Our Beliefs
We are a vibrant and growing group of admittedly imperfect people striving to be more like Christ. Scripture is at the center of all we do. Being in the Word of God has changed our lives forever for the good and we want to share and bring that life and hope to others.
- Jesus Christ is the only Son of God who died for our sins and arose from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, John 1:14 and 1 John 4:9
- The Bible is the inspired Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:14-16, Romans 15:4, Hebrews 4:12
- Every person has worth as a creation of God, but that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:9-12,23
- Forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life are given to those who trust Christ as Savior and Lord. John 3:16 and Acts 4:9-12
- Those desiring to accept Christ should repent and turn to the Lord, confess their faith, and, be baptized by immersion. Romans 10:9-10 & Acts 2:38
- The fullness of the Holy Spirit is available to all believers. 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 12:13, 2 Timothy 1:14
- The church is the body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit and exists to save the lost and edify the saved. Ephesians 4:1-16
- Jesus will one day return and reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Our Practices
Vision, mission, values and beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into action. Based on what the Bible teaches, we believe the following should be practiced by the church:
- The Bible is our sole authority and guide (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Since God’s Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question when faced with a decision is “What does the Bible say?” We encourage the practice of daily Bible reading, study, and memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.
- Autonomy of each local church (Colossians 1:18). Christ is the recognized head of our church, not any person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control.
- Priesthood of all believers (2 Peter 2:9). The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to full time Christian service in and through their chosen vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every Christian has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading.
- Telling others about Christ (1 Peter 3:15). It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those whom God has given us a relationship. We practice personal sharing about Christ and inviting friends to Church.
- Stewardship of income (Malachi 3:10; 2 Corinthians 9:6-12). At University Christian Church we practice sacrificial giving for the support of Christ’s Body, the church, as God commands. We recognize that giving 10% of our income is the Biblical standard of giving from the Old Testament. The New Testament goes beyond the Old Testament standard and teaches that we are to be good stewards in everything in recognition that God is Lord of everything in our lives.
- Baptism by immersion (Colossians 2:12). We practice baptism by immersion – completely underwater just the way Jesus was baptized, and the way the Bible commands.
- Taking communion weekly (Acts 20:7). In the New Testament Church, the Lord’s Supper was taken every week on the first day of the week. We model this approach of remembering the Lord’s sacrificial death for us every week.
- Spirit-led living (John 15:5). We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us. Through daily Bible study and prayer, we seek to practice a day-to-day dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right.
The Story of University Christian Church
In the late 1960s a group of individuals came together to organize University Christian Church (UCC). Our first worship service was held on September 14, 1969 with 105 in attendance. Since that time, UCC has grown to an average attendance of over 1,000 each weekend.
UCC is a vibrant, independent, elder and staff-led Christian fellowship. We are part of the Restoration Movement which began almost two centuries ago. The goal of this movement is to follow, as closely as possible, the teachings and practices the New Testament sets forth and in so doing eliminate divisions which have developed between churches.
We recognize that not everyone agrees about everything, so we say, “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.” We strive for unity where scripture teaches about salvation and forgiveness of sin (essentials): grace, faith, repentance, baptism, and continuing to follow Christ. Some examples of non-essentials include: worship styles, end time beliefs, and church policy.
In a world where there are many denominations, we chose to just be called Christians. Not the only Christians, but by name, Christians only.
UCC is a vibrant, independent, elder and staff-led Christian fellowship. We are part of the Restoration Movement which began almost two centuries ago. The goal of this movement is to follow, as closely as possible, the teachings and practices the New Testament sets forth and in so doing eliminate divisions which have developed between churches.
We recognize that not everyone agrees about everything, so we say, “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.” We strive for unity where scripture teaches about salvation and forgiveness of sin (essentials): grace, faith, repentance, baptism, and continuing to follow Christ. Some examples of non-essentials include: worship styles, end time beliefs, and church policy.
In a world where there are many denominations, we chose to just be called Christians. Not the only Christians, but by name, Christians only.
