What We Believe
The following beliefs are at the heart of all we say and do at UNL Christian Challenge. We’ve included references from the Bible if you would like to study the Biblical basis for these beliefs.
About God
We believe that God is the loving Creator of all that exists, both seen and unseen. God is eternal and completely good, knowing all things, having all power and majesty. God exists as the Trinity, in three persons, yet one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God passionately desires relationship with us and, towards this end, continually invites us into a relationship of faith, friendship, learning and service.
Genesis 1:1
John 14:6-9, 14:15-17, 16:7-15
Matthew 28:19
2 Corinthians 13:14
1 John 4:9-10
About Jesus Christ
We believe that God expressed himself in human form through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified for the sins of us all, was buried, rose again from the dead and ascended to heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Matthew 22:36-40
John 14:1-3
Hebrews 1:1-3
Acts 10:42-43
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
About the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, sent from God to live inside all who believe in Jesus Christ teaches, comforts and empowers us. The Holy Spirit gives each follower diverse gifts, fostering unity, interdependence, productivity, Christ-like character and love among followers of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12-14
Galatians 5:16-25
Ephesians 3:16, 4:3-4, 5:18
John 14:26, 16:7-14
About the Bible
We believe that God speaks to us in the Bible, and that it is our privilege to seek to understand God’s message and apply it responsibly to our lives. The Bible is our standard in all we say and do. The Bible is the inerrant, authoritative Word of God. God’s unchangeable Biblical message ought to be presented in relevant and contemporary ways, free of religious jargon and understandable to the people of our community.
2 Timothy 2:15, 3:14-17
Hebrew 4:12
2 Peter 1:16-21, 3:14-18
Psalm 19:7-11, 119:9-16
Joshua 1:7-8
Acts 17:11
About Salvation
We believe that all people are created with dignity and value in the image of God, to live in a vital relationship with God. However, through our sin (failing to live by God’s moral standards), we break our intended relationship with God and we experience the destructive consequences of that broken relationship, spiritually and socially, in this life and beyond. However, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue us from those consequences and to restore our broken relationships with God and others, through Christ’s death on the cross, a perfect act of redemption for each of us. Salvation comes to people on the basis of God’s grace through their faith in Jesus alone. They receive the free gift of forgiveness and are spiritually reborn through repenting of their sin and believing in Jesus Christ. Good works and a holy life, although totally unable to save anyone, are the natural product of repentant, believing people.
Romans 3:9-28, 6:23, 10:9-10
John 3:16, 5:24
Ephesians 2:1-10
Titus 3:3-8
James 2:14-26
About Teamwork
We work in staff and student teams, which are in turn directed by a group called the Leadership Team. We seek to exercise and respond to leadership in a Scriptural manner, and to work in partnership with one another.
Luke 22:24-27
1 Corinthians 16:15-16
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
1 Timothy 5:1, 17-23
Hebrews 13:7,17
About Community.
We express our strong value of community by seeking to reach out and connect with a diversity of people. We want to be personal and caring in a world that is increasingly fragmented and impersonal. We are not afraid to be vulnerable, human and honest with each other. We believe our spirituality fulfills rather than denies our humanity, and we believe this approach strengthens community.
Acts 2:42-47
Romans 12:3-18
Galatians 6:1-5, 6:10
Colossians 4:5-6
2 Timothy 4:1-5
About Unity Among Christians
Challenge recognizes diversity among Christians in nonessential areas. We do not press for uniformity in these areas, but rather encourage people to search the Scriptures, seeking balance, mutual understanding, humility and love. Additionally, we seek to respect one another’s differences without a quarrelsome, arrogant or divisive spirit, and to return continually to the great commandment, to love God and one another.
Romans 14:1-15:7, 16:17
2 Timothy 2:14-17, 23-26
James 3:13-17
Philippians 2:1-5
