What We Believe

SEQUIM VALLEY FOURSQUARE IS A CHURCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL FOURSQUARE GOSPEL. THE NAME "FOURSQUARE" IS UNIQUE WHEN COMPARED TO THOSE USUALLY GIVEN TO CHURCHES. THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS BORN OUT OF AN UNUSUAL MOVE OF GOD DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. THE NAME COMES FROM OUR FOUNDER, AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON, WHO RECEIVED A VISION OF EZEKIEL'S FOUR-FOLD REVELATION. WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AS:

THE SAVIOR
"FOR IT IS BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED, THROUGH FAITH AND THIS NOT FROM YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD... BUT NOW IN CHRIST JESUS YOU WHO ONCE WERE FAR AWAY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST." EPH 2:8, 13

THE HEALER
"HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED." 1PT 2:24

THE BAPTIZER WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
"JOHN ANSWERED THEM ALL, 'I BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER. BUT ONE MORE POWERFUL THAN I WILL COME, THE THONGS OF WHOSE SANDALS I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE. HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH FIRE.'" LK 3:16

THE SOON COMING KING
"'MEN OF GALILEE,' THEY SAID, 'WHY DO YOU STAND HERE LOOKING INTO THE SKY? THIS SAME JESUS, WHO HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM YOU INTO HEAVEN, WILL COME BACK IN THE SAME WAY YOU HAVE SEEN HIM GO INTO HEAVEN.'" AC 1:11

THE NAME IS BASED ON THE TRUTH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF THE FOURSQUARE GOSPEL SEE WWW.FOURSQUARE.ORG.

DOCTRINE 

THE FOURSQUARE DECLARATION OF FAITH LAYS OUT THE BASIC DOCTRINE OF THE FOURSQUARE CHURCH AND WAS DRAFTED BY FOURSQUARE FOUNDER AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON. HERE'S AN ABBREVIATED VERSION:

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
WE BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD: TRUE, IMMUTABLE, STEADFAST AND UNCHANGEABLE. 2TI 3:16, 17

THE ETERNAL GODHEAD
WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS TRIUNE: FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT; THE THREE ARE COEXISTENT, COETERNAL AND EQUAL IN DIVINE PERFECTION. MT 3:16-17; JN 14:16, 26; MT 28:19; 2CO 13:14

THE FALL OF MAN
WE BELIEVE THAT MAN, CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, BY VOLUNTARY DISOBEDIENCE FELL INTO THE DEPTHS OF SIN AND INIQUITY, BEQUEATHING SIN'S NATURE AND CONSEQUENCES TO ALL MANKIND, WITH THEIR ACCOMPANYING LOSS OF INTENDED MEANING AND PURPOSE. GE 1:27; RO 5:12

THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION
WE BELIEVE THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US, TOOK OUR PLACE AND WITH HIS LIFE'S BLOOD PURCHASED THE PARDON FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE IN HIM. JN 3:16; TITUS 2:14 

SALVATION THROUGH GRACE
WE BELIEVE THAT SALVATION IS WHOLLY THROUGH GRACE; THAT NO HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS OR MERIT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO OUR RECEIVING GOD'S LOVE AND FAVOR. EPH 2:8

REPENTANCE AND ACCEPTANCE
WE BELIEVE THAT, UPON SINCERE REPENTANCE AND A WHOLE-HEARTED ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST, WE ARE JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD THROUGH JESUS' SACRIFICIAL DEATH. RO 10:6-10; 1JN 1:9

THE NEW BIRTH
WE BELIEVE THAT THE CHANGE THAT TAKES PLACE IN PEOPLE AT CONVERSION IS A VERY REAL ONE; THAT HAVING RECEIVED RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST AND HAVING RECEIVED OF HIS SPIRIT, PEOPLE WILL HAVE NEW DESIRES, INTERESTS AND PURSUITS IN LIFE. 2CO 5:17; GAL 2:20

DAILY CHRISTIAN LIFE
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE WILL OF GOD THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN GROW IN SANCTIFICATION, BECOME PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS AND DAILY GROW STRONGER IN THE FAITH, POWER, PRAYER, LOVE AND SERVICE. 2 CO 7:1 

WATER BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
WE BELIEVE THAT BEING BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT IS AN ESSENTIAL RESPONSE TO JESUS' COMMAND, TESTIFYING TO HIS LORDSHIP AS CHRIST AND KING. WE BELIEVE IN OBSERVING THE LORD'S SUPPER, RECEIVING THE BROKEN BREAD AND THE FRUIT OF THE VINE WITH JOY AND FAITH AS WE PARTAKE ANEW OF THE LIFE AND TRIUMPH OF CHRIST'S CROSS. RO 6:4; 1CO 11:24-26

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
WE BELIEVE THAT THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS BELIEVERS TO EXALT JESUS, TO LIVE LIVES OF HOLINESS AND TO BE WITNESSES OF GOD'S SAVING GRACE; WE EXPECT THE SPIRIT'S INCOMING TO BE AFTER THE SAME MANNER AS THAT IN WHICH HE CAME UPON BELIEVERS IN THE DAYS OF THE EARLY CHURCH. AC 1:5, 8; 2:4

THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE WILL OF GOD THAT BELIEVERS WALK IN THE SPIRIT MOMENT BY MOMENT, SERVING THE LORD AND LIVING LIVES OF PATIENCE, LOVE, TRUTH, SINCERITY AND PRAYER. EPH 4:30-32; GAL 5:16, 25

THE GIFTS AND FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
WE BELIEVE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT BESTOWS ENABLING MINISTRY GIFTS UPON BELIEVERS, AND THAT THESE GIFTS WILL BUILD UP THE BODY OF CHRIST THROUGH EDIFICATION AND EVANGELISM; AS EVIDENCE OF A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE, BELIEVERS SHOULD SHOW SPIRITUAL "FRUIT": LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONG-SUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE. 1CO 12:1-11; GAL 5:22-25

MODERATION
WE BELIEVE A CHRISTIANS' MODERATION SHOULD BE OBVIOUS TO OTHERS AND THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS SHOULD NEVER LEAD PEOPLE INTO EXTREMES OF FANATICISM; THEIR LIVES SHOULD MODEL THAT OF CHRIST IN UPRIGHTNESS, BALANCE, HUMILITY AND SELF-SACRIFICE. COL 3:12, 13; PHP 4:5

DIVINE HEALING
WE BELIEVE THAT DIVINE HEALING IS THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST TO HEAL THE SICK IN ANSWER TO THE PRAYER OF FAITH; HE, WHO DOES NOT CHANGE, IS STILL WILLING AND ABLE TO HEAL THE BODY, AS WELL AS THE SOUL AND SPIRIT IN ANSWER TO FAITH. MK 16:17, 18; JAS 5:14-16

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
WE BELIEVE THAT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IS PERSONAL AND IMMINENT; THE CERTAINTY OF HIS COMING AND THE FACT THAT NO MAN KNOWS THE HOUR OF HIS COMING PROMPT OUR EVANGELISTIC EFFORTS; THAT THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN, THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE, AND THE REDEEMED WILL BE CAUGHT UP TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. MT 24:36, 42, 44; 1TH 4:16, 17

CHURCH RELATIONSHIP
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR SACRED DUTY TO IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH A CONGREGATION OF BELIEVERS WITH WHOM WE CAN WORSHIP GOD, OBSERVE THE ORDINANCES OF CHRIST, EXHORT AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, LABOR FOR THE SALVATION OF OTHERS, AND WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE LORD'S KINGDOM. AC 16:5; HEB 10:24

CIVIL GOVERNMENT
WE BELIEVE THAT CIVIL GOVERNMENT IS BY DIVINE APPOINTMENT AND THAT CIVIL LAWS SHOULD BE UPHELD AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT IN THINGS OPPOSED TO THE WILL OF GOD. AC 4:18-20; RO 13:1-5

JUDGEMENT
WE BELIEVE THAT ALL SHALL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST: THE REDEEMED TO BE DELIVERED UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE, AND THE UNREPENTANT UNTO EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT. REV 20:11, 12; 2CO 5:10

HEAVEN
WE BELIEVE THAT HEAVEN IS THE GLORIOUS HABITATION OF THE LIVING GOD AND THE ETERNAL HOME OF BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS. JN 14:2; REV 7:15-17

HELL
WE BELIEVE THAT HELL IS A PLACE OF DARKNESS, DEEPEST SORROW AND UNQUENCHABLE FIRE, WHICH WAS NOT PREPARED FOR MAN BUT FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS; YET IT WILL BECOME THE PLACE OF ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD FOR ALL WHO REJECT CHRIST AS SAVIOR. MT 13:41, 42; REV 20:10, 15 

EVANGELISM
WE BELIEVE THAT SOUL-WINNING IS THE ONE BIG BUSINESS OF THE CHURCH ON EARTH, AND THAT EVERY HINDRANCE TO WORLDWIDE EVANGELISM SHOULD BE REMOVED. JAS 5:20; MK 16:15

TITHING AND OFFERINGS
WE BELIEVE THAT TITHING AND OFFERINGS ARE ORDAINED OF GOD TO SUSTAIN HIS MINISTRY, SPREAD THE GOSPEL AND RELEASE PERSONAL BLESSING. MAL 3:10; 1CO 16:1, 2