Statement of Faith | Connected Families

As followers of Christ, we believe that:

The Bible is inspired by God to perfectly tell the story of who God is, who we are, and how to be in a life-giving relationship with Him.
God is bigger and better than we can imagine, and yet God desires to have a personal relationship with us.
Throughout its narrative, the Old Testament prophetically speaks of a coming Messiah, and the New Testament renders the fulfillment of the prophecy in the story of Jesus.
Jesus was miraculously born, lived a sinless life, was crucified and died, a sacrifice to pay the penalty for the sins of all of us. And He rose to life to make a way for all people to be in a right relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit of God lives in people who make this confession and helps guide people toward God’s purposes.
Sin (the inborn inclination to break God’s laws) is the reason humans depart from God’s original design for life and live in a broken relationship with God.
God’s grace makes it possible to be in a restored relationship with God.
When we acknowledge and confess our sin and put our faith in Jesus Christ to give us the fullness of life God intends for us, we begin an eternity of growing in a personal and purposeful relationship with God.
Heaven and hell are real.
The Church is comprised of all people who profess faith in Jesus Christ. It exists to make Jesus’ love known and to serve people, just as Jesus served people.
Jesus is coming again to restore the world to God’s perfect design.

See below for a detailed statement of these core beliefs, including biblical support.

Questions about faith?

We’d be honored to talk with you, answer questions, and suggest resources.

Detailed core beliefs, including biblical support

The Word of God

We believe that the Bible, comprised of 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books, is the chronologically final God-inspired Word of God; verbally, fully, and uniquely inspired by God, without error in the original manuscripts, and that it has supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and life.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31-32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32

The Trinity

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:1, 26; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-3; John 4:24; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 4:5-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14

God the Father

We believe in God the Father, who is infinite, just, personal, and perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of people; He hears and answers prayer; and He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Luke 10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6; Romans 3:26; Deuteronomy 32:4

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, was prophetically foretold through the Old Testament narrative and then clearly depicted throughout the New Testament as the fulfillment of those prophecies, miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He is fully God and fully man. We believe in His sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection on the third day, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth.
Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:13-14; Isaiah 53; Isaiah 35:5-6; John 3:16; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30-31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; Romans 6:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Philippians 2:6-9

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit continually draws believers closer to God, transforms them into the image of Jesus Christ, empowers them for ministry, and distributes spiritual gifts to the church.
John 14:16-17, 26; John 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26; Galatians 5:22-26

Salvation

We believe that all people are created in the image of God, but due to Adam and Eve’s sin, sin nature entered the world and is inborn in every human. Sin, then, is the inability to achieve God’s holy standard of living and leaves every person guilty of “missing the mark.” As a result, the whole human race has incurred the condemnation of physical, spiritual, and eternal death or separation from God. We believe that those who repent and who receive and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are, in Christ, delivered or “saved” from condemnation and enjoy the free gift of eternal life with God.
Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3; Genesis 5:2; Romans 5:12-20; John 1:12; John 3:14, 16; John 5:24, 30; John 8:12; John 10:26

The Church

We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head, and all those who follow him as their Lord and Savior are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of followers of Jesus Christ who gather for worship, growth, service, and fellowship. We believe God ordained His church to bring hope to the world through the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ as we seek to make disciples in His name.
Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25; Matthew 28:19

Christian Conduct

We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others; that their conduct, by God’s grace, should aim at God’s holiness; that they should be faithful stewards of their time and possessions for God’s purposes; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. We believe we are called to live our lives consistent with the standards of biblical teaching, including fellowship with and encouragement of the body of Christ; corporate and individual prayer, service, and giving, by living lives in word and deed that are an encouragement to others to know and be like Jesus Christ; and by reflecting in all our relationships the servant-love of our Lord.

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are not in accord with Scripture nor the mission and purpose of Connected Families. We follow the biblical pattern for restoration when needed.

We believe the “Christian Conduct” described above is ideally lived out in every household as parents relate with and pass their faith to their children. And, we believe that this standard is humanly unattainable, thus our dependence on God’s grace.
1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15, 23-24; 1 John 2:3-6; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Colossians 1:9-10; Romans 7: 14-25; 1 John 1:8; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31; Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1

Core Values

As co-laborers crafted and called to do this work together, we embody the very core values we teach parents to live by with their kids.

Foundation – “You are SAFE with me”

We understand that the best work we can do in this ministry of grace and truth is to be people who believe the Bible is God’s true Word, that we are born sinners, saved by grace and made new in Christ through repentance from our sin, and who grow in God’s grace and truth for ourselves. This foundation frees us into profound safety and transparency in the communal struggle to share God’s grace and truth with as many parents as we can. In our graceful freedom is a refreshing ethos of comfort with what some would deem messes, mistakes, and misfits.

Connect – “You are LOVED no matter what”

We relate in joy-filled, authentic connection. We believe that for our work to flourish, our working relationships must be healthy and joyful. So we laugh together. A lot. We cry together too, as we carry one another’s professional and sometimes personal burdens. We are not just a team, we are, in a very professional sort of way, a big connected family.

Coach – “You are CALLED and CAPABLE”

God prepared unique work to be done under the Connected Families umbrella by a uniquely called and gifted group of individuals. As a team, we honor and affirm one another’s unique calling while seeking to gracefully keep each other accountable for excellence in carrying out our mission. This mindset keeps us always looking to acknowledge and build on the good in each other and in our work and helps individuals and team members assess their fit in the organization.

Correct – “You are RESPONSIBLE for your actions”

We understand that what we reap is what we sow. This compels us to plan well, work hard, and accept responsibility for our choices. Relationally it means we keep strong personal boundaries. Professionally it means we will do what we say we’ll do. But we’re bound to mess up. It’s part of life. We will reconcile well when we do, as practitioners of the very grace we teach parents – God’s amazing, reconciling, and restoring grace. We learn. We grow. And we keep working to “sow” well as stewards of this amazing opportunity.

Position statement regarding marriage and family

Connected Families’ primary focus is now and will always be to serve any parent seeking help through the lens of the CF Framework. The position statement that follows is in no way intended to shift that purpose but to put in writing the belief that has always been foundational to the ministry.

The Bible teaches a clear design for marriage and family, beginning with the creation of a man and a woman. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, biologically different, but complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Joined together in biblical marriage as “one flesh,” a man and woman can be “fruitful and multiply.” This clear design is upheld throughout scripture.

We also recognize that from the beginning, God’s original design for marriage and family was broken when sin entered the world. The presence of sin (noted above) compels people to create their own philosophies and practices that lead them away from God’s best for marriage and family. Therefore, God’s redemptive grace and truth must be active for parents and children to thrive in God’s best purposes – as the family is still the primary training ground for children to learn and grow in faith. When parents wholeheartedly develop their relationship with Christ, seek Holy Spirit wisdom for parenting, and accordingly “turn their hearts to their children,” it prepares the children for “the coming of the Lord” into their lives. (Luke 1:17)

When well-supported by the body of Christ (the family of God), the home environment is created that can nurture, instruct, and raise children in God’s grace and truth from generation to generation.
Genesis 1:27,28; Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:21-33; Ephesians 6:1-4; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:17

Code of Conduct

Our beliefs inform our behavior, and while Connected Families is comprised of a team from diverse denominational backgrounds, we are unified in our beliefs and our commitments to live lives that exemplify the doctrines listed above. Connected Families team members are representatives of the ministry in both their work and private lives. Therefore, the Connected Families Team (this includes all CF employees, board members, CF Certified Parent Coaches, and key contractors) adheres to the following code of conduct:

Opens the Bible often for growth in God’s word and guidance for work and life.
Honors one another and those we serve at all times with great social, emotional, and spiritual safety, characterized by listening, respect, validation, and encouragement.
Uses God-honoring language and humor.
Uses great discretion with regard to the use of legal substances, knowing you are first and foremost a representative of Jesus Christ.
Demonstrates a vibrant, vital, active testimony of faith and pursuit of a growing relationship with Christ.
Demonstrates attendance at a local Christ-centered church.
Abstains from sexual relations outside the context of biblical marriage as defined in the Position statement regarding marriage and family (above).
Seeks to uphold the Connected Families’ Core Values (above) privately and publicly.
Uses great discretion in all public discourse with a priority on ministry and relationship with Christ and a posture of grace in all public engagement.

This page was updated on September 27, 2023.