Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of Park South Loop 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.
Further, we utilize the New City Catechism as a standard of doctrinal development for both young and old alike. We encourage you to read Pastor Raef's article which explains the doctrinal and practical reasons we selected this catechism for our Church.
Further, we utilize the New City Catechism as a standard of doctrinal development for both young and old alike. We encourage you to read Pastor Raef's article which explains the doctrinal and practical reasons we selected this catechism for our Church.
The Bible
The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
Scripture speaks with the authority of God and at the same time reflects the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. The Scriptures are presented exactly as God intended and without error in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
Psalm 119:60; Matthew 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 10:15-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
God
We believe there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and each of whom is worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience.
In the beginning, God created the world and all things out of nothing, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 1:4-8
Salvation
The central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. Originally created to have fellowship with God, man defied God, choosing to go his independent way, and was thus alienated from God. The consequence of this rebellion from God is the corruption of human nature, so that people are unable to please God in any way. The Fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered these consequences and are in need of the saving grace of God. The salvation of humanity is, then, wholly a sovereign work of God’s grace, not the result, in whole or in part, of human effort or works of goodness. Salvation becomes a reality in a person’s experience when he or she admits his or her own sinfulness and inability to save himself or herself, and receives God’s gift of forgiveness by faith. By this act of faith, each person acknowledges his or her own need for repentance and solely relies on Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. When God has begun a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His word that He will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation.
Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Isaiah 64:6-7; Matthew 26:28; John 1:12; John 3:7-18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 10:28; Acts 4:10-12; Acts 16:31; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23-28; Romans 4:5-6; Romans 5:1; Romans 5:9-10; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:3; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 10:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:13; Galatians 3:21-22; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:4-9; Colossians 3:9-10; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:3-6; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 5:13; Jude 24
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Godhead–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He was united with a true human nature by a miraculous
conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily made amends for the sins of humankind by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. Jesus rose from the dead in the same body, now glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and humanity, continually makes intercession for His own. He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
Matthew 1:18-25, 25:31-46; Mark 10:45; Luke 24; John 1:1, 1:14, 8:58; Acts 1:9-11, 2:22-24; Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Hebrews 2:14-15, 4:14-16; Revelation 11:15-17, 20:11-15, 22:13, 22:20
The Holy Spirit
The essential accompaniment of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is a life of holiness and obedience, attained by believers as they submit to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to humankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them a recognition of their need of a Savior and regenerates them. At the point of salvation He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength and wisdom, and genuinely endows each believer with gifts for the building of the Church. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying Scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character, referred to as the fruit of the Spirit, to the glory of the Father.
Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139:7-10; John 3:5-8, 14:16, 14:26, 16:8, 16:13; Romans 8:9, 8:14-17; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:16-17, 5:25; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5
Human destiny
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. At the return of Christ, every human being will be bodily resurrected from the dead. All who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be separated from God for eternity. God’s judgment will reveal His justice in consigning them to perpetuate in eternity their own rejection of God. All who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be received into everlasting communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life that glorify Christ.
John 5:24-29; Romans 2:5-11; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, 9:25; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 20:11-15
The Church
The result of union with Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of His body, the Church. The one true Church is composed of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Wherever God’s people meet regularly, there is the local expression of the Church. Under the watchful care of elders and other supportive leaders, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to God. Scripture commands all believers to be an active part of a local church body, devoting themselves to worship, prayer, and the teaching of God’s Word. Participation in a local body also includes the observance of believer’s baptism and communion as the sacramental ordinances established by Jesus Christ, fellowship, service to the body, and outreach to the world, thereby glorifying Christ and furthering His purposes.
Matthew 16:18, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; Romans 12:4-9; 1 Corinthians 12:7, 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:12; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 4:10
Faith and Practice
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. This Church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, in these areas each believer should seek the wise counsel of others in the Church and then be led by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible.
Philippians 2:1-4, Galatians 1:10, Ephesians 5:15-16
The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
Scripture speaks with the authority of God and at the same time reflects the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. The Scriptures are presented exactly as God intended and without error in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
Psalm 119:60; Matthew 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 10:15-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
We believe there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and each of whom is worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience.
In the beginning, God created the world and all things out of nothing, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 1:4-8
The central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. Originally created to have fellowship with God, man defied God, choosing to go his independent way, and was thus alienated from God. The consequence of this rebellion from God is the corruption of human nature, so that people are unable to please God in any way. The Fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered these consequences and are in need of the saving grace of God. The salvation of humanity is, then, wholly a sovereign work of God’s grace, not the result, in whole or in part, of human effort or works of goodness. Salvation becomes a reality in a person’s experience when he or she admits his or her own sinfulness and inability to save himself or herself, and receives God’s gift of forgiveness by faith. By this act of faith, each person acknowledges his or her own need for repentance and solely relies on Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. When God has begun a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His word that He will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation.
Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Isaiah 64:6-7; Matthew 26:28; John 1:12; John 3:7-18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 10:28; Acts 4:10-12; Acts 16:31; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23-28; Romans 4:5-6; Romans 5:1; Romans 5:9-10; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:3; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 10:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:13; Galatians 3:21-22; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:4-9; Colossians 3:9-10; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:3-6; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 5:13; Jude 24
Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Godhead–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He was united with a true human nature by a miraculous
conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily made amends for the sins of humankind by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. Jesus rose from the dead in the same body, now glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and humanity, continually makes intercession for His own. He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
Matthew 1:18-25, 25:31-46; Mark 10:45; Luke 24; John 1:1, 1:14, 8:58; Acts 1:9-11, 2:22-24; Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Hebrews 2:14-15, 4:14-16; Revelation 11:15-17, 20:11-15, 22:13, 22:20
The essential accompaniment of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is a life of holiness and obedience, attained by believers as they submit to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to humankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them a recognition of their need of a Savior and regenerates them. At the point of salvation He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength and wisdom, and genuinely endows each believer with gifts for the building of the Church. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying Scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character, referred to as the fruit of the Spirit, to the glory of the Father.
Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139:7-10; John 3:5-8, 14:16, 14:26, 16:8, 16:13; Romans 8:9, 8:14-17; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:16-17, 5:25; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. At the return of Christ, every human being will be bodily resurrected from the dead. All who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be separated from God for eternity. God’s judgment will reveal His justice in consigning them to perpetuate in eternity their own rejection of God. All who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be received into everlasting communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life that glorify Christ.
John 5:24-29; Romans 2:5-11; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, 9:25; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 20:11-15
The result of union with Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of His body, the Church. The one true Church is composed of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Wherever God’s people meet regularly, there is the local expression of the Church. Under the watchful care of elders and other supportive leaders, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to God. Scripture commands all believers to be an active part of a local church body, devoting themselves to worship, prayer, and the teaching of God’s Word. Participation in a local body also includes the observance of believer’s baptism and communion as the sacramental ordinances established by Jesus Christ, fellowship, service to the body, and outreach to the world, thereby glorifying Christ and furthering His purposes.
Matthew 16:18, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; Romans 12:4-9; 1 Corinthians 12:7, 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:12; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 4:10
Faith and Practice
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. This Church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, in these areas each believer should seek the wise counsel of others in the Church and then be led by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible.
Philippians 2:1-4, Galatians 1:10, Ephesians 5:15-16
Additional Statements
Very often we receive questions about our position on various cultural topics. While we do not have set statements for every possible topic of culture, we continue to labor to understand culture and speak boldly and directly into culture from a Biblical perspective. The following statements therefore are helpful guides on a few of the more commonly asked positions.
Statement on Gender& Sexuality: While we have not yet written an official statement on Gender & Sexuality, we do agree with the Nashville Statement.
Statement on Men & Women in Ministry: In 2021 a team from Park drafted the following statement supporting our complementarian position on men and women in ministry. View statement here.
Statement on Gender& Sexuality: While we have not yet written an official statement on Gender & Sexuality, we do agree with the Nashville Statement.
Statement on Men & Women in Ministry: In 2021 a team from Park drafted the following statement supporting our complementarian position on men and women in ministry. View statement here.