What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Ark Church | Vancouver, WA based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

We believe in the Trinity, which is the doctrine that God is one, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity are distinct and unified, co-existing in perfect harmony and working together to create and sustain the world. We recognize that since God is the Creator and the source of all life, He exists in three persons who are distinct yet united, understanding each other completely and working together to bring about His plans for humanity. We believe that the Trinity is an essential part of understanding God and His purpose for us. By embracing the Trinity, we can have a deeper relationship with the Lord and better understand His will for our lives.

• God the Father: He is the sovereign ruler of the universe, caring for His creation with love and wisdom. He is Father to those who believe in Jesus Christ.
• God the Son: Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became human through the virgin birth, lived a sinless life, and died for our sins. He rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and will return in glory. He is our Mediator and Lord.
• God the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is fully divine, inspiring the Scriptures, convicting us of sin, and guiding us into truth. He indwells believers, empowering us for worship, service, and spiritual growth.

Genesis 1:26; Mathew 28:19 ; 2 Corinthians 13:14

We believe the Holy Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, revealing His truth without error. It is the ultimate guide for faith, conduct, and the foundation of Christian unity. Every word of Scripture points to Christ, who is the focus of God's revelation. The Bible is not just a book, but a living guide, full of God’s wisdom and guidance. Through scripture, we learn about God’s character, how to live and act, and how to grow in our spiritual journey. We believe that by reading and studying the Bible, we are able to draw closer to God and deepen our understanding of His love.

We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is the central figure of Christianity, the Word of God made flesh. Jesus was sent by God to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins so that we could enjoy an eternal life with Him. Jesus’ teachings on love, forgiveness, humility, and repentance are at the core of our beliefs. We also believe in Jesus’ resurrection, that it was proof of His deity and the promise of eternal life for all those who believe. We are called to follow Jesus, to live lives of holiness, and to share the good news of the gospel. As we learn to love and serve others, we are reminded of Jesus’ example of love and sacrifice.

Salvation is God's gracious gift, offered to all who trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It involves regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is a process that begins with a new birth and continues through spiritual growth, culminating in eternal life with God.

Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.

• Regeneration: A work of God's grace where believers are made new in Christ.
• Justification: God's declaration of righteousness for those who have faith in Christ.
• Sanctification: The ongoing process of becoming more like Christ through the Holy Spirit.
• Glorification: The final state of the redeemed, fully restored in God's presence.

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its two scriptural offices are that of pastor/elder/overseer and deacon. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

We believe in the power of prayer, both individually and corporately, as an expression of faith in God's work in our lives. Prayer is an essential part of a Christian life and is used to talk to God and to communicate with Him. We pray for guidance, strength, healing, protection, and for our families, friends, and community. Through prayer, we seek to deepen our understanding of God's will and His plans for our lives. Praying helps us grow closer to God and to gain a better understanding of His will and how we can best serve Him. When we pray, we open ourselves up to God and He will answer us in His own way and in His own time. Prayer is a beautiful and powerful way to communicate with our Heavenly Father and to seek His love and guidance. 

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.