1. We are a parachurch organization
2. We are a Christian faith-based organization and are interdenominational
3. We confirm that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone
4. We stand upon the principles of abundant or exchanged life living
5. We live solely by the purity and truth of God's Word
6. We walk alongside those who need a healing touch in their spirit, soul, and/or body
7. We advocate small group fellowship and Bible study
8. We promote Christ-centered clinical discipleship by lay persons in the body of Christ
9. We provide various materials for education, discipleship, and small group fellowship
10. We pray for unity in the Bride of Christ
Teresa Long is a Certified Nutritional Consultant
with a heart felt need for sharing important information
on the value of natural foods for the human body.
She is a Board Certified Biblical Counselor with
the International Board of Christian Counselors and holds
a diploma in Biblical Counseling with Grace Fellowship Intl.
as well as the American Association of Christian Counselors.
She is a student at Luther Rice Seminary studying
in the area of Biblical Counseling. She is the founder of
Beside the Shepherds Tents. She and her family
Statement of Faith
The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible as originally written was verbally and plenarily inspired, is the product of Spirit-controlled men, and, therefore, is truth without any mixture of error. We believe the Bible to be the center of true Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
The Trinity
We believe that there is but one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; I Corinthians 8:4), an infinite, all-knowing Spirit (John 5:24), perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
God the Father
We believe that God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8, 9; I Corinthians 8:6). He is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9). As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36). He is glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love.
God the Son
We believe that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine excellencies, and in these He is co-equal, consubstantial, and co-eternal with the Father (John 10:30; 14:9). We believe that God the Father created "the heavens and the earth and all that is in them" according to His own will, through His Son Jesus Christ, by whom all things continue in existence and in operations (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2).
We believe that in the incarnation (God becoming man), Christ was supernaturally born of a virgin and surrendered only the prerogatives of deity but nothing of the divine essence, either in degree or kind. In His incarnation, the eternally existing second person of the Trinity accepted all the essential characteristics of humanity and so became the God-man (Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23-25; Luke 1:2-35).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross and that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (John 10:15; Romans 3:24,25; 5:8; I Peter 2:24). We believe that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that He is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now mediates as our Advocate and High-Priest (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:38,39; Acts 2:30, 31; Romans 4:25; 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; and I John 2:1).
God the Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, bestows gifts, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, baptizes the believer into Christ, and indwells and empowers the believer. (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; John 14:16,17,26; 1:8-11; I Corinthians 6:19).
Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the laws of his Maker; but, by voluntary transgression, Adam fell from his sinless and happy estate; all men sinned in him, in consequence of which, all men are totally depraved, are partakers of Adams' fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct, and, therefore, are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1- 6, 24; Romans 1:18-32; 3:10-19; 5:12,19)
Salvation
We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and in sin is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life. (John 3:3,6,7; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1, 5; 2 Peter 1:4; I John 5:1).
Sanctification
We believe that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy and is therefore identified as a saint. This sanctification relates to our standing before God and is instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification. (Acts 20:32; I Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 2:11; 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12; I Peter 1:2). We believe that the cross of Christ is not only essential to being sanctified to God by justification, but it is essential also to progressive sanctification (being conformed to the likeness of Christ). As the believer enters in or appropriates his identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and reckons himself dead to sin and alive to God, he begins to live out his new identity ("in Christ"). Progressive sanctification (growth in Christ-likeness) continues as the believer denies the self-life by daily nailing it to the cross and allowing Christ to live through him.
The Church
We believe in the unity of all true believers in the Church which is the Body of Christ and was established on the Day of Pentecost and that all believers, from Pentecost to the Second-Coming of Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, are added to this Church by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. We believe that this Church is manifested through the local church, which is a congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. (Acts 15:213-18; 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:1-7; Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:11; 5:23,24; Colossians 1:18).
The Devil or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan; that he is the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 20:10).
