What We Believe
What We Believe at UA
What We Believe About...
The Gospel of Truth: We believe that God is always communicating His love and care to us. He shows himself in creation. God has also breathed His truth into ones who have written Biblical history, poetry and prophecy—all to show His nature. Finally God revealed Himself completely when He sent Jesus into the world. Through the study of God’s word, the Bible, we add to what we know about God. We learn His love. We are challenged to live in the way Jesus taught and lived. Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. We believe that.
The Body of Believers: When He came, Jesus called people to follow Him. Followers learned His new way of life as they lived together with Him. Later when people accepted the promise of life in the crucified and risen Christ, they received the Holy Spirit and were added to a community of faith. Jesus said these believers were His body. They were joined together by the Holy Spirit. They lived to continue Christ’s work in the world. The Body of Christ in the world — the Church of Christ universal — is made up of all those who are joined with Christ. We are part of that Body.
The Heart of Worship: We believe our loving God made us, hoping we would worship Him. We are incomplete until we learn to express our love to Him in worship. In Christ, God invites us to worship in spirit and truth. We worship in faithful living. We worship in private prayer and devotion. We also worship as we come together with other Christians to pray and sing, to share the Lord’s Supper and contribute to the needs of others, to read Scripture and hear good news proclaimed.
The Work of God in Austin: Jesus told his followers to go into all the world and help people become his followers too. University Avenue church helps missions in Zagreb, Croatia, but Austin is our first mission assignment. We present Jesus to Austin as we help the poor through the Christian Service Center and Micah 6. We present Christ to the University of Texas community through Longhorns for Christ. Seekers of life find good answers in the ALPHA ministry. In addition to these formal outreach channels, members of UA are challenged to tell others the reason for the hope they have in Christ.
Who We Are...
Created by God: God created us in His likeness that we might embody His nature. In the beginning, this not only entailed dominion over creation but also mastery of sin. At University Avenue, we seek the divine design of Our Lord that we might: use our resources to serve His creation; increase our faith in His sinless Son; encourage one another toward righteousness; and trust the Spirit to fashion us according to His purposes. As God formed all through the Word Made Flesh, we strive to live as men and women created in the image of Christ.
Transformed by His Word: In addition to the testimony of creation, God makes Himself known in written revelation. His word guides us, transforms us, penetrates and shapes us that we might be reconciled in relationship. When we meet God in Scripture--and in Jesus, the Incarnate Word--He invites us to come and live. And as Christ’s life fulfilled the Scriptures leading to His birth, we live to embody the gospel until His return. We have hope that God’s Word will not return empty; rather, it is life-giving--producing goodness wherever it is received.
Emboldened by His Love: Because of God’s faithful love, we have confidence to meet all circumstances. Our boldness roots itself in the good news of a domain where justice, peace, and love have dominion. At University Avenue, we are not ashamed of the good news of this Kingdom; nor are we ultimately trapped by the troubles of the world. We neither trust in our strengths, nor despair in our weaknesses; though God works in both. Rather, we find courage in God’s love; for He is adept in achieving impossibilities.
Redeemed by His Son: We believe that mankind exchanged God’s glory, and thereby miscarried God’s intention for creation; but sin is not the final word. Through faith in Christ we are redeemed. And by taking on His burial and resurrection in baptism, we have the promise of life. The life of Jesus became our example; His death our dawn; His resurrection our hope. Christ is the foundation of the message we preach and the lives we lead. In no other name do we trust for our salvation; for Christ is the first and final word.
Empowered by His Spirit: God’s Spirit has been present since the beginning, hovering over creation. But His Spirit did not remain aloof. It filled judges and kings, instructed prophets and poets, breathed upon apostles and those born again. At University Avenue, we lean upon the Spirit poured out at Pentecost, the Spirit that descends upon believers in baptism. By this Spirit we have guidance, sustained belief, prayerful communion, access to truth, and the power to serve others.
(For a version with textual references, please see the attachment below.)
 What We Believe with Textual References | [PDF file] | 50 Kb |
