THEO Statements of Belief
Teachers, parents and students, THEO families are required to signify their doctrinal beliefs by signing the application or addendum. Your signature indicates your agreement with the beliefs outlined below and does not merely acknowledge the beliefs of THEO teachers and staff. This document was created to foster clear communication between families with students attending THEO’s classes and the THEO Board and teachers, never to indicate who might be a Christian or who might not be. The THEO Board believes 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.”
Because the THEO Board strongly supports the Biblical concept of a family, all THEO’s documents are written to foster an organization of peace which supports THEO parents; the THEO Board and teachers strive to never usurp the authority of our parents.
THEO holds the following statements of belief to be the foundation on which we will operate:
STATEMENT OF FAITH
THEO holds the following statements of Christian belief to be the foundation upon which we operate:
We believe the Bible to be the authoritative Word of God, inerrant and infallible. (II Timothy 3:16,11 Peter 2:21)
We believe there is one true God, manifested in three distinct Persons known as the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1, John 10:30)
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, who is the second person of the Trinity and that He possesses all of the attributes of the Father. He is the only son of God. He was born of a virgin, and He is God incarnate (both God and man). He is the mediator between God and man and will return in glory. (Matthew 16:27)
We believe the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, possesses all the attributes of the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit indwells, instructs, and empowers all believers for spiritual service. (Matthew 28:19)
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost, the saved to eternal life and the lost to eternal punishment. (John 5:28-29)
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit who gives us spiritual gifts for the purpose of equipping us for the building up of the body of Christ. (John 14:26)
We believe that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ alone are placed by the Holy Spirit into the spiritual body of believers known as the church with Christ as the head. Genuine salvation will show itself by righteous attitudes and edifying conduct as a believer submits himself or herself to the control of the Holy Spirit who will always direct the believer to act in a manner consistent with the Word of God, the Bible. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by the teaching of the Word, by the building of faith of its members, by providing fellowship and by fulfilling the Great Commission to reach the world with the Good News. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 5:16, Acts 26:20, James 3:13, 1 Peter 27:12, James 2)
We believe in the creation of mankind, both male and female, by the direct act of God. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 5:1-2)
We believe that all men are created equal, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin. (Daniel 7:14, Psalm 119:1)
We believe that man is sinful by nature and that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential and an absolute necessity for his salvation. We believe that eternal life is a free gift of grace for all who believe. (Romans 3:19 and 23, John 3:16-19, Ephesians 2:18-19, Titus 3:5-6)
THEO Denominational Statement
Our doctrinal statement of faith is fundamental to basic Christian tenets and contains those doctrines to which we unreservedly adhere. The following areas are left primarily to the teaching of the home and church:
1. Church government, authority, and discipline
2. Time and mode of baptism
3. Security of the believer
4. Timing of future events
5. Second work of grace or baptism of the Holy Spirit
6. Sinless perfection
7. Gift of the Spirit, tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, miracle working and discerning of spirits
There will be no attempt made by parents or students to promote these denominational positions. We desire to remain united in the salvation and love of Christ, avoiding dissension, which may be caused by denominational differences.
THEO Marriage, Sexuality, Gender, and Sanctity of Life Statement
THEO upholds the biblical definition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman (Gen. 2: 18-25) and that sexual intimacy is to occur between a man and a woman bound in marriage (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-6; Heb. 13:4).
We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexual conduct, bisexual conduct, any use of pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10)
THEO upholds the biblical definition of gender as a person’s biological sex at birth; created either male or female in the image of God (Gen. 1: 26-27).
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps. 139.)
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of THEO as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to THEO members and the community, it is imperative that all members of THEO in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Sexuality, Gender and Sanctity of Life (Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess 5:22).