ICV - the International Church of Valencia

What we Believe...

As Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, we have been called to be People of the Book. It is our conviction that God has given us in His Word, the Bible, the essentials of the faith He has called us to embrace and practice. Biblical truth sets us free to live lives of purpose, destiny, significance and true fulfillment. The basics of Christian doctrine serve as the foundation of our spirituality and success in every God-led endeavor in life. Rooted in the orthodoxy of biblical and historic Christianity, we affirm the following biblical essentials as our statement of faith:

HOLY BIBLE

The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).

GOD/ TRINITY

God is the creator and ruler of all creation. There is only one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and co-eternal (1 John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for humankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory. (John 1:1,14, 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 2:5).

VIRGIN BIRTH

Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary; therefore, He is the Son of God (Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 23-25; Luke 1:27-35).

REDEMPTION

Humanity was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression fell; Our only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).

REGENERATION

For anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential (John 6:44,65; John 3:3-7).

SALVATION

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human effort (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22).

REPENTANCE

Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:19; 1 John 1:9).

RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

We believe in justification by faith. Justification means to be made righteous. All christians have been made righteous by Gods grace and faith in Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus by faith in what He has done on our behalf. Therefore, we practice righteousness or right living and do good works not because we are trying to gain favor or justify ourselves, rather, because we have already been justified or made righteous. (Romans 5:1-9; Romans 10:2-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 6:11-19)

SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is both the one-time occurrence of being made sanctified (or made clean) by God’s grace and the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ's character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life (1 Corinthians 6:11; John 17:15-19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11).

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST

The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross was sinless and is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9; John 1:29).

JESUS CHRIST INDWELLS ALL BELIEVERS

Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead (John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelations 3:20).

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Given at Pentecost, it is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth. It is an experience available to all believers at or subsequent to salvation. Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues is for all who believe and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5-8, 2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6, Mark 16:17, 1 Corinthians 14:5).

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to grow, build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of biblical parameters. (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11,12 :4-8; Ephesians 4:16; II Timothy 1:5-16, 4:14; I Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; I Peter 4:10).

THE CHURCH

The church is the Body of Christ, those who have followed Jesus call to be His disciple. It is the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus' great commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. All believers are called to belong to and actively participate in a local church. (Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23; 1 Corinthians12:12-27).

SACRAMENTS

Water Baptism: Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38).

Holy Communion or The Lord's Supper is a unique time of communion in the presence of God wherein the elements of bread and wine or grape juice (representing the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48; I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-26).

HEALING OF THE SICK

Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus, and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign, which is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus' work on the Cross and one of the gifts of the Spirit. (Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; I Corinthians 12:9, 28; Romans 11:29).

GOD’S WILL FOR PROVISION

It is the Father's will for believers to become whole, healthy and successful in all areas of life. But because of the fall, some may not receive the full benefits of Gods will while on Earth. That fact, though, should never prevent all believers from seeking the full benefits of Christ provision in order to better serve others.

Spiritual (John 3:3-11; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10).

Mental and Emotional (II Timothy 1:7, 2:11; Philippians 4:7-8; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3).

Physical (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17; I Peter 2:24).

Financial (Joshua 1:8; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Philippians 4:19).

RESURRECTION

After His death on the cross Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body on the third day. As a result, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).

HEAVEN

After life on earth is finished, Heaven is the destiny for all believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; II Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; I Peter 1:4).

HELL

After living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell where they will be eternally tormented with the Devil and the Fallen Angels (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8).

SECOND COMING

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)

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We Agree With The Following Historical Creeds Of The Christian Faith:

THE APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy *catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

THE NICENE CREED

We believe in one God the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in the one holy catholic (Christian) and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

We also affirm THE LAUSANNE COVENANT and hold to the highest ministerial and ethical standards regarding everyone but especially regarding our relationship with other life-giving churches and ministries as we endeavor to reach Valencia, Spain, Europe and the world for Christ together. We are not only interested in the growth of our own church and ministries but in the growth and healthiness of other churches and ministries as we ‘seek first the Kingdom of God’ together.

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Some other terms which describe ICV - the International Church of Valencia

We are orthodox in our faith: We recognize the biblical truths of historic Christianity. We believe in Classic Christian doctrine.

We believe in the Reformation: We embrace the theological understandings of salvation recovered through the work of the early reformers such as Martin Luther. We give appropriate and balanced emphasis to the biblical doctrines highlighted during The Reformation of Sola Fida, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura, and the priesthood of the believer.

We are committed to holiness (healthy and holy living and witness): We recognize the immense importance of a healthy and holy lifestyle and working in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to call our contemporary generation out of dead religious traditions to a whole-hearted pursuit of Christ marked by obedience to His Word and Lordship.

We are Relevant: We believe in practicing classic christianity in our contemporary culture and context. Our faith and doctrine are sacred but our methods are subject to change in each contemporary time and culture. We believe in presenting classic christianity to contemporary culture and modern society in a way that is relevant.

We are Evangelical: We believe in the necessity of conversion as a requisite for eternal salvation. We honor God and hold faithfully to the proclamation of the gospel message of repentance from sin and faith toward God. We believe that all christians are called to make disciples or help others grow to be followers of Christ from every nation or ethnic group. Further, we are called to faithfully teach all to live according to Jesus Christ commandments and teachings.

We are Charismatic: We embrace the doctrine and experience of Spirit baptism at or subsequent to conversion and the accompanying gifts that God bestows upon and through believers. We believe that God continues to do miracles through the gifts of the Spirit in our present day.

We Practice New Testament Leadership: We practice a model and style of leadership that focuses more on vision and results rather than committees and processes. It is the role of our church leaders, particularly the Senior Pastor, to empower all of the church to do the work of the ministry according to each individuals gifts and talents.