For some, mention the word "creed" and you'll get a blank stare. (Or maybe they'll picture Apollo Creed from the Rocky movies.) The word isn't part of our daily jargon, but everybody's got one. Everybody's got a "creed" or belief statement. It's "what I believe," and it will shape "what I think about this or that."

As to how a creed manifests itself in an authentic experience of God, we believe the church functions by:

1. Honoring Christ as the Head of His Church. We exist to glorify God and everything we do has His glory as its origin and goal. (Rom. 11:36; Eph. 1:22-23)

2. Acknowledging the absolute, authoritative truth of Scripture. We study His inerrant word to learn of His Person and His Purpose for our lives. (Acts 2:42; 2 Tim. 3:16)

3. Participating in authentic worship. We desire to celebrate God's presence in our midst in spirit and in truth. (Jn. 4:24; Acts 2:47)

4. Proclaiming the good news of salvation to Winter Garden, West Orange County, Florida, the United States, and the world. (Acts 1:8, 2:47)

5. Fellowshiping with one another. Our relationships should be characterized by love, encouragement, accountability, and self-sacrifice. (Acts 2:42-46)

6. Praying, confessing our sins and sharing our praise, thanksgiving, and desires with our Father. (Acts 2:42)

7. Making disciples. We seek to establish men and women in a walk of holiness with Christ and to equip them to do the work of the ministry. (Eph. 4:11-12)

8. Maintaining unity. We are to be one in purpose and essential beliefs. (Jn. 17:21; Eph. 4:3-6)

9. Recognizing the uniqueness of an individual. God has given each of us special gifts to be discovered, developed, and deployed under His authority to display His character to the world. (Rom. 12:4-8)

At The Vine, our beliefs are in the mainstream of biblical Christianity. Wonderfully summed up by the early church in the 1st or 2nd century in what we know today as the Apostle's Creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth:

This affirms our belief in our Creator God, who is sovereign over everything and is the issuer ond originator of all things.

And in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into the depths; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from then He shall judge the living and the dead.

This recognizes Jesus Christ as Lord and affirms His role within the triune Godhead. This affirms both His divine and human nature through conception by the Holy Spirit and a virgin. This acknowledges Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection and His current place with the Father where He will one day judge the world.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

This affirms the Holy Spirit as the third person of the trinity.

the holy catholic church,

We affirm the "catholic" (little "c" – which comes fromthe Greek word katholikos meaning "universal") church, that recognizes all the members of the Body of Christ throughout history and around the world. The Vine Church is non-denominational.

the communion of saints,

Every person within the Body of Christ is a "saint," and we exhort the Body to fellowship or "com"-"union" in coming together.

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

We believe that sins were forgiven and paid for by Christ's atoning death on the cross, that there will be a resurrection of all of God's people, and that life is eternal in Jesus Christ.

If you are interested in a more detailed doctrinal statement, just ask and we'll be happy to provide you with one.