OUR IDENTITY

The most important part of our identity is that we are followers of Jesus Christ. As such, we are united with everyone who has put their faith & trust in Jesus regardless of denominational affiliation. People at North Oak come from a wide variety of church backgrounds. Yet, we are also gladly part of the Mennonite Brethren, which originated from the Anabaptist tradition. 

 

CORE BELIEFS

We hold to the doctrines of historic Christianity.  Our core theological beliefs include the following:

 

  • The Trinity: There is only one God, who exists in three persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
  • The Dignity of Human Beings: Human beings are created in God's image. We are God's special possession and every person should be respected and valued.
  • The Fall of Humanity: Human beings rebelled against God and thus have invited sin into our hearts and our world. This doesn't mean that each of us is as bad as we possibly can be, but it does mean that we are separated from God.
  • The Love of God: Despite our rebellion, God desires a relationship with every human being. He loves the whole world, even sending His son to die on the cross so that we can be saved.
  • The Good News of Salvation: Salvation is found only through faith in Jesus Christ, who voluntarily paid the penalty for our sins so that we can be restored to the Father.
  • The Presence of the Spirit: The Holy Spirit is an active presence in the life of every Christian, encouraging us in our spiritual walk and guiding us in God's truth.
  • The Lifestyle of Christians: God saved us from something (sin, hell, etc), but He has also saved us for something (to serve Him). Jesus is our Savior but He is also our Lord, meaning that we pledge our lives to Him and strive to live in a way that expresses His love and holiness.
  • The Future of Mankind: Humanity was created to live for eternity. Because of sin, we now experience mortal death, with non-believers being separated from God for all eternity and believers going to God's presence. 
  • The Importance of the Bible: It is God's truth and is therefore trustworthy, authoritative, and without error in its teachings. 

For a more detailed overview of our theological beliefs, please read the Confession of Faith of the Mennonite Brethren.