Our Beliefs

There are no requirements to come to John Knox. All are welcome. While you do not need to agree with what we believe, we do have common beliefs that form the core of who we are and what we do.

The Bible           

We believe the Bible to be the authoritative Word of God, illuminating our hearts and guiding our decisions. The Bible holds within it words of comfort and challenge, meant to be studied alone, shared in community, and reflected on as often as possible.

Jesus Christ      

Jesus is God’s own son, fully human and fully divine. He cared for the poor, blessed the children, healed the sick, welcomed the outcast, taught and fed the multitudes. He was crucified for the love he unconditionally gave to all. Yet, love has a way of overcoming hate and every form of fear. On Easter morning, we celebrate that Jesus was raised from the grave, conquering death and overcoming all forces of evil and sin. In Jesus we have forgiveness, the assurance of everlasting life, and the power to life abundant and grace filled lives. 

The Holy Spirt   

The Holy Spirit equips us to live abundant and grace filled lives. The Spirit has been around since creation, inspiring people to speak about, and live for, the purposes of God. The Spirit is the source of healing, fire for justice, granter of a wild variety of gifts (like teaching, mercy, encouragement, administration), and the very breath we breathe.   

The Sacraments  

In the Presbyterian Church (USA) we have two sacraments based on what Jesus told us to do. When he was with his disciples, he took bread and wine saying, do this and share this. There is no magic in the bread or wine (often juice). The magic occurs when we share the common elements together remembering the Passion of Jesus, receiving his forgiveness, and opening our lives to the way he nurtures us and empowers us together to live holy and just lives.  He also told us to go out into the world to teach and to baptize. In baptism, an infant, teen or adult, is claimed by God, cleansed of sin, and welcomed into the big, inclusive family of God. In baptism, we are invited to turn from our wrong acts, turn to Jesus, and follow him into the world.

The Church        

The church is a mix of sinners and saints who find themselves gathered in by the invitation of God. None of us are perfect, yet we are together the Body of Christ on earth, speaking all kinds of languages, in all kinds of settings, praying for one another and learning from one another. The church is not just a building. It’s so much more. It’s people, connected and caring for their families, blessing their neighbors, doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God.   And, as a Matthew 25 church, we seek to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.  We believe in radical hospitality and God's inclusive love of all people regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation.