Who We Are

We believe the revelation given by God in Christian Scripture. We embrace the faith set forth in it as summarized in the historic creeds of the Church. We are rooted in the Protestant Evangelical tradition and celebrate its international and ecumenical diversity. We affirm the following beliefs as essential to the gospel and to Christian living:

• There is one living and true God, creator and sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in the communion of three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• God the Father is the ground of all truth, the standard of all goodness, the measure of all beauty who supplies providential care for all that He has made and loved.
• Jesus Christ is Lord, God incarnate, fully human and fully divine, one person forever, the truth whom we seek and adore. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, Jesus lived a sinless and obedient life, atoned for sin by his death on the cross, rose bodily for our justification, and ascended to glory where he now mediates on behalf of his people.
• The Holy Spirit enables believers to live holy lives by God’s regenerating, sanctifying and illuminating power.
• Holy Scripture is divinely inspired, complete, entirely trustworthy and authoritative for faith and life. It is to be believed as God’s instruction, obeyed as God’s command and trusted as God’s pledge.
• Human beings are created male and female in the image of God. They are called to glorify God, to live in communion with God and one another, and to be stewards of God’s creation. All people fail to live up to this calling. They are sinners by nature and by choice. Sinners are justified and renewed only by accepting the grace and mercy of God, poured out in the crucified and risen Son, who is received by faith alone.
• The Church, the body of Christ, is composed of all true believers. Local churches, as the visible presence of Christ’s body, are called to declare the good news of salvation through worship, discipleship and witness among the nations.
• Through the cross God triumphs over the evil powers that violently oppose God’s plan and people. Jesus will visibly return to reign over all creation in power and glory. The righteous in Christ will rise to eternal life and the unrighteous to eternal separation from God.

Understanding that Jesus Christ is sovereign over every aspect of corporate and individual life, that God’s will is revealed in Holy Scripture, that the Holy Spirit interprets such to the church and empowers it to live accordingly, and that everything we have comes from God, we do covenant:

• To practice a vital and vibrant life of individual and corporate worship of the one true God;
• To pursue moral excellence in every aspect of our life and relationships;
• To steward our time, talent, treasure, body and the environment to the glory of God;
• To exemplify the gospel of grace by upholding the dignity of, showing respect to, and serving all people regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or culture;
• To maintain a living and verbal witness to the grace of God;
• To practice love, grace, truth and generosity and eschew offensive, manipulative, harmful and deceptive behavior;
• To sacrifice our own selves for the good of the community and for the sake of the gospel; and
• When we sin, to forgive and be reconciled to one another and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.

Additional Information on these Covenant principles

This covenant states the general principles by which the Providence community (Board of Governors, staff, faculty and students) agrees to live. The Cabinet and Senate of Providence reserve the right to establish policies and procedures at any time that uphold the Covenant of Community Life and allow for the orderly and efficient administration of the institution and they reserve the right to impose disciplinary action in the case of failure to uphold either this covenant or general institutional policies and procedures. Such policies and procedures are set forth in the various handbooks (student, employee, Board of Governors).