We believe in the importance of serving the body of Christ by offering clear paths for people to start and develop healthy and growing relationships with others in the church body. We value an intentional plan to help every person enjoy godly relationships in the church. Church membership is an important part of growing in Christ, relationships of mutual ministry in the body, and serving the Lord by using gifts to serve others in the local church (Hebrews 3:12-13; 1 Peter 4:8-11). 

When a Christian is tangled in unrepentant sin, the church—especially its elders—must actively seek that person’s repentance and restoration. One way this happens is through a process called church discipline. In Matthew 18, Jesus explains how to respond when a believer sins, and these principles guide the church today.
The purpose of church discipline is to restore the fallen, strengthen the church, and glorify the Lord. When a believer repents, he or she is restored to fellowship with Christ and His body. Discipline is not meant to expel people, feed pride, or misuse authority, but to call believers back to holiness and relationship with the assembly.

Growing disciples go through a continual process of sanctification, which simply means conforming and becoming more and more like Jesus. We like to describe this process as worshiping, walking, and working for Christ. When we become intentional about seeking to honor God in these three ways, we can’t help but become “mature in Christ”, growing deeper in our relationship with God and our relationships with other disciples.
Disciple-making is to be worked out together in ministry to one another. We believe it’s not about one or a small number of staff pastors bearing the total responsibility to care for the entire congregation. Rather it’s about all disciples using their God-given spiritual gifts to provide mutual ministry, in the context of a vibrant and strong local church (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:28; 2 Timothy 2:2; Ephesians 4:11-12).

It is God’s divine decision to save a person and it is God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience that lead that person to repentance. All glory for the salvation and security of every believer belongs to God alone. We believe that everyone who is born again by the Spirit through Jesus Christ is eternally assured of salvation from the moment of conversion. This assurance relies on God’s decisive grace rather than on the works of the Christian. Obedience, good works, and fruit-bearing do not earn or retain the believer’s salvation but indicate the reality of the person’s love of Christ and profession of faith (Romans 2:4, 3:21-31; Ephesians 1:7-9, 2:8-9, Jude 1:24-25; Luke 6:46; John 14:21; James 2:17-18).
Eternal security in salvation relies on the Lord’s guarantee of each believer’s adoption as His son or daughter, His seal of the believer by the Holy Spirit, and the conviction that God gives the Holy Spirit to each believer as a down payment toward future bliss in heaven. A person who professes genuine faith in Christ immediately becomes His possession, and nothing can snatch that person out of His hands. Having been bought with the price of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as complete payment for sin, Christians are not their own. They are Christ’s possession. This assurance is absolutely certain, reserved in heaven, protected by God’s unlimited power (Galatians 4:4-7; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Luke 23:42-43; Acts 2:40-41, 16:30-34; John 10:27-29; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:4-5).

The chief purpose of mankind is to glorify God by loving Him with the entire heart, soul, mind, and might. All believing men, women, and children are to glorify God and thus fulfill the purpose of their existence. Worship glorifies God through adoration, praise, prayer, thanksgiving, and a complete yielding to Him. Worship declares His worth, pays Him homage, and celebrates Him in a life of devotion. We seek to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Exodus 15:1-21; 2 Samuel 6:14-16; Psalm 5:7, 95:6, 99:5; Daniel 6:10-11; Nehemiah 12:46; Romans 12:1; John 4:23-24; Revelation 4:11; 5:12). 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as our substitute, and that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. Before Creation, God chose those upon whom he would have mercy, and granted this unearned favor based on the kind intention of his will. This grace of God is accessed by expressing faith in Jesus’ sacrifice. This salvation by grace through faith is the gift of God. Every human that has ever lived has earned and deserves God’s judgement. Jesus’ finished work on the cross, His death, burial, and resurrection is the sole and complete payment for sin, fully satisfying God’s righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places their trust in Christ alone by grace alone. At salvation each person is made a new creation by the Holy Spirit, declared righteous before God, and secured as an adopted child of God forever. Genuine faith continues in obedience and love for Jesus Christ with a life eager to glorify God and persevere to the end. Salvation culminates in God giving each believer a new, resurrected body at the return of Jesus Christ to Earth (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

Several tenets guide our worship. We seek to:

• Lift high the name of Jesus Christ (John 4:22-26, 12:32, 14:6).
• Lead God’s people to lift their hearts and voices to Him, giving Him praise and thanks in music and lyrics (Nehemiah 12:45-46; Psalm 66:1-4, 95:1-2).
• Prepare hearts to hear the Lord speak through the proclamation of Scripture (Psalm 95:6-9; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42).
• Emphasize fresh and contemporary expressions while retaining traditional elements that recognize the richness of our heritage in the faith (Deuteronomy 32:7; Psalm 33:3; Isaiah 46:8-9; Matthew 13:32, Ephesians 5:19; Revelation 5:9).
• Pursue excellence in worship, knowing that God is worthy of our best (Exodus 12; Deuteronomy 17:1; Psalm 33:3; 1 Timothy 4:14-15; Hebrews 11:4).

VLC is a non-charismatic, evangelical fellowship that welcomes all who know Jesus as their Savior and all who are seeking Him. Those who claim to possess the gift of tongues and other sign gifts are welcome to worship and fellowship with us if they are willing to be a source of unity rather than division within our church body. We believe that the Christian life is supernatural and that the Lord continues to perform miracles. We also believe that unbiblical displays of the gift of tongues may distract from the main task of the local church, which is to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20).

Unbiblical displays of the gift of tongues may:

• Give unwarranted prominence to the gift, which is described in the New Testament as being only one of many spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12).
• Emphasize speaking in tongues as the primary manifestation of the Spirit’s work in a person’s life, while minimizing the Spirit’s work in producing a holy life, and a life that displays the fruits of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 2 Timothy 1:9; Galatians 5:22-23).
• Often suggest that speaking in tongues is a required proof of being Spirit-filled or of possessing salvation in Christ, even though the Scriptures do not teach this.
• Manifest in unintelligible ecstatic utterances (Acts 2:6).

VLC seeks to prevent the propagation of doctrines that would cause divisions within an individual church. Therefore, members of and adherents of VLC are not to propagate the teachings and emphases of the charismatic movement. Although we do not control personal, individual interactions with the Lord, the expression of tongues and other sign gifts are not overtly expressed at meetings that are under the organization and authority of VLC.

Satan and his demonic servants viciously oppose the work God performs in and through His people. God, who by His nature is infinitely more powerful than Satan, in due time will have complete and total victory over Satan (1 Peter 5:8; Genesis 3:1-7; Ephesians 6:12; 1 John 4:4).
Although it is appropriate to pray in Jesus’ name for protection against demonic activity, the Scriptures do not instruct the Christian to “bind Satan in Jesus’ name.” Rather, the Scriptures instruct the Christian to combat Satan by:

• Humbly drawing near to God, knowing that He will give grace, mercy, and strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-9; Hebrews 4:15-16; James 4:8; 1 Peter 5:6-10).
• Resisting Satan’s temptations (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9).
• Rightly applying the truth of the Scriptures (Matthew 4:1-11; John 8:44; Eph 4:24-27).
• Forgiving offenses (2 Corinthians 2:10-11).
• Putting on the armor of God’s truth, righteousness, readiness to share the Gospel, faith, salvation, and prayer (Ephesians 6:11-20).
• Demonstrating faithfulness to the Lord by enduring trials (Revelation 2:10, 13, 3:9-10).

VLC affirms the God-ordained and significant role that women should play in establishing and leading the local church. Every leadership opportunity is open to women except those that are excluded by Scripture. The Scriptures clearly state that men are to serve in the office of Elder and that women are not to serve in church positions in which they teach doctrine and/or exercise spiritual authority over men. We do not see this as an issue of equality, for men and women are equal under God. The Bible is clear that men and women do not have the same roles. Qualified women should serve in any ministry function that is not forbidden in the Scripture (1 Timothy 2:12, 3:1-2; Titus 1:6-9). 

VLC is committed to the Bible’s teaching that those who hold the offices of Elder and Deacon are to oversee various functions of the local church.
The Bible’s teaching on the subject of two church offices is found in 1 Timothy and Titus. Although there are four terms used for the offices of the church: pastor, overseer, elder, and deacon, analysis of these terms indicates that pastor, overseer, and elder are used interchangeably. (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9)

Elder Qualifications:

• Above reproach
• Able to teach
• Husband to one wife
• Not addicted to intoxicants
• Temperate
• Not antagonistic
• Prudent
• Uncontentious
• Respectable
• Free from the love of money
• Hospitable
• Manage own household
• Not a new convert

The Scriptures show that the elders serve by leading and that their responsibility involves the spiritual oversight of the congregation. All elders are equal in authority but not necessarily equal in influence.

The elders’ primary responsibilities include:

• Doctrine – Ensuring that the doctrine of the church is biblical; all doctrinal issues in the church will be settled by the Elders.
• Direction – Ensuring that the direction of the church is consistent with Biblical mission and principles.
• Discipline – Administering in love and humility the process of church discipline.
• Discipleship – Equipping the saints for the work of ministry and shepherding the flock of God entrusted to them.

(Matthew 18:15-20; Galatians 6:1-4; Titus 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; 1 Timothy 5:17-25; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11; Acts 20:28-31; Romans 16:17; 1 Peter 5:2).

The Scriptures teach that a plurality of elders governed individual New Testament churches. The Scripture does not mention any congregations featuring a stand-alone pastor and leader. A plurality of godly elders, exercising their individual giftedness, squares with the Scripture’s teaching that wisdom is found in a multitude of godly counselors. This truth does not eliminate the possibility and likelihood that one or more elders will stand out from the others as more public in their ministries or more influential in their workings on the Elder Team (Acts 14:23, 20:28; Titus 1:5; Philippians 1:1; Proverbs 11:14, 12:15, 15:22, 19:20, 24:6). 

The Bible teaches that deacons lead by serving. The qualifications for elders and deacons overlap regarding an individual’s character, but they differ in role. The elders are to exercise oversight and teach – while the deacons are proven servants. In light of this distinction and the broader biblical evidence, we see the office of deacon as available to both men and women.

Deacon Qualifications (1 Timothy 3:8-12):

• Dignified
• Not double-tongued
• Not addicted
• Not greedy for dishonest gain
  
• Genuine in faith—in conduct and conscience
• Tested and approved as servants
• Not slanderers
• Sober-minded
• Faithful in all things
• Monogamous in marriage
• Manage household well

We believe God created the universe, speaking it into existence, and that before He created the universe, nothing except God existed (Genesis 1; Exodus 31:17; Psalm 33:6-9; Acts 17:24; Hebrews 11:3; Colossians 1:16).
God chose to create the universe and all that is in it to reveal His glory, divine nature, eternal power, infinite wisdom, and supreme authority (Psalm 19:1-2; Jeremiah 10:12; Romans 1:20; Revelation 4:11).
We deny the theory that nonliving substances gave rise to the first living material, which then reproduced and diversified to produce all living creatures through the process of macro evolution. We believe that all people are descended from the headship of Adam, whom God created personally as a complete human being. The fall of Adam and Eve affected all people with sin and death, but the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ makes possible God’s gift of eternal life (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, 21-22; Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9, 15:21-22).
God rules over His creation and cares about and is involved in the lives of individual people (Job 12:10; Acts 17:25-28; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3, 13; Ephesians 4:6).

We believe that marriage is the joining of one naturally-born man and one naturally-born woman for life. Marriage was created by God and is a holy and divinely established covenant between man and woman to be a representation of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His church. We believe that God created sexual intimacy to be enjoyed exclusively between one man and one woman who are married to one another. We believe that any form of deviation from this—such as homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, pornography, prostitution, pedophilia, premarital sexual intimacy, cross dressing, sexting, attempts to change one’s gender, or disagreement with one’s biological gender—is sinful and offensive to God. We also believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8-10; Leviticus 18:1-30; Matthew 15:19, 19:3-9; Mark 10:7-9; Romans 1:18-32, 7:2; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 6:9-20, 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4; 1 John 1:9). 

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one naturally-born man and one naturally-born woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is called to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect and help her husband in their life together. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-25, 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalm 78:1-8, 127:1-5, 128:1-6, 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8, 5:15-20, 6:20-22, 12:4, 13:24, 14:1, 17:6, 18:22, 22:6, 15, 23:13-14, 24:3, 29:15, 17, 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, 9:9; Malachi 2:13-16; Matthew 5:31-32, 18:2-6, 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:22-33, 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8, 14; 2 Timothy 1:5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7).