ZOE CHURCH OC distinctives

As we build Acts 2 churches locally and globally, here are our rallying cries:  

1. Help people far from God come to faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:47; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).

2. Fight injustice, work for peace, and extend compassion to people in need (Acts 2:45; Isaiah 58:6–7, 9–10; Matthew 25:40; 1 John 3:17).

3. Build a radically diverse biblical community that serves and lives in reconciliation with one another and with God (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25; James 5:16).

4. Strive to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:42; Matthew 28: 19-20; Romans 12:1–2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22–23).

5. Enable women and men to serve according to their gifts (Romans 12:4–8; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

6. Steward resources generously, wisely, and sacrificially (Acts 2:44–45; Luke 12:48; 2 Corinthians 9:11).

7. Gather regularly for biblical teaching, corporate worship, and prayer (Acts 2:42, 46; Ephesians 5:19; Ephesians 6:18–19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Timothy 4:11–13; 2 Timothy 3:16–17).

8. Depend upon and courageously obey the Holy Spirit (John 16:13–15; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:10–13; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

The Five Gs

While none of us can achieve perfection in this life, our desire is to make daily progress in the pursuit of holiness—progress that reflects principles and core values seen throughout Scripture. Zoe Church OC sums up these core values and principles in statements we call “The Five Gs.”

GRACE (Ephesians 2:8–9)

GROWTH (2 Peter 3:18)

GROUP (Acts 2:46)

GIFTS (Romans 12:6–8)

GOOD STEWARDSHIP (Philippians 4:11–19)

Pursuing “The Five Gs” means you are well on your way to becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ. These core values from Scripture are not just arbitrary rules; they provide direction that help every follower of Jesus live in a way that pleases God. They will help you grow into the best version of yourself—something God desires for every one of His children.

“What we believe”

 “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, He has both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9, NASB

The Zoe Church OC Statement of Faith summarizes our beliefs as a church. Our theology is not innovative—anyone familiar with historic Christian doctrine will find these statements fall in the center of evangelical theology (“evangelical” means theology derived from the evangel, or the gospel; in other words, it is biblical theology rather than speculative theology or theology rooted in tradition).

We avoid being dogmatic about matters on which Bible-based believers have held divergent views. We want our core beliefs to be centered in Christ and His message as found in and supported by the clearest passages of the Bible. More obscure doctrine or teachings with less support are left for individuals to sort out on their own. We take no official position in these areas.

In the following pages, we’ve added a few explanatory comments to clarify and help apply these vital doctrines. As you read these statements, you will see they are rich with spiritual truth. Do not try to hurry through these pages. Read them slowly and thoughtfully. Ask yourself throughout, “What difference does this truth make in my life? If I didn’t know or believe this, would it matter?”

The Bible

THE SOLE BASIS OF OUR BELIEF IS THE BIBLE—the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe Scripture in its entirety originated with God and He revealed it to chosen authors. Scripture speaks with the authority of God while simultaneously reflecting the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of these human authors. We hold that the Scriptures, in their original manuscripts, are infallible and inerrant; they are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice. There are no other writings similarly inspired by God.

COMMENTS

Human reason is a powerful tool, but it can be distorted by our finite and often self-centered perspective. Reason alone cannot figure out the meaning to life and cannot comprehend who God is beyond the simple awareness that He exists. If we are to have a relationship with God, we cannot overcome our limitations to reach Him; He must break through and get to us. The Bible is the written summary of His attempts to do that. But the Bible isn’t just a record of His word. The Bible itself is the Word of God in written form. It is revelation—truth expressed not by means of humans groping in the dark for the right way to say it, but truth given by God himself as He “carried people along” in their writing. Their message was and is His message. Because God cannot lie, this written Word is completely reliable, so we must let it judge us instead of us judging it. Though other books, both modern and ancient, may contain helpful spiritual truth, no other writings are “God-breathed” in the way the Bible is. Truth is mixed with error everywhere except in the Bible. That is why we base our beliefs on its teaching and submit all our thoughts and plans to its scrutiny.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

• We endeavor to regularly read and study the Bible, privately and publicly, to understand and apply its message.

• We reject claims that any human or ecclesiastical intermediary is necessary for us to know and relate to God. We have His Word, and we are each individually responsible to learn what it says. • All aspects of our lives and conduct must be submitted to what the Bible teaches. We must obey what we discover God has commanded.

• Messages given by Zoe Church OC teachers must provide teaching supported by Bible.

• We do not accept doctrines—no matter what is claimed as their source—if they do not square with what the Bible says; supposed “modern prophets,” “new revelation,” or any message—even if apparently given miraculously—must be tested against the Bible.

God

WE BELIEVE THERE IS ONE TRUE, HOLY GOD, eternally existing in three equal persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the beginning, God demonstrated His power, wisdom, and goodness by creating the world and everything in it. Through His divine power and providence, God continues to sustain His creation, operating within history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.

COMMENTS

The Bible begins with the phrase, “In the beginning, God...” God has always existed; His nature and being are eternal. We also learn about God from His revelation to us that three distinct “persons” are called God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Because the Bible clearly teaches there is only one God (not three gods), we understand these three persons fully share the one and only divine nature. We use the term “Trinity” as a label for the teaching that God has a singular nature but a plural personality.

This creative God desired to share the “community” that has always existed within Him, so He made a universe that would reflect His attributes. All He created is dependent upon Him—He made it out of nothing, keeps it together, can reshape it, and is Master over it. God crowned His creation with man and woman, fashioned in His personal image, with whom He could have a relationship, and who could relate to each other. They would reflect His nature by exhibiting unity in the presence of diversity, love in the midst of differences, and ruling while remaining submissive—all at the same time. God has been involved in the affairs of His creation from the very beginning and continues to play an active role in relating to humankind, specifically in rescuing us from our rejection of His love and His legitimate right to be glorified as our Creator.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

• Knowing God is our highest priority. Substituting any activity or allowing any passion to become stronger is idolatry.

• We treat creation as something wonderful God has made. We neither abuse it nor worship it; we seek to cultivate all God has shared with us so it can be used to further His purposes, treating it as a stewardship from Him, which must be preserved without becoming more important than the people He made to enjoy it.

• We cannot agree with any teacher or religious group that rejects God’s revelation of himself as Trinity (as is common among most “cult” groups).

• We can count on God to be active throughout our lifetimes. He will bring us good things, and He will turn evil things into some good; He works in our lives so we develop a vital relationship with Him based on deep trust that supersedes all other loyalties.

Salvation

THE CENTRAL PURPOSE OF GOD’S REVELATION in Scripture is to call people into fellowship with Him. Originally created to be in relationship with God, humans defied Him by going their own independent way, resulting in alienation from Him and the innate inability to please God. This fall took place at the beginning of human history; since then all people have suffered these consequences and are in need of the saving grace of God. The salvation of humanity is completely a work of God’s free grace; it is not in any way the result of human works or goodness. Each person can receive salvation by repentance and faith. God’s Word assures individuals that He will continue His saving work in them forever.

COMMENTS

The common myth that humankind is basically good is not supported by the Bible. We were originally created good, but the first man and woman rebuffed God’s rightful place in their lives, so we are all now infected with the disease called “sin” and are spiritually separated from God. This condition is without remedy through any human effort. If God had left us to ourselves, all of us would continue in disobedience and rejection of Him.  

The good news is He has provided a way out of our dilemma through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which paid the penalty for our sins. Those who personally appropriate the forgiveness God offers will be restored to a right relationship with Him. This new life is a gift; it cannot be earned by our activities nor revoked by our failures—what God begins, He finishes. We live with the undeserved promise that the change He has begun in His followers is only the beginning of a total transformation that culminates when we are taken into His very presence to live forever. 

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

• Our message to those exploring faith contains the call to turn from fruitless attempts to earn God’s favor and cast themselves, without reservation, on the perfect and reliable provision of God in Christ.

• We rest secure in the knowledge that the Christian life we live is a “thank you” to God for the salvation He has fully provided. We neither think that our obedience enhances our salvation (as if we could add something to the death of Christ) nor do we treat His grace in a cavalier way (as an excuse to live sinfully).

• Knowing we all are sinful, we never naively assume we are immune to temptation or evil; though confident of being rescued from the penalty of sin, we prudently conduct our lives mindful of sin’s ongoing potential to misdirect us.

Jesus Christ

JESUS CHRIST, THE ETERNAL SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY, was fully united with a human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father, voluntarily paid the price for the sins of all people by dying on the cross as their substitute, and satisfied divine justice, bringing salvation to all who trust in Him alone. After His physical death, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father as the only intercessor between God and humans. He promises to return to earth, personally and visibly, to fulfill history and the eternal plan of God.

COMMENTS

Jesus is both fully God and fully man. He is unlike any person who has or ever will live. He is not part divine, part human; He is fully both. All of God dwelt in Him, and His humanity was complete. His birth evidences His humanity in that He was born from a human mother, yet His divinity is established by virtue of the fact that His mother was a virgin who conceived miraculously. In His humanity, He experienced every human limitation except sin; He was like us in every way except that He never disobeyed His heavenly Father. In His divinity, He is coequal with His Father and the Holy Spirit throughout all eternity. His death did not end His existence, but after He paid for our sin on the cross, He arose from the dead on the third day. His resurrection not only shows His complete provision for sin’s effects, it also serves as a prototype of our future resurrection when our bodies will be remade in the same way to live in eternity (Philippians 3:20–21).

Jesus continues to possess both full humanity (though glorified) and full divinity. He is the ongoing Mediator between us and the Father, ever mindful of our needs, always concerned for our well-being. His final words on earth included the promise to return to earth visibly and bodily for the purpose of consummating history.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

• We are Christians (not “Godians”) because our message is about Christ—His work, His divinity, and our need to follow Him. Any message that does not center on Christ, including His full humanity and divinity, and His forgiveness for all sin, is not the gospel.

• Because our salvation was secured by a perfect sacrifice of a perfect person, we live knowing we are totally and unconditionally forgiven from sin now, rather than hoping we will be forgiven at some future point. We are secure in the grace of God through Christ.

• Knowing Jesus will return some day, we hold the things of this world loosely, counting on the new heavens and new earth (2 Peter 3:13) to be our permanent home.

The Christian Life (The Holy Spirit)

People in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ are to live in holiness and obedience as they submit to the Holy Spirit, THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY. Sent by the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit applies Christ’s saving work by enlightening the minds of sinners to their need to be saved. He renews and indwells each believer upon salvation, becoming their source of assurance, strength, wisdom, and gifting for building up the church. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Bible. Appropriated by faith, His power and control empower believers to lead a life of Christ-like character and bear fruit for the Father’s glory.

COMMENTS

The Holy Spirit is God, not just a force. The Bible describes Him with personal pronouns and reveals He has personal attributes. He works “behind the scenes” to prepare people to hear the gospel, and then applies the merits of Christ to them at the point of regeneration. Jesus promised the Spirit’s presence to all His followers, assuring us He would actually indwell us in a permanent union. His ministry in us includes: helping us understand the Bible, making us aware of things we do that don’t please God, assuring us we are God’s children, empowering us for witness, gifting us to uniquely serve others in the church, helping our prayer life by interceding for us, and producing in us the kind of character that makes us credible, persuasive representatives of Jesus Christ.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

• As saved people, we are continually striving to be more like the One who saved us; we are not content just to be forgiven; we want to exemplify Christlike behavior in every area of life. We will never give up the fight to resist sin and to be more like Him in word and deed.

• The Christian life is more than just “being good.” We need the Holy Spirit to bear His fruit in us; therefore, our daily lives must be yielded to the Spirit in a moment-by-moment surrender. Otherwise, our self-improvement efforts will be useless.

• When we share Christ with others, the message we present is effectual, not because of our superior reasoning or irresistible presentation, but because the Spirit is at work through us and in  the heart of the person we’re talking to; therefore, we depend ultimately on His invisible activity through our limited understanding of what will reach the person.

• Because the Spirit is resident in us, we listen for His promptings, anticipating that He wants to direct us and will do so if we are open to Him.

Human Destiny

DEATH SEALS THE ETERNAL DESTINY of each person. All humanity will experience a bodily resurrection and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. Having rejected God, unbelievers will suffer eternal condemnation apart from Him. Believers will be received into eternal communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life.

COMMENTS

There are no “second chances” after we die. Our relationship with God for eternity is set by how we respond to Him in this life. God has not only saved our souls, but—as He did for Jesus—God is also going to resurrect our bodies in a form that will be suited to the environment of the eternal life we will inherit. The only hope for spending eternity with God will be to claim the merits of Christ. Any attempt to hold out one’s good deeds as sufficient for God’s approval will result in the discovery that those behaviors weren’t enough, and that one’s misconduct was far more serious than anticipated (now that it has been brought into the searing light of a holy God).

Because we are made in God’s image and have the mark of His handiwork upon us, He does not destroy us after we die. He is the God of the living, “for all live to him,” said Jesus (Luke 20:38 ESV). Rather, He fixes our eternal condition based on our life preferences: heaven and hell are simply the fulfillment of our spiritual aspirations as manifested in this life. If we welcomed His presence and cooperated with Him in our earthly life, He is pleased to continue that relationship for all eternity. If, on the other hand, we looked for ways to avoid Him in this life and sought to live in behavior He condemned, He will allow us to continue unbothered by His presence and holiness forever. Hell is God’s provision for those who have longed for Him to stop interfering with their plans and who wish He would leave them alone. Those whose highest delight in life was God will be able to enjoy forever the One who gave them pleasure on earth. PRACTICAL

APPLICATIONS

• We reject the teaching of reincarnation. We must make good choices with the one life we have and urge others not to count on some later incarnation to work out their problems.

• Knowing our eternity is infinitely longer and more significant than our 70 or so years on earth, we order our lives here so they take into account this eternal perspective; we choose our activities and priorities based on God’s pleasure, recognizing that His approval supersedes every other consideration.

• Although we know good works can’t earn heaven, we believe our obedience pleases God, and we will be rewarded based on the teachings of the Bible; we serve Him diligently, not only because it brings Him glory, but also because He has assured us the future age will make all earthly difficulties fade by comparison.

• The message of the gospel brings life to those who would perish eternally without Christ; we therefore seek to present His saving message publicly and privately as often as we can (being sensitive to our listeners’ needs as well as communicating naturally through our own evangelistic style).

• As we relate to people throughout life, we see them as the eternal beings they are and accord them due respect; we have never met an average person—everyone matters to God and deserves to be treated lovingly.

The Church

All who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are united with Him as members of His body, THE ONE TRUE CHURCH. Scripture commands believers to gather for worship, prayer, fellowship, and the teaching of the Word; to observe Baptism and Communion as established by Jesus Christ; to offer service to the body through development and use of talents and gifts and outreach to the world. The local expression of the church is wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command. Cared for and led by Elders and leaders, church members are to work together in love and unity for the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

COMMENTS

The Church is first-and-foremost an organism, not an organization. It is the living body of Christ, made up of all people everywhere who are His followers. It is not defined by the limits of any particular denomination  or location, but includes all true believers. The local expression of this body is found wherever His children gather in His name. While the Bible describes some of the activities of a church, it is Christ in our midst—not anything we do—that makes us His Church.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

• Non-Christians can be members of an organization, but making us members of the Church is something Christ himself does; Zoe Church OC’s system for belonging recognizes this invisible work of Christ as distinct from the flexible, human-controlled systems of belonging in a local church.

• We are an interdenominational church, emphasizing that all true believers are one with Christ and each other, regardless of denominational background. Every gathering of believers is a gathering of the Church; every small group is in fact the Church meeting together in its smallest unit.

• Small-group leaders function as shepherds of their “flock,” and ultimately, the Elders can provide spiritual oversight through those leaders for the entire church.

• All believers must have opportunities to learn about and develop their spiritual gifts; we structure our ministries to implement this value so everyone can participate in some aspect of the church based on their areas of passion and giftedness.

• Disunity hurts the body of Christ and His cause. We guard our unity and diligently seek to honestly confront and work through differences in God-honoring ways that both respect the individual (made in God’s image) and preserve our oneness in Christ.

Faith and Practice

In all matters of faith and practice, SCRIPTURE IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY. In matters where Scripture is silent, believers should conscientiously seek to be led by God because it is to Him alone he or she is ultimately responsible.

COMMENTS Truth is found in the Bible, but truth is not found ONLY in the Bible. The Bible is all-sufficient for our spiritual lives, but many other beneficial things can be learned through other means. We embrace whatever wisdom we can learn from whatever legitimate source, always passing it through the discerning grid of God’s unerring Word. What the Bible teaches, we embrace. If a non-Scriptural source contradicts the Bible, we can be certain it does not embody God’s truth—and we affirm what the Bible teaches. Beyond that, no person, organization, or writings have authority to dictate our beliefs.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

• No person ever has the right to dictate the beliefs of another person; we submit to God’s authority through His Word, which stands over and judges all of us, including our leaders.

• We do not take stands on controversial issues about which the Bible is silent; individuals are left to their own consciences before God rather than depending on the church to tell them what to think or do.