About Us and Our Beliefs

Plurality of Pastors/Elders

As stated above, the church of First Irving is Elder-led and congregationally governed. In the New Testament, the apostles established a structure where Pastors/Elders were appointed to oversee the spiritual care of local churches (Acts 14:23), and we believe the office of Pastor/Elder remains God's provisional care for his people today. They are to lead the church by teaching God’s Word (1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:9), serving as faithful examples to the flock (1 Pet 5:3), and by being willing to shepherd the local congregation toward spiritual maturity that God has entrusted to them (Eph 4:13; I Pet 5:2). The Scriptures also teach that each local church should be led by a plurality of Pastors/Elders, both for the benefit and protection of the congregation (Acts 20:17; Phil 1:1; Titus 1:5). Thus, as men aspire to the office and meet the qualifications for the office of overseer provided in the Scriptures (1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), the church sets them aside as Pastors/Elders to care for and lead the church.

Expository Preaching

We preach the Word of God through the hermeneutical lens of Christ-centered expository preaching. We use the term Christ-centered because we believe all Scripture is a testimony to Jesus Christ and His finished redemptive work on the cross as all of the promises of God find their "yes" in Christ (2 Cor 1:20). The term expository preaching simply means that we look to explain what the living Word of God says (Heb 4:12), and then we seek to apply the word to the hearts of our people (Phil 4:9). At our church we desire to preach and teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), because we understand that the Scriptures are profitable to us for our correction, reproof and for the training of righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). We believe that it’s the power of the Spirit, through the preached Word of God that our minds are transformed (Rom 12:2) and that we are conformed into the image of Jesus Christ (I Cor 3:18).

Scripture-Guided Worship

At First Irving, our Sunday services are guided by the Word of God. It is our deep conviction that God’s word is relevant, transformative, authoritative, and sufficient for every generation and for every age of the church. We also believe the central message of the Bible to be the gospel of Jesus Christ. So when we gather together each week, we gather around God’s word and the gospel. This is what we desire to shape us each time we meet together on the Lord’s Day (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). Each Sunday we gather to read the word, pray the word, sing the word, preach the word, and to see the word through the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Not only do we plan for the content of our service to be biblical and Christ-centered, but we also desire the service itself (the structure) to be shaped around biblical patterns and ultimately shaped by the glorious gospel Jesus Christ. We believe the Scriptures should govern our time together. Our earnest prayer is that First Irving might be a people marked by delighting in and meditating on God’s Word (Ps. 1:2) because we believe it is what transforms us at the deepest level spiritually, sanctifying us into greater Christlikeness (Rom. 12:2; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Isa. 55:10-11).

Meaningful Membership

At First Irving we place an emphasis on membership at our church because we believe the Bible teaches us that it is important to the spiritual life of a believer. Membership places us under the God-ordained authority of the church, gives us a shared identity, and unites us with a common purpose. We see that the New Testament teaches us that as Christians, we should commit to a local church and even formalize that commitment in membership with the local church. The New Testament also teaches what level of commitment we should have among the church when we consider that we should love one another (Jn. 15:12; I Jn 3:23), bear with one another (Eph 4:2), encourage and build one another up (I Thes 5:11) among several other ‘one another’ commands. These commands within the local church demonstrate how we are dependent on one another in our spiritual walk to grow in the image of Christ.

Scripture

The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.

God & The Trinity

There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.

Humanity & The Fall

God created all things in sinless perfection, and all creation was in perfect harmony. Created to bear the image of God, humanity was specially created apart from the rest of creation. However, the act of Adam and Eve to reject God’s authority brought sin into the world. The effects of this initial sin marred every corner of creation, and removed humanity’s original innocence before a Holy God, known as The Fall.

The sacredness of human life is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man. Therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.

Jesus Christ & Salvation

The Gospel, the “Good News” is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God - the perfect, sinless atoning Lamb of God who makes us righteous and is our justification before a Holy God (Romans 3:21- 26). This justification brings us into a relationship of peace with God. Salvation is personal, not corporate or familial, and only occurs by the grace of Christ, through repentance of sins and faith in Him alone (Romans 5:15, 6:23).

Part of Salvation is the experience of sanctification, by which we are, over time, set apart to God’s purposes, and progress toward a moral and spiritual redemption.

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.

The Spirit & Regeneration

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is fully God. He has many roles (comfort, conviction, revelation, empowers, etc.) He is also responsible for the work of regeneration and sanctification in our lives. These processes occur simultaneously with the Spirit’s dwelling in us and continue for the remainder of our lives.

All believers are sealed and in-dwelt with the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion, and therefore there is no need for a second baptism of the Holy Spirit post-conversion (Ephesians 1:12-14, John 1:33, Romans 8:9, Galatians 3:27).

Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.

The Ordinances (Baptism and the Lord Supper)

Baptism is a non-salvific (contains no saving properties) step of obedience by a believer after salvation. It is symbolic of the internal, spiritual change that Jesus has brought to our hearts and our lives through salvation. By this, we show our church family and the world that we identify with Christ’s death and His resurrection (Matthew 28:19).

The Lord’s Supper is also non-salvific, and is a symbolic act meant to remind the church, in a sobering and sacred way, of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:17-26). It is available and commanded only to believers and aids us in identifying with Christ’s crucifixion.

Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.

The Church

A New Testament church a local congregation of believers, brought together by covenant in faith fellowship. We observe the two ordinances of Christ, are governed by His Word, work out our spiritual gifts, and seek to extend the Gospel to all nations. Every local body operates under the Lordship of Christ, and each member is personally responsible and accountable to Jesus as Lord directly. However, its scriptural officers (pastor/elders and deacons) are to help members walk faithfully with Christ and will be held accountable before God for this fact.

The New Testament also refers to the universal Body of Christ as the church, which includes all believers of all the ages, from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.

Last Things

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to an appropriate end. At this time, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge the living and the dead. The unrighteous will be sentenced to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous will receive their reward and will live forever in the presence of a Holy God in an Eternal Kingdom (Heaven), completely free from sin & death (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

There is no Scriptural evidence or authority for a belief in purgatory, limbo, or any holding place for those who have preceded us in death.

Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.