What We Believe

The convictions behind Gather: Family Advent

Gather is written from a historic, evangelical and Reformed perspective. Our commentary comes from John Calvin and Matthew Henry, and our beliefs are summarized below. This summary is adapted from the Sovereign Grace Churches Statement of Faith, which we encourage you to read in full. Gather is an independent project and is not affiliated with Sovereign Grace Churches.

1. Scripture

The 66 books of the Bible are God's inspired, inerrant Word, fully authoritative and sufficient for everything we believe and how we live. Gather is built on Scripture first; every reflection, story and question exists to point families back to the text.

2. The Triune God

There is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit: three distinct persons, each fully God. He is holy, all-powerful and good, and can be truly known because He has made Himself known.

3. God's sovereign purposes

God rules over all things for His glory, while human choices remain real and responsible. In love, He chose a people for Himself in Christ, and He keeps them to the end.

4. Creation and humanity

God made all things from nothing and continues to sustain them. Men and women are created in His image with equal dignity and worth, and with complementary callings. Marriage is the lifelong covenant union of one man and one woman.

5. Sin

Through Adam, sin and death entered the world. Every person is born a sinner, unable to save themselves, and all creation feels the effects of the fall.

6. Jesus Christ

Jesus is fully God and fully man in one person: conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, sinless in life. He died, rose bodily from the dead, ascended to the Father, reigns now and will return. He is the only mediator between God and man. This is the heart of Advent.

7. The work of Christ

Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live and died as our substitute, bearing God's judgment against sin. His sacrifice truly accomplishes salvation, and the good news is to be offered freely to everyone.

8. The Holy Spirit

The Spirit is fully God with the Father and the Son. He gives new life, opens our eyes to Scripture, unites us to Christ and seals us as God's children.

9. The gospel and salvation

Salvation is God's gift from beginning to end. Sinners are made alive by the Spirit, turn from sin and trust in Christ, and are justified by grace alone through faith alone, clothed in Christ's righteousness. God adopts them as His children and keeps them.

10. The empowering Spirit

Believers are to keep seeking to be filled with the Spirit for holiness, power and witness. We believe the Spirit's gifts continue to be given to the church today.

11. Life in Christ

God grows His people to be more like Jesus. Obedience flows from grace, not to earn it. Christians fight sin, lean on God's Word, prayer and fellowship, and hold onto hope through suffering.

12. The church

The church is all of God's people in every place and time, gathered into local churches under the teaching of Scripture and the care of elders. Baptism marks a believer's entry into Christ's body, and the Lord's Supper remembers His death until He comes. The church exists to worship God, build up believers and make disciples of all nations.

13. The last things

Jesus will return bodily and visibly. He will raise the dead and judge the world; those who are His will enjoy Him forever, and those who reject Him will face eternal judgment. God will make all things new, a new heavens and new earth where sin and death are gone. Advent looks back to His first coming and forward to His second.

Questions about what we believe? Email support@gatheradvent.online.