Contend Academy

Statement of Faith

We believe:

  1. 1

    Scripture

    The Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, fully sufficient, and the final authority for all faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 19:7; John 17:17)

  2. 2

    God

    There is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, equal in nature, power and glory. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

  3. 3

    The Father

    God the Father is the Creator of all things, holy, loving and sovereign over all. (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 103:19; 1 John 4:8)

  4. 4

    Jesus Christ

    Jesus is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin, rose bodily from the dead, ascended to the Father, and will return personally and visibly. (John 1:1, 14; Matthew 1:18-25; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 1:9-11)

  5. 5

    The Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, gives new birth, indwells and seals every believer, and empowers them for holy living and service. (John 16:8; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; Galatians 5:22-23)

  6. 6

    Humanity

    God created humanity in His image, male and female. Marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman. Every human life is sacred from conception. (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Psalm 139:13-16)

  7. 7

    Sin

    All people have sinned and are separated from God, unable to save themselves. (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3)

  8. 8

    Salvation

    Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, not by works. All who repent and trust in Christ are forgiven, justified and adopted as children of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:1; John 1:12)

  9. 9

    The Church

    The Church is the body of Christ, made up of all true believers and expressed in local congregations. Christ gave the Church two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper, and commissioned it to make disciples of all nations. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:42; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

  10. 10

    Last Things

    Christ will return in glory. All the dead will be raised; the saved to eternal life with God, the lost to eternal separation from Him. God will make all things new. (John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 21:1-4)

  11. 11

    Creeds

    We affirm the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed as faithful summaries of biblical truth, always subordinate to Scripture.

Essentials and secondary issues

We hold firm on the essentials above. On secondary matters where Bible-believing Christians differ (mode and timing of baptism, spiritual gifts, end-times sequence, Calvinism and Arminianism, church government), the main biblical views are presented fairly in our courses, and learners are pointed to their local church.