I have covered many theological topics over the past 20+ years. I have frequently thought out loud as I have been processing different aspects of my walk with Christ. Even as my thinking and beliefs have changed, I have left the posts here because they reflect my journey.
Going forward, I think it will be helpful to have a page where I clarify what I believe now.
This is the “What We Believe” statement from the Baptist church where we are currently members. Other than the statements about eschatology, this is a good overview of my general beliefs. These are the basic beliefs I grew up with and these are the beliefs I have returned to after many years of theological study and experience.
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God, inerrant in the original writings and of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.
We believe that God the Son became flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and Who is true God and true man.
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice and that His body was resurrected from the grave after three days.
We believe in the personal, bodily, visible, and premillenial return of Jesus Christ.
We believe that whosoever by faith receives Jesus Christ as his or her Savior becomes a child of God. This salvation is a gift from God.
We believe that all true believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the intercession of Christ.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.
Regarding eschatology, I am some form of partial-preterist.
We have been members of a Christian Reformed (Calvinist) church twice in the past. We are not Calvinists. Caroline was dedicated in a Baptist church where we were members. We did subsequently baptize Caroline as a two year old in order to become members of a CRC church. At the time, it was the best option available to us. I would not baptize an infant now and I would not attend a Reformed church. At this point in my life, I would opt out of participating in an institutional church before I would compromise my beliefs in order to fit into a church.
I have written a great deal about men and women in the body of Christ. This post is the best summary of my thinking: Your Ecclesiology Will Determine Your View of Women Functioning in the Church. I also wrote this: Patriarchy, Complementarianism, and Egalitarianism Are All Wrong.
I read and watch widely and don’t follow any particular teachers completely. I seek out men and women who excel in particular theological areas. Most Christian teachers are not excellent in everything. But when I find someone very good in some aspect of teaching, I will follow him (or her) for his expertise in that topic. Oftentimes I find other parts of his teaching to be contrary to what I believe. But if he is very good on something, I have no problem gleaning from his wisdom in that particular area.
In the end, I am a truth seeker and seek out other people teaching the truth about Jesus Christ, the Bible, etc. If something rings true to me, I will study it out – even if it doesn’t fit with what is considered appropriate by the broader conservative Christian community. You can read more here: Theologically Trapped By Denominational Confessions and Creeds.
I hope you find this background helpful as you read theology posts on my website.
Written August 1, 2026