We avoid preserving tradition at the expense of doing what is biblical, effective and efficient. Rather than run from culture, we have chosen to harness it in an effort to connect with people and show them God's timeless truths. We believe in placing emphasis on essential beliefs, while avoiding disunity caused by disagreements over issues that simply do not matter in eternity. At the heart of our beliefs is simply what Jesus refers to as the greatest of the commands......love God and love others (Matthew 22:34-40).

We believe a church should primarily be known for what it DOES, not just by what it believes and certainly not just by what it stands against. Beliefs become stagnant and useless if they are not translated into actions. We want Epic Church to be known by its love for God and its love for people. We want to be known for what we DO.

For that reason, in essential beliefs, we emphasize unity. There is one Body and one Spirit... there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all. (Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV)

In nonessential beliefs, we exercise liberty. Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters...Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls...So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. (Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22 NIV)

In all matters, we exhibit grace. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV)

About God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons... the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
(Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God's Son and equal with the Father and Holy Spirit. The Son of God became a human and lived a sinless life. He was completely God and completely human at the same time. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. After three days in the grave, Jesus defeated sin and death by rising from the dead. He then ascended to Heaven and will return again someday to Earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.
(Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)

About The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every follower of Jesus Christ from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.
(John 14:16-17, 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18)

About Humans
People were created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him, but became alienated from that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, we are totally incapable of coming back into a right relationship with God by our own effort.
(Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2)

About The Bible
The Bible is the inspired word of God to us and is completely relevant to our daily lives. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs about living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.
(2 Timothy 3:16, 1:13; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)

About The Church
The church is the body of Christ and Jesus Christ is the Head. All believers are members of the body of Christ, the one true church universal. Spiritual unity is to be expressed among Christians by acceptance and love of one another across ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, national, generational, gender, and denominational lines. The church is also a local body of baptized believers who gather for worship, prayer, instruction, encouragement, mutual accountability, and community with each other. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by loving Him and by making Him known to a lost world. The church should be known for its diligence to the greatest command (love for God and love for others) and its greatest commission (go into the world and make disciples).
(Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; 22:34-40; 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42, 47; 15:1-30; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 2-3)

About Salvation
Salvation is God's free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works, only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment someone receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
(Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6, Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1, 10:9-10)

About The Christian Life
Every Christian should live for Jesus Christ and not for himself. By obedience to God's Word and daily yielding to the Holy Spirit, every believer will mature and become conformed to the image of Christ. The Christian life is a journey that makes us more like Jesus Christ. Believers are to use their spiritual gifts to serve Jesus Christ and His church.
(Romans 8:1-39; 12:1-2; I Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 7:17; 12:1-31; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 3:8-11, 21; 5:22-32)

About Eternity
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
(John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9)

About Baptism
Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the new believer is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water by immersion. Baptism is an act of obedience and not a requirement for salvation. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48).

About Communion
We believe the Lord's Supper is a unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (symbolic of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of biblical parameters. (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11,12 :4-8; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:5-16, 4:14; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10).

Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Baptism in the Holy Spirit brings empowerment to live an overcoming Christian life and to be an effective witness. The believer may experience the baptism of the Spirit as a separate and subsequent experience following conversion or as a gradual process in which the believer operates more fully under the guidance of the Spirit. All who accept Christ will receive the Holy Spirit. (Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6).

Healing of the Sick
Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus, and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign, which is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus' work on the Cross and one of the gifts of the Spirit. (Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28; Romans 11:29).

The Role of Women in Ministry
Women are vitally involved in ministry throughout the Bible, and appear in most ministry roles including that of teacher, pastor, and elder. Passages in which women are prohibited from ministering are exceptional cases dealing with specific cultural issues. (Judges 4:4; Acts 18:24-26; Romans 16:21; Galatians 3:28; 1 Timothy 3:8-13; 2 John 1)

Eternal Security of the Believer
All those who are truly born again will be kept by God's power and will persevere as believers until the death and will then go to be with Christ in Heaven. (John 6:38-40, 10:27-29; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 1:3-14; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5)

Resurrection
Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).

Heaven
Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4).

Hell
After living one life on Earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to hell where they will be eternally tormented with the devil and the fallen angels (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8).

Second Coming
Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to Earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7).