These are our core beliefs--the foundation on which The River is based.

We believe that the whole Bible is the true, inspired word of God, without any error. The things the Bible tells us are not a philosophy, a school of thought, or a point of view. It is the true nature of the universe, revealed by the One who created it: God, the Self-Existent One, the one and only Lord over all that is, was, and will be. And this is what it tells us:

God, author of all things, created mankind in His own image in order to have fellowship with Him. He gave mankind free will, so that man could choose on his own accord to obey and be close to God or to disobey and be separated. Deceived by satan and by his own pride, mankind chose separation. Sin entered the world, twisting and corrupting it, and causing all people to be sinful and separated from God. Since then, God has sought to reconcile Himself with us, turning our hearts toward Him and teaching us to follow His nature of love, justice, and mercy.

The vehicle of reconciliation came, by our understanding, two millennia ago, when God came to earth as a man, born of a virgin and without human father. Jesus, the Christ, was simultaneously 100% God and 100% man, Son of God and son of man. He lived a completely sinless life, and at the age of 30, he began a three-year ministry, teaching us about God and performing miracles to convince us of his authority. Because he claimed to be God, he was hated by the religious leaders of the day. Jesus allowed them to put him to death. Tortured and nailed to a cross, Jesus died, and in so doing, he paid the price in full for all sin, everywhere. While this sacrifice took place at a specific point in our history, the ramifications of it are eternal.

Three days later, Jesus raised himself physically from the dead, having forever defeated sin and death. Forty days later, in the presence of many witnesses, he ascended once more to his place in heaven. Jesus is the only mediator between mankind and God, defending us against the accusations of satan.

We must choose to accept his sacrifice, repent of our sins, and make him Lord of our lives. To those who do this, he gives the Holy Spirit, who is also God, to help us and guide us toward him. Those who do not accept his sacrifice are separated from God in death just as they were in life, and are doomed to eternal torment along with satan. For this reason, we are called, as the church, to bring the good news of Jesus' sacrifice to all the world, for the salvation of mankind.