Who We Are
Lakeview is a part of the Evangelical Covenant Church of America. The Covenant values the Bible as the word of God as connected with the living Christ. We celebrate the gift of God’s grace and ever-deepening spiritual life that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe in the importance of extending God’s love and compassion and participating in advancing God’s justice in a broken world.
Our essential beliefs are summed up in what we call our six Covenant Affirmations:
We Affirm the Centrality of The Word of God
The Holy Scripture, the Old and the New Testament, is the Word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.
We Affirm the Necessity of New Birth
When the Covenant Church affirms that it is evangelical, it proclaims that the new birth in Jesus Christ is essential. We teach that by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God conquered sin, death, and the devil, offering forgiveness for sin and assuring eternal life for those who follow Christ.
We Affirm a Commitment to the Whole Mission of the Church
The Covenant Church has always been characterized by our involvement in mission. As “Mission Friends,” we covenant together for the purpose of common mission both far and near. The work of the mission is evangelism and discipleship, as well as the benevolent ministries of compassion and justice in the face of suffering and oppressed.
We Affirm the Church as a Fellowship of Believers
The church is a gathered community set apart for involvement in Christ’s mission to the world. As a priesthood of believers, every believer is called to participate in evangelism, formation, worship, and service.
We Affirm a Conscience Dependance on the Holy Spirit
Rooted in historic Christianity, we affirm one God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit continues the creative work of the Father and the redeeming work of the Son within the life of the church. The Holy Spirit leads, guides, equips, and directs the life of the believer and the life of the church.
We Affirm the Reality of Our Freedom in Christ
We seek to focus on what unites followers of Jesus Christ rather than what separates them. The center of our commitment is a clear faith in Jesus Christ. We are known for emphasizing what unites Christians, rather than what sets them apart from each other. We affirm theological freedom, which means that we believe there are some periphery issues in Scripture. Christians everywhere differ in interpretations of Scripture, so we work to stand in the center which is a firm belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ.