What a church believes shapes what it teaches, how it worships, how it lives and, ultimately, where it leads people.
At LOJ Caldwell, our faith is not built upon trends, personalities or changing cultural opinions.
It is grounded in the Word of God and centered upon Jesus Christ.
These are the foundational truths we believe — and the truths we seek to live.
At the fundamental core of our beliefs is one profound truth: there is one true and living God.
We believe God is eternal and unchanging, the Creator of heaven and earth and all things.
He eternally exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit — three distinct, co-equal Persons, yet one God.
This is what Christians commonly refer to as the Trinity, or the triune nature of God.
Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
Matthew 28:19
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God — truly God and truly man.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived without sin, taught with divine authority and performed mighty works that demonstrated His deity. He willingly sacrificed Himself, being crucified on a cross for our sins, was buried and bodily rose from the dead on the third day.
Jesus then appeared in the flesh to His disciples and many other witnesses before ascending into heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of the Father. We believe Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation and that He will personally and visibly
return.
John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:14
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…”
John 14:6
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.”
We believe mankind was created by God and made in His image, beginning with Adam and Eve. All of humanity was created for fellowship with God, but sin entered the world through the first man’s (Adam’s) rebellion against God.
As a result, all of humanity inherited a sinful nature, meaning everyone is a sinner and stands in need of reconciliation with God. Sin is not merely a collection of mistakes or poor decisions. At its core, sin separates us from the holy God who created us. Therefore, humanity cannot save itself. That is why we need a Savior.
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
So what did God do about our sinful condition? He did for us what we could never do for ourselves.
We believe God authored a plan of salvation to redeem His fallen creation and, in fulfillment of that plan, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again.
Having died in our place as our substitute, Christ paid the penalty for our sin. Forgiveness, reconciliation with God and eternal life are therefore received through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ – not earned through human merit, good deeds or religious works.
Ephesians 2:8–9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Romans 10:9
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Those who receive Jesus Christ and His sacrifice by faith are “born again,” reconciled to God and become His children and heirs of eternal life.
We also believe in what Scripture teaches concerning imputed righteousness, which simply means that our right standing before God does not rest upon a righteousness we could ever achieve for ourselves. Rather, through faith, we stand before God on the basis of the righteousness of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Salvation is God’s gift to us. Jesus paid the price. We receive that gift by faith.
We believe the Holy Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God and the final authority for our faith and conduct.
But Scripture does more than tell us what to believe. God uses His Word to teach us, correct us, mature us, transform the way we think and equip us to live.
2 Timothy 3:16–17
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
That is why biblical preaching and teaching are central to the life of LOJ Caldwell. We want to understand God’s Word accurately – and then learn how to live faithfully in the light of what He has spoken.
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, fully divine and actively at work in the lives of God’s people.
The Holy Spirit convicts, teaches, guides, comforts and empowers believers as we grow in Christ. Christian living is not merely an attempt to imitate Jesus through human effort; we depend upon the presence and power of the Holy Spirit working within us.
We also believe the spiritual gifts described in Scripture remain important to the life and ministry of the Church. The Holy Spirit gives gifts to believers according to His will for service, for the edification of the Body of Christ and for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 12:7
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
We therefore welcome the genuine work and gifts of the Holy Spirit while also believing, as Scripture teaches, that spiritual ministry should honor God and operate “decently and in order.”
SANCTIFICATION AND CHRISTIAN GROWTH
We believe salvation begins a life of transformation. God calls His people to holiness and increasingly conforms believers to the character of Christ through His Word and Spirit.
Spiritual maturity should eventually become visible in the lives we actually live, that is, in how we think, speak, love, forgive, serve, lead, work, make decisions and treat other people.
2 Peter 3:18
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Christianity is therefore more than a profession of faith. It is a life of following Jesus.
We believe in water baptism as an act of obedience, a public identification with Jesus Christ and a profound symbol of the believer’s decision to walk in the newness of life found in Him.
Romans 6:4
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…”
We also observe Communion as a worshipful remembrance of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and as a grateful recognition of what He has accomplished for us.
1 Corinthians 11:24
“This do in remembrance of me.”
THE RETURN OF CHRIST, JUDGMENT AND ETERNITY
We believe Jesus Christ will personally and visibly return.
We believe in the resurrection of the dead and in a final judgment before God. We believe those who belong to Christ will have eternal life with Him, while those who ultimately reject Jesus Christ remain separated from God and face eternal judgment.
These are sobering truths, but they are part of the Gospel that we have been entrusted to proclaim. Our hope is therefore not solely in this present world, but in Jesus Christ and in the fulfillment of everything God has promised us eternally.
Titus 2:13
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
We believe everyone who belongs to Christ is a member of His Body, the Church.
As believers, we are called to gather together to worship, pray, learn God’s Word, fellowship and serve one another. We are also called to carry the Gospel and the love of Jesus beyond the walls of the church and into the world around us.
1 Corinthians 12:27
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
That is why every believer matters. Every believer has a place. Every believer is called to grow. And every believer has been given something that can be used for the good of others and for the glory of God.
WHAT ALL OF THIS MEANS FOR YOU
The principal doctrines of the church were never intended to remain merely words on a page. They were always purposed to bring about a vibrant, living faith that changes how we love and serve one another every single day.
We believe we were created to know God, worship Him and glorify Him with our lives. That is why what we believe should eventually become visible in how we live.
Because these things are true, we desire to worship God faithfully, pray continually, teach His Word accurately, proclaim Christ boldly, love people genuinely, serve others generously, live holy lives and carry the Gospel beyond the walls of our church.
James 1:22
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…”
That is also why our worship services, Biblical teaching and preaching, prayer, ministries, evangelistic efforts, outreach and service all ultimately point in the same direction: glorifying God while helping people know Him personally and experience the love of Jesus for themselves.
We do not expect everyone who walks through our doors to arrive knowing all of these things, or understanding all of these things, or even having all of their questions answered. Come as you are. Ask questions. Grow with us. We will continue opening the Word of God together, learning what He has said and doing our best to live it.
Because at LOJ Caldwell, what we believe matters. And what we believe should make a difference in how we live and how we love.
