body of Christ. Connecting is essential to our growth and is literally the only way we can produce spiritual fruit. Here are some visible ways to connect
To God:
Publicly acknowledge your commitment to Jesus Christ through baptism.
Privately commit yourself to the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible study.
To Others:
Commit yourself to participate in large and small gatherings at Seabreeze. Sunday Worship, Oasis, Retreats, Social events and Small Groups.
Commit yourself to a deeper level of participation at Seabreeze through membership.
Contribute
The fruit of the tree represents our contribution to the great mission of God. Each of us has been given spiritual gifts, abilities, and resources that allow us to participate, and our use of them defines God's will for our lives.
Here are some of the ways to begin contributing at Seabreeze:
Attend a Network class to discover your spiritual gifts, passion, and ministry style, then commit yourself to serve in some area at Seabreeze.
Commit yourself to moral purity as a way of protecting your spiritual life and the lives of those around you.
Commit yourself to the spiritual discipline of tithing as a way of furthering the ministry of Seabreeze.
Commit yourself to continually seek avenues through which you can extend yourself to others in love.
It is our hope that you will find this environment of spiritual growth to be an effective means for becoming a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, and like the tree planted by the streams of water, prosper in everything you do.
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