New Heights
Distinctives

Christian: We place our full faith and trust in Jesus Christ as God the Son. His completed work of atonement on Calvary’s cross paid the full sin debt for the elect. We, therefore, practice His glorification and testify to His resurrection to the world. We look forward to His imminent, physical return to earth. There is salvation in no one else.

Protestant: We adhere to the principals and ideas of the 16th century Reformation, breaking away from the Roman Church and its traditions, and returning to biblical doctrines. We believe and incorporate the 5 historic, traditional Sola Statements. [Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Christos, Soli Deo Gloria]. We believe in the Priesthood of all true Believers.

Fundamentalism: We believe in a literal interpretation of Scripture in a systematic theology. The Bible is complete and closed, in the canon of 66 books. We believe in a Verbal Plenary (Note 1) inspiration of those Scriptures. The Bible is Inerrant in its original text. We adhere to Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (Note 2). We believe in the Sufficiency of Scripture (Note 1).

Reformed: In our theology, we believe in 5-Point Calvinism (Note 3).

Baptist: In our history and origins, we are Baptist. Although we no longer formally participate in the denominational structure, we still practice only a believers’ baptism and that by immersion.

Independent: We are an autonomous, local body of believers. We are not connected to or under the authority of a denomination, council, or synod.

Presbytery: In our leadership structure, we maintain the biblical mandate in a plurality of biblically qualified male elders. However, those elders are identified, called, and installed by our local body only.

Dispensational: In the reading/interpretation of Bible prophecy, including the definition and the future of national/ethnic Israel, we hold that Bible means what it says. The Church is the church—and, Israel is Israel.

Creedal: In as much as each of these adheres to the clear message and meaning of Scripture, we hold to the historic, creedal statements of the orthodox Protestant church, such as the Apostles’ Creed (Note 4 ), the Westminster Confession of Faith (Note 5 ), and the Baptist Faith and Message.

Cessationist: We believe the miraculous gifts (tongues, prophecy, healing, & miracles) ceased with the closing of the Canon of Scripture and the Apostolic Age.

Church Discipline: To maintain the purity of the church, obey the commands of New Testament Scripture concerning the church, and to honor the Name of Christ in the community, we practice biblical church discipline as necessary. The method is always patience and grace with the goal of restoring a wayward brother or sister in the family of God.

References & Links:

(1) https://www.gracechurch.org/about/distinctives/what-we-teach

(2) http://www.bible-researcher.com/chicago1.html

(3) https://www.ligonier.org/search/?q=tulip.htm

(4) https://www.ligonier.org/blog/why-do-we-recite-apostles-creed/

(5) https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/westminster-confession-faith/