What We Believe | Riverside Church of Christ

ANCHORED IN SCRIPTURE, ROOTED IN GRACE

We don't have all the answers, but we know the One who does. Here is what matters most to us at Riverside.

God, Creator, and Redeemer

The Triune God (Father, Son, and Spirit)

We believe in one eternal God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and sustainer of all things, perfectly holy, sovereign, and defined by relentless love.

God the Father: The architect of creation and redemption, who desires a personal, restoring relationship with every human being. (Genesis 1:1; John 3:16)
Jesus Christ: The eternal Son of God who became flesh, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and bodily rose from the dead. Salvation is found in Him alone, received as an unearned gift of grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8–9; Colossians 1:15–20)
The Holy Spirit: Not an impersonal force, but the active, living presence of God. The Spirit convicts the world of sin, indwells every believer at baptism, and empowers us with spiritual gifts to produce fruit and live out the mission of God. (Acts 2:38; Romans 8:11; Galatians 5:22–23)

The Scriptures (Our Ultimate Authority)

We believe the Bible is God's inspired, infallible Word. It is our absolute standard for faith, life, and practice. We don't view Scripture as a rigid rulebook to police people, but as a living map that points us directly to Jesus. When the Bible speaks, we speak; where it is silent, we remain silent.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” — 2 Timothy 3:16

The Christian Life & Practice

Salvation & Baptism (A Beautiful Surrender)

We believe that when a person is ready to respond to the Gospel, baptism is the foundational step. It is not a work we do to earn salvation, but an act of passive submission—a beautiful surrender where we are fully immersed in water, participating in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to walk in a brand-new life.

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” — Romans 6:4

The Church & Its Leadership (A Family, Not a Country Club)

We believe the church is not a building or an institution, but a covenant family rooted in radical kinship. Following the New Testament pattern, Riverside is independently governed and led by a local plurality of qualified men known as elders(or shepherds/overseers), supported by deacons and ministers, with no central denominational headquarters.

The Role of Elders: Scriptural elders are not corporate CEOs or board members; they are spiritual fathers who pastor, protect, and care for the flock under the ultimate authority of Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd. (1 Peter 5:1–4; Titus 1:5–9)

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God...” — Ephesians 2:19–20

Communion & Worship (Weekly Remembrance)

Following the early church's example, we gather on the first day of every week to remember Christ's sacrifice through communion (the bread and the cup). In our worship, you will find a focus on simplicity, heartfelt singing, and an open Bible—striving to worship God in spirit and in truth.

“On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…” — Acts 20:7 ( cf. John 4:24 )

Navigating Life's Realities

Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage

We believe that marriage is a sacred, lifelong covenant designed by God between one man and one woman. At the same time, we live in a broken, fallen world, and we recognize the deep pain associated with divorce. While upholding the biblical ideal of covenant fidelity, we approach divorce and remarriage with a posture of profound pastoral healing, truth, and grace—believing that God’s mercy can redeem, restore, and mend any past.

“He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female... Therefore what God has joined together, let not man put asunder.’” — Matthew 19:4, 6 ( cf. Romans 8:1 )

Evil, Suffering, and Hope

We believe that evil and suffering are the tragic results of a broken world marred by human sin. God does not cause our suffering, but He does not abandon us in it. He enters into our pain, redeems our brokenness, and promises a coming day where He will wipe away every tear, making all things new.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33

Christians Only, But Not the Only Christians

One of the historical mottos of the Restoration Movement was the desire to simply be "Christians only"—dropping human creeds and man-made denominational labels to return to pure, New Testament Christianity.

Unfortunately, that noble goal sometimes curdled into a spirit of arrogance, as if we were the only true Christians on earth.

At Riverside, we reject that sectarian trap. We love our heritage in the Churches of Christ, and we believe deeply in following a biblical pattern, but we recognize that God has children in every stream of Christendom where Jesus is loved and Lordship is confessed. We want to be radically committed to truth while overflowing with grace.