What We Believe The Holy Bible is God's revelation to us; it has no error and is the standard by which we are to live. (2 Timothy 3:15-17). There is only one living and true God and He has revealed Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit (know as the Trinity). He has distinct personal attributes, but is without division of nature, essence or being. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. (Ephesians 4:4-6). Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, died on the cross as payment for our sins, rose from the dead three days later, ascended to heaven, and will return to fulfill His redemptive mission. (Philippians 2:5-11). Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is an experience by which a person allows Christ to take control of his or her life and trusts in Him for forgiveness of sin and eternal life. (Romans 3:23, 10:9-10). By placing our faith in Christ, we are saved from eternal condemnation and promised a full and eternal life with Him. (Romans 6:23). At salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit in our lives to help us live the life He desires. Getting to Know God God loves you deeply and longs for you to know Him. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). His purpose for you is to experience life - both full and eternal! This relationship with God begins by acknowledging three things... Lord, I need forgiveness... We have walked away from God's way and the Bible calls this sin. We must be willing to turn from our sin and turn to Christ. "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." (Acts 3:19). Lord, thank-you... Jesus Christ died for you on the cross. Our sins brought a death consequence, but the Good News of the Bible is that Christ took that consequence for us. In other words, He died in our place! Instead of death, we now receive forgiveness and peace with God. "Christ died for our sins... he was buried... he was raised on the third day... " (1Corinthians 15:3-4) Lord, please... God doesn't force His way into your life. You must ask Him by faith to come into your life. Invite Him to dwell in you by the presence of His Spirit. "Call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved." (Romans 10:13). "... If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9). "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in..." (Jesus, Revelation 3:20). If these statements express your beliefs and the desire of your heart, pray them now to God. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). Ask him now for this gift of a new life! If you would like someone to speak to or to pray with you, please feel free to contact one of the Pastoral team. 10 Core Values of IBC Nice Values - Not what we do but what we believe that compels us to do what we do. Everybody Matters - God says that every person matters to him. And if all people are loved by God, they should matter to his followers. Whether enemy, neighbor, foreigner, or fellow believer, Christ gives this command: Love people because they matter to God! Everyone Contributes - God determines how each of his children can contribute to his cause. He has wired into each one uniqueness, experience, ability, passion and giftedness. His followers are urged to discover with his Spirit’s help how they can best contribute to his cause. The more contributors, the more God can accomplish through us. The Poor are With Us - God looks on all poverty as the result of a broken world. Followers of Christ are to express the compassion and mercy of the Father by actively meeting the needs of the poor. God himself has met the needs of ultimate poverty by offering to all the richness of life in Christ. Suffering Happens - God has allowed suffering that good may come from it. He has suffered the most by enduring his son’s humiliation and crucifixion. Through this He has demonstrated how He is able to turn the most horrendous suffering into the most incredible good. His followers must trust him with patient contentment, for while God takes no pleasure in our suffering, he brings about good out of our suffering. Prayer Works - God is near to his children and has invited them to communicate openly and freely with him. Prayer expresses his followers’ gratitude for, attitude toward and dependence upon their Father. The mysterious value and power of prayer is discovered in proportion to how much it is practiced. The Bible Relates - Only God could succeed at telling his story by compiling a book that incorporated 39+ human authors writing over 1500 years using multiple literary styles. Even more amazing is that this book connects with individual seekers in mysterious ways right now providing guidance for life’s journey. Worship is Everything - God himself is awe inspiring and life is his expressive masterpiece. For all his goodness, He deserves all credit expressed in song, celebration and applause. Our whole existence is a celebration of life in him. So whether eating or drinking, we do it all so God gets good reviews. Fun is a Good Thing - God created the earth as a playground for his children. Laughter, parties and pleasures are part of God’s good creation and his eternal kingdom. Fun has ultimate value when it is enjoyed with gratitude as a good gift from God. Art is a Beautiful Thing - The arts are a vehicle to express faith creatively. Paintings, poetry, dramas, music, and dance are some of the tangible ways to reflect the love of God, illuminate his Word, and point people in the direction of the Creator. Life is a Group Thing - God is a “group thing” because he is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. His great works of creation and redemption are group achievements. God has forever experienced love because he is a group – the Trinity. He made us in his image to live in loving group relationships. Loving relationships are the center of life here and now as well as into eternity.