CITYLIGHTS Church exists to be followers of Jesus, devoted to building family, blessing neighbors, and bringing Good News to the nations.

We believe the Bible is primarily a story about God. Each word in both the Old and New Testaments came through the words of human authors who were led by God. We believe the contents of the Bible are without error and reveal the complete revelation of His will for life and salvation. We believe that the Holy Spirit leads us in understanding and applying all the contents of the Bible for all that He intended them for. The Bible is our “filter” and “lens” for interpreting everything, namely this life and eternity. ​ Most often we work through books of the bible, understanding their original context and meaning, and applying this content to our lives. This is called Expositional teaching. There are times throughout the year that we will take short breaks for teaching about our Vision, Mission, and Values. There are also times when we will take breaks for holidays to focus more topically, for example, Palm Sunday, Easter and the Christmas season. There may be other occasions such as a global or national tragedy or issue where we address questions biblically. Whenever we are presenting a more topically focused message the same expositional guidelines apply such as, "what did this passage mean for the original audience and how does it apply to us?” This is what is called Topical Exposition. We teach this way because the scriptures, illumined by the Holy Spirit, are trustworthy for revelation about God and ourselves.

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in loving unity with Himself, the trinity, equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to live transparently with mankind and to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus is the Messiah that the people of God longed for and He was conceived through the Holy Spirit & born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, and His life was the most glorious life any human has ever lived. He willingly died on the cross for the sins of men. Three days later He arose bodily from the dead, He remained on earth for 40 days, then ascended into heaven. He made us right with God and He keeps us right with God. He is the head of the Church. ​ We believe that Jesus, as our substitute, offered His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. God, His Father was and forever will be pleased with His atoning death and victorious resurrection. Jesus and His work is the only way for man to be saved.

We believe in the Holy Spirit. He reveals sin to men and the means to forgiveness. He regenerates sinners and secures their standing with the Father and the Son. He indwells the believing man. He illuminates the truth. He comes alongside believers where He equips and empowers them to live like Jesus did, in fellowship with God. We believe that the gifts of the Spirit are alive and active. All gifts are distributed by God according to His wisdom, for His glory and for the edification of the Church.

We believe that the true Church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express His Gospel of grace. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer. We believe that the Church is the message of the Gospel on display.

We believe in the personal, physical return of Jesus. He will return at a time known only to God. All those who have placed their trust in Jesus for life and salvation await His return without fear. Those who have trusted wait with eagerness and remain until then with faithfulness.

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. Decedents from Adam, (everyone) are sinners as well by nature and by choice. This has made us alienated from God, and deserving of His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed. And this is only possible by His grace (Ephesians 2).

We believe we are to invite people to follow us as we follow Jesus. This is the commission Jesus ushered in. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith by making disciples. We prize Jesus’s commission and understand this to be our purpose in this life. His commission to us, His Church, is to be and make disciples.

Baptism is an outward expression of an inward reality with God where a person declares the life-changing exchange of God’s love and forgiveness for their sins. This act is done by a believer in Jesus Christ and is to be celebrated by all who profess faith in Jesus for salvation and life. This act does not save a person. A person is only saved by grace through faith in Jesus’s work not our own. We see the Biblical model as immersion, meaning being submerged under the water, however, when immersion is not available we will express baptism through the sprinkling of water on the head of the individual professing their faith.

We believe that tithing is a repeatable act of worship. In the book of Acts, we see believers selling all that they had to fill one another's needs and strive to follow that same model. We don't believe that tithing brings us prosperity but that it does lead us to blessings. Paul considered giving a grace and we desire this to be heart of our church through giving. 10% of all the money we receive as a church goes out the door in benevolence towards those in need around us and local mission as well as the support of global mission partners.