About Riverside
Real Life

God is Creator and Ruler of the universe. There is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is Holy and Righteous. The only way to have an authentic relationship with God is through Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:1; Psalm 145:21; Colossians 1:16; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14 

Jesus Christ was with God in the very beginning, and God created the universe through Him. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, took on flesh and blood, and made His dwelling among us. His physical death on the cross saves us from our sin. His bodily resurrection changed the course of history and created the path to eternal life with God.

Colossians 1:15-20; Matthew 1:18-2; John 1:1-4, 14:6, 3:16; I Corinthians 15:1-8 

The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He makes us aware of our need to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He gives us guidance and leadership on a daily basis so we can obey God’s Word and do what is right. He gives each of us spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving the Body of Christ. We seek to live under His guidance in all situations.

John 16:8-9; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14, 3:16, 4:30, 5:18; Galatians 5:16,25; I Corinthians 12,13 

We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and the final authority for all matters of faith. 

Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:105,160 

Salvation is a free gift of God. The death of Christ on the cross is the only sufficient payment for our sins. Every person has sinned, but every person also can be forgiven and saved by Christ. By placing your faith in Jesus you will have your sins forgiven, you will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and you will receive eternal life. Faith is both internally experienced and externally displayed through belief, repentance, a public confession of faith, and baptism.

Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16; Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:13-17 

The church is the body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the task of leading others to faith in Christ and teaching followers of Christ to obey and serve Him. Involvement in a local church is critical to individual growth, fellowship, and support for life’s day-to-day challenges.

Matthew 28:19-20; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 2:19 

Communion is the remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross. The bread symbolically represents His broken body and the juice symbolically represents His shed blood. Communion is offered to all believers upon personal reflection.

1 Corinthians 11:23-28 

We believe baptism is an act of obedience for every follower of Jesus, commanded by Christ and practiced by the early church, in which believers are immersed in water to publicly declare their faith, follow Jesus’ example, and identify with His death, burial, and resurrection—symbolizing new life in Christ.

Mark 1:9; Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 2:38–41; Acts 8:12–13, 35–39; Acts 9:17–18; Acts 10:47–48; Acts 16:13–15, 30–34; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 2:3

We believe in the hope of eternal life with God for those who follow Jesus. Those who reject Him face separation from God, but God’s grace is offered to all.

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through the forgiveness of our sin. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally with God is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

John 3:16; John 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9