Statement of Faith

The following statements of faith reflect what SDO (The Livingroom Prayer) and its leadership believe and uphold as a ministry.

The Bible
We believe that the sixty-six books of the Bible alone are the inspired Word of God and, therefore, infallible. The Bible is the final authority for everything we believe and how we should live. (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35, 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)

The Deity of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, who was conceived and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself as a penal and substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. Through His shed blood on the Cross, He obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. He rose on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes for the saints forever. (Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-23; Hebrews 7:25, 9:13-15, 10:19; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 John 2:1-2)

Salvation
We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, work, or any other human activity is required or accepted for a person to be saved. God's saving grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us, enabling us to do what is pleasing in God’s sight so that we may be progressively conformed to the image of Christ. (John 1:12-13, 6:37-44, 10:25-30; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 3-4, 8:1-17, 31-39, 10:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Titus 3:3-7; 1 John 1:7, 9)

The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit, in whom we are also sealed for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit regenerates, indwells permanently, and graciously equips the Christian for godly living and service. After conversion, the Spirit desires to fill, empower, and anoint believers for ministry and testimony. We also believe that signs and wonders, along with all the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament, are active today and are designed to testify to the presence of the Kingdom and to empower and edify the Church to fulfill its calling and mission. (Matthew 3:11; John 1:12-13 and 3:1-15; Acts 4:29-30; Romans 8:9, 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 3:1-5; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18)

The Trinity
We believe that the one true God eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one God, equal in deity, power, and glory. We believe that God not only created the world but also sustains, governs, and providentially directs all that exists, and He will bring all things to their proper conclusion in Christ Jesus for the glory of His name. (Psalms 104, 139; Matthew 10:29-31, 28:19; Acts 17:24-28; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:9-12, 4:4-6; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6)

Heaven and Hell
We believe that when a Christian dies, they pass into the blessed presence of Christ, to enjoy conscious fellowship with the Savior until the day of resurrection and the glorious transformation of their body. Then, the saved will dwell forever in joyful communion with their great Triune God. We also believe that when an unbeliever dies, they are consigned to hell, there to await the Day of Judgment, when they will be punished with eternal, conscious, and tormenting separation from the presence of God. (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19-31; John 5:25-29; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:19-26, 3:20-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-22:15)

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances of the Church to be observed until the return of Christ. They are not a means of salvation but channels of God’s sanctifying grace and blessing for the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Matthew 26:26-29, 28:19; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; 1 Peter 3:21)

The Second Coming
We believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ at the end of the age when He will return to Earth personally and visibly to consummate His Kingdom. We believe and pray for a great harvest of souls in the end times and the emergence of a victorious Church that will experience unprecedented unity, purity, and power in the Holy Spirit. (Psalms 2:7-9, 22:27-28; John 14:12, 17:20-26; Romans 11:25-32; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 50-58; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 7:9-14)

Original Sin
We believe that Adam was originally created in the image of God, righteous and without sin. As a result of his disobedience, Adam’s descendants are born subject to both imputed and inherent sin, and thus by nature and choice are children of wrath, justly condemned in the sight of God, and completely unable to save themselves or contribute in any way to their acceptance with God. (Genesis 1-3; Psalms 51:5; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 3:9-18, 5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-3)

The Local Church
We believe that the Church is God’s primary instrument through which He is fulfilling His redemptive purposes on Earth. To equip the saints for ministry, God has given the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We also affirm the priesthood of all believers and the importance of every Christian joining and actively participating in a local community of saints. We believe that women, no less than men, are called and gifted to proclaim the Gospel and to do all the works of the Kingdom. (Matthew 16:17-19; Acts 2:17-18, 42; Ephesians 3:14-21, 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; Hebrews 10:23-25; 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10)

The Great Commission
We believe that God has called the Church to preach the Gospel to all nations, and especially to remember the poor and meet their needs through sacrifice and practical service. This ministry is an expression of the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ and is an essential part of the Kingdom of God. (Isaiah 58:6-12, 61:1; Matthew 5-7, 28:18-20; Luke 4:18, 21:1-4; Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:8)

Satan
We believe that Satan, originally the great and good angel Lucifer, rebelled against God, taking a multitude of angels with him. He was cast out of God’s presence and is working with his demonic hosts to establish his counter-kingdom of darkness, evil, and unrest on Earth. Satan was judged and defeated at the cross of Christ and will be cast forever into the lake of fire, prepared for him and his angels. (Isaiah 14:10-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 12:25-29, 25:41; John 12:31, 16:11; Ephesians 6:10-20; Colossians 2:15; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-9, 20:10)