We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. Genesis 1:1, 26; John 1:1, 3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19, 20; Ephesians 4:5, 6

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy 1:1, 2; 2:5, 6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6

We believe in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:32; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9, 10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16

We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, seal, comfort, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide, giving each follower diverse gifts, fostering unity, interdependence, productivity, Christ-like character, and love among Christians. John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; John 16:7-14; Acts 1:8 and 2:4; Romans 5:5; 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 12-14; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 3:16, 4:3-4; 5:18

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20, 21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31, 32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32

At La Mesa Village Church, you will hear the word “Gospel” repeatedly because it is the most important truth that we can know and experience. The Gospel is not merely a message that needs to be shared with non-Christians, but also with Christians. It is not something that mature Christians move on from, but rather something that they move deeper into. The Gospel is the lens through which we should view theology, ministry, and all aspects of life. The Apostle Paul defined the word, “Gospel” concisely in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 when he wrote, “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” Simply put, the Gospel is all about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and the implications it has for us. The word “Gospel” literally means “good news.” It is the good news of God taking on flesh through the person Jesus Christ and rescuing mankind by His perfect life that we could never live, His substitutionary death that we deserved but could never die, and the resurrection that we could never attain which now gives us true life through His Spirit. While the Gospel can be stated in a sentence, it is also the grand narrative that is told throughout the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The Gospel is the glorious story of how God is reconciling the whole world back to Himself through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. It is personal, yet cosmic. It is simple, yet infinite.

We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. The Gospel is the good news that Jesus, the Christ, has done what was necessary to redeem us from our hopeless state of sin and death and reconcile us to our righteous Father, the eternal Creator God of all. All those who repent and believe on Christ, confessing and trusting that Jesus is the Christ, God in human flesh, and that he suffered and died and was resurrected in order to justify and redeem his people, are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, becoming new creations who are counted righteous: our holy God looks on those who trust in his Son, and sees the righteousness of his Son instead of the stain of sin and rebellion that we bear. He grants us eternal life and seals and fills us with his own Spirit, empowering us to live as his children, and gives us his good Word to guide us into his grace and knowledge. Genesis 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Ecclesiastes. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 9:22; II Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 19:3, 20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; I John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:13; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1

God's Gospel compels us to Christ-like living and mission to the world. We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With the Gospel, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the Gospel in word and deed. We believe that all Christians are called to a life of godly character, devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ and service to Him. We believe that the Gospel is not only the entry point into the Christian life, but is also the dynamic by which we relate to God. Growing in godliness happens by continually reflecting on the Gospel, or “good news” of Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf. As we reflect on this and God’s Word, we become aware of just how big the separation is between our sinfulness and God’s standard. This often happens simultaneously with growth in holiness. As we become more and more aware of just how big the separation is, the Gospel becomes more and more important, the cross becomes more and more central, and, as a result, we are driven to worship, rather than pride or despair. Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 7:1, Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 1:22-24

God's Gospel is embodied in the community called the Church. We believe that we are not simply saved as individuals, but that we are saved “into” something called the Church. This is given many different names in Scripture but the primary one is that of a family or the “household of God.” (Ephesians 2-3) We are to relate to God as our Father and each other as brothers and sisters “in Christ.” This leads to a deep loving community that displays the power of the Gospel to a watching world (John 13:35). The "universal church" is all those past, present, and future, from every tribe, tongue, and nation, who have been called out and set apart by the grace of God in Christ, through faith in Christ. Though made up of countless individuals, the church is one in Christ. We believe that the local church is an autonomous group of believers who join their lives together by the Gospel and that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the Gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer. The local church is governed by the scriptures and operates under the Lordship of Christ with Pastor-Elders leading the people toward faithfulness in Christ. The office of the Pastor-Elder is limited to men as qualified by the scriptures. We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another. This can take the form of a denominational organization or other similar associations. Such associations exist by the will of the local church. Cooperation in a denominational conference or a gospel association is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. This church is currently affiliated with The Gospel Coalition and with the Calvary Global Network. Act 1:8; 2:42-47; 15:36,41; 16:5; I Cor 16:1; Gal 1:1-3; Eph 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 5:19-21; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 2:9-10; Rev 1:4, 10, 11.

God's Gospel will be brought to fulfillment by the Lord Himself at the end of this age. We believe in the personal, glorious, and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ with His holy angels, when He will exercise His role as final Judge, and His kingdom will be consummated. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the just and the unjust—the unjust to judgment and eternal conscious punishment in hell, as our Lord Himself taught, and the just to eternal blessedness in the presence of Him who sits on the throne and of the Lamb, in the new heaven and the new earth, the home of righteousness. On that day the church will be presented faultless before God by the obedience, suffering and triumph of Christ, all sin purged and its wretched effects forever banished. God will be all in all and His people will be enthralled by His holiness, and everything will be to the praise of His glorious grace. Matthew 24:29-31, 36-51, 25:31-46; Luke 12:35-48,16:19-31; 2 Peter 3:1-13; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-8, 22:6-21