Who We Are

Our Roots

#forapopka

Our roots go deep in the Apopka community. Our amazing Dream Team servant leaders serve our community with passion at the Renewal Boutique at Apopka High School, Renewal Food Pantry, and other ministries throughout the City of Apopka. Ministry is multifaceted & providing for deep need happens in many different ways: prayer, food, clothing, shelter, haircuts, networking for resources, getting the word out, providing a family atmosphere, feeling valued, and more!

Our Ministry Model

rescue·redeem·restore

We are Presence Driven. We are people sensitive. Our focus is always on God. The Word of God feeds the spiritual needs of everyone. Worship is focused on intimacy with God and matures in His Presence while encouraging expressions of love to Him that are sincere and heartfelt. We have a heart for all people because we care about the condition of their souls. We embody a culture of grace focused on bringing freedom to every enslaved person without condemnation or judgmental spirit. We are ALL rescued, redeemed, and restored.

For more information on how Renewal Church is structured, click here: Renewal-Church-Bylaws

Our Statement of Faith

what we believe

STATEMENT OF FAITH

The following section is the adopted Statement of Faith of Renewal Church, representing our core beliefs.

• The Scriptures: We believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Scriptures (both the Old and New Testaments) and that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (II Timothy 3:16). We believe that the original autographs are without error because of the work of the Holy Spirit as He moved each man to record the words of God (II Peter 1:20- 21).
  
• God: We believe in one God with three eternal distinctions: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are the same essence (John 1:1-2), but separate in personalities (Matt. 3:16-17; Matt. 28:19-20; II Cor. 13:14).
  
• Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is God (John 10:30; 20:31) and that He is eternal (John 1:1-2). We believe that when Jesus Christ came to take on the form of man (Phil 2:6-8) that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:22-23). We believe that He lived a sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21) and that He provided the necessary atonement, vicariously, for our sins by the "sacrifice of Himself" (Isa. 53:4- 6; Heb. 9:26; 1 Cor. 15:3). And most important, we believe that after He died and was buried that "He rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:4).
  
• Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and indwells every believer (1 Cor. 6:19; Romans 8:9). We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 6:8); that He is active in the new birth (John 3:5- 6); that He testifies of Christ (John 15:26); that He seals the believer unto the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30) and that He makes intercession for believers (Rom. 8:26). We believe that man hinders the Holy Spirit in having all of himself due to sin. Therefore, it is essential for man to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) or controlled by the Spirit by keeping sin confessed and walking in the light (1 John 1:6-7). We believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in scripture.
  
• Satan: We believe that Satan is a real and personable being who is void of truth (John 8:44). We believe also that he is the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4) who has blinded the eyes of them which believe not (Acts 26:18) and that he is in constant battlement against Christians (Eph. 6:11-12).
  
• Creation: We believe in and accept by faith (Heb. 11:3) the Genesis account of Creation (Gen. 1:1-12). We believe that God created all things (Col. 1:16) including man in six literal days. Our belief in Creation discounts all hypothesis of Evolution.
  
• Hell: We believe in a literal Hell of everlasting fire (Matt. 25:41), everlasting destruction (II Thess. 1:9) and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46).
  
• Heaven: We believe in a literal Heaven where Jesus is today preparing a place for His believers (John 14:1-2). We believe that only those who have received Jesus Christ into their hearts will be able to enter (Matt. 7:13-14) into Heaven.
  
• Fall of Man: We believe that God created man in innocence, but by willful disobedience man sinned (Rom. 5:12-19) and because of this, everyone is a sinner (Rom. 3:10-23) with an inherited sinful nature (Psa. 51:5). Therefore, man is under just condemnation (John 3:19) without defense or excuse (Rom. 5:16-18).
  
• Salvation: We believe that salvation is of the Lord (Phil.1: 6) on the merit of the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24-26). Salvation is a free gift (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:23) which excludes any possible merit on the basis of works (Eph. 2:8-9; II Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5). We believe that the two essential doctrines that must be present in every lost person that wants to be saved are repentance (Acts 2:38) and faith (Acts 6:31; Rom. 10:9-10). We also believe that once a person has been saved that there is no chance of him/her ever going to hell and that he/she is eternally secure in Christ (John 3:16-36; 1 John 5:11-13).
• Church: We believe that the local church is a group of professing believers in Christ who unite together to serve Christ (Matt. 28:19-20). From this same commission, the church also has the responsibility of teaching and evangelizing and baptizing. The local church should also provide fellowship and worship and prayer.
  
• Civil Government: We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming King of Kings (Rom. 13:1-7; Acts 23:5; Mt. 22:21; Acts 5:29; Acts 4:19-20; Dan. 3:17-18).
  
• Human Sexuality: We subscribe to the biblical belief that God creates human beings in His image as two distinct genders, male and female, and that the intended gender identity of an individual is determined by such individual’s biological sex at birth. We apply this belief regarding gender identity in all policies and programs by the church. We subscribe to the biblical belief that sexual desire is rightfully fulfilled only within marriage, and that unmarried singles who abstain from sex can be whole, mature persons, as pleasing to God as persons who are faithful in marriage. We believe that God has commanded that no sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, pedophilia, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5-13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev., 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).
  
• Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage: We believe that God’s design for marriage is to be between one physically born male and one physically born female who still remain in that state. The church recognizes only such marriages for all policies and programs by the church. Renewal Church will not sanction or perform any marriages or ceremonies outside of God’s design as a covenant relationship between one physically born man and one physically born woman. We believe that God intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication or the desertion of a spouse, or life-threatening abuse. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they will only be considered for the offices of Pastor or Elder if upon a review by the current Church Management Group the circumstances of the divorce are determined to be clearly within the biblically allowed conditions. (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 5:31-32; 19:3-12; Luke 16:18; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2-12; Titus 1:6; 1 Cor. 7:10-17).
  
• The Sanctity of Life: We believe that all life is sacred from conception to death and that all individuals are known by God from before the foundation of the world and that human life begins at conception and that death is under the sovereignty of God and not man. We believe that no procedures should be performed for the primary objective of terminating a pregnancy and taking the life of an unborn child (such procedures are referred to herein as Abortions) except in the rarest of circumstances where other biblical, moral, principles prevail, such as where it is medically impossible to save the life of both the mother and the child. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16; Is. 44:24, 49:1-5; Jer. 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

Similarly, we believe that no medical procedure should be performed that takes the life of an individual prematurely (such procedures are referred to as Euthanasia). The church’s belief further prohibits paying for or otherwise facilitating such procedures. As dictated by these beliefs, the church as an organization shall not fund Abortions or Euthanasia in any manner, including through a health care benefit plan. Any requirement to facilitate Abortions or Euthanasia by participating in such a program, and any penalty for failing to participate in such a program, would directly and substantially burden and undermine the church’s exercise and expression of its biblical beliefs.

• Missions: We believe that God has given the Church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. All missionaries and mission projects supported by this church shall be within the approved Mission Budget.
  
• Lawsuits Between Believers: We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32).
  
• Giving: We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to financially support his/her church. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for financial giving but that every Christian should also give other offerings of time and abilities sacrificially and cheerfully to support the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe the Bible establishes 10% as the portion of gross income that should be returned to God and that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Mal. 3:10; Gen. 14:20; Gen. 28:22; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).
  
• Ordinances:
  1. Communion: We believe that Communion symbolizes the Lord’s death (1Cor. 11:16). We believe that the elements used to symbolize His blood and body should be unfermented grape juice (Matt. 26:29) and unleavened crackers or bread (Exodus 12:15, 1 Cor. 5:6-7, Heb. 4:15). Believers who have examined their life and are in proper fellowship with God and other people may partake.
     
  2. Baptism: We believe that Baptism is a symbol of the believer’s identification with Christ in His burial and resurrection (Rom. 6:4-5). We believe that the only Scriptural mode of Baptism is by immersion in water. (Col. 2:12, Mark 1:9-11). Renewal Church recognizes baptisms conducted at churches of like faith.
     
• Lord’s Second Coming: We believe in the imminent, premillennial, pre-tribulational, and bodily (Acts 1:11) return of Jesus Christ (Matt. 24:42-44) at which time the true church will meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-18).

The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members.